Friedrich Karl von Schönborn (or Friedrich Carl, 1674–1746) was the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg and Prince-Bishop of Bamberg from 1729 to 1746. He also served as ''Reichsvizekanzler'' (Vice-Chancellor) of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...

from 1705 to 1734.

Biography

Friedrich Karl (Carl) von Schönborn was born in

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...

on 3 March 1674, the second son of (1644-1717, see List of rulers of Schönborn) and his wife, Maria Anna Sophia von Boineburg (1652–1726). Friedrich Karl was the nephew of

Lothar Franz von Schönborn Lothar Franz von Schönborn-Buchheim (4 October 1655 – 30 January 1729) was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1694 to 1729 and the Bishop of Bamberg from 1693 to 1729. As Archbishop of Mainz, he was also Archchancellor of the Holy Roman Emp ...

, Archbishop-Elector of Mainz. Friedrich Karl's older brother Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn was one of his predecessors as Prince-Bishop of Würzburg; his younger brother Damian Hugo Philipp von Schönborn became Prince-Bishop of Speyer and his youngest brother Franz Georg von Schönborn became

Archbishop-Elector of Trier The elector of Trier was one of the prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire and, in his capacity as archbishop, administered the archdiocese of Trier. The territories of the electorate and the archdiocese were not, however, equivalent. History ...

. In 1681, he was sent to study at the Jesuit school at

Aschaffenburg Aschaffenburg (; South Franconian German, South Franconian: ''Aschebersch'') is a town in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg is not part of the Aschaffenburg (district), district of Aschaffenburg, but is its administrative sea ...

. He became a '' Canon (Priest)'' at Würzburg in 1683 and at Bamberg in 1685. He then studied alongside his brother Johann Philipp Franz at Würzburg, Mainz, Aschaffenburg and Rome ( Germanicum). His

Grand Tour The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tut ...

brought him to the Netherlands, England and France. He finished his studies at the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

. He received the

minor orders Minor orders are ranks of church ministry. In the Catholic Church, the predominating Latin Church formerly distinguished between the major orders —priest (including bishop), deacon and subdeacon—and four minor orders—acolyte, exorcist, lec ...

in 1701. In 1703/4, his uncle Lothar Franz sent him as envoy for the Archbishopric of Mainz to the imperial court at Vienna. He became a

canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western ca ...

Würzburg Cathedral Würzburg Cathedral (german: Würzburger Dom) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany, dedicated to Saint Kilian. It is the seat of the Bishop of Würzburg and has served as the burial place for the Prince-Bishops of Wür ...

in 1704, and a canon of

Bamberg Cathedral Bamberg Cathedral (german: Bamberger Dom, official name Bamberger Dom St. Peter und St. Georg) is a church in Bamberg, Germany, completed in the 13th century. The cathedral is under the administration of the Roman Catholic Church and is the se ...

in 1705. In 1705, Friedrich Karl became Vice-Chancellor for Emperor

Joseph I Joseph I or Josef I may refer to: *Joseph I of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch in 1266–1275 and 1282–1283 * Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor (1678–1711) *Joseph I (Chaldean Patriarch) (reigned 1681–1696) *Joseph I of Portugal (1750–1777) ...

; he held this post under Joseph and his successor, Charles VI, until 1734. In this position, Friedrich Karl worked to protect the security of the smaller

Imperial Estate An Imperial State or Imperial Estate ( la, Status Imperii; german: Reichsstand, plural: ') was a part of the Holy Roman Empire with representation and the right to vote in the Imperial Diet ('). Rulers of these Estates were able to exercise si ...

s, and to strengthen imperial authority. He successfully opposed attempts by

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

to expand its influence in southern Germany. During his early years he spent most of his time at the Imperial court in Vienna. He had the

Federal Chancellery of Austria In Austrian politics, the Federal Chancellery (german: Bundeskanzleramt, lit=federal chancellery, abbreviated ; historically also and ) is the ministry led by the chancellor. Since the establishment of the First Austrian Republic in 1918, the Ch ...

built between 1717 and 1719 as his office. He also supervised the construction of the Imperial Chancellory Wing of the

Hofburg Palace The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Located in the centre of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn ...

in Vienna (1723–30) by

Lukas von Hildebrandt Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (14 November 1668 – 16 November 1745) was an Austrian baroque architect and military engineer who designed stately buildings and churches and whose work had a profound influence on the architecture of the Habsburg mo ...

, where he lived in an apartment. As his private country resort near Vienna, he built the Blauer Hof Laxenburg (1710-1720) and also the Schönborn Palace near Göllersdorf in Lower Austria; there he also purchased Weyerburg Castle. In 1740 he acquired the

Palais Schönborn-Batthyány Palais Schönborn-Batthyány is a Baroque palace in the Innere Stadt district of Vienna, Austria. It was built by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach around 1699-1706 for count Adam Batthyány. In 1740, his widow sold the residence to the noble S ...

and moved there. He was appointed coadjutor bishop of Bamberg in 1708, with Pope Clement XI confirming his appointment on 19 May 1710. Friedrich Karl's opposition to the

Pragmatic Sanction A pragmatic sanction is a sovereign's solemn decree on a matter of primary importance and has the force of fundamental law. In the late history of the Holy Roman Empire, it referred more specifically to an edict issued by the Emperor. When used ...

, as well as his frequent absences from Vienna, caused him to lose influence at the court after 1730. When the cathedral chapter of Würzburg elected a new bishop in 1724, they rejected Friedrich Karl, due to the unpopularity of his brother Johann Philipp Franz.

Christoph Franz von Hutten Christoph Franz von Hutten (1673–1729) was the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg from 1724 to 1729. Christoph Franz von Hutten was born in Mainberg in Lower Franconia on 19 May 1673. He was the son of ''Ritter'' Johann von Hutten (1629–90) and h ...

was elected Bishop of Würzburg instead. In 1724, Friedrich Karl became ''Dompropst'' at Würzburg and upon his uncle Lothar Franz' death on 30 January 1729, he succeeded as Prince-Bishop of Bamberg. On 18 May 1729 he was elected unanimously as Bishop of Würzburg, after von Hutten had died. Nonetheless he continued to mainly reside in Vienna for a number of years. Friedrich Karl had been the favourite nephew of Lothar Franz, who bequeathed to him '' Schloss Weissenstein'', a large Baroque palace at

Pommersfelden Pommersfelden is a community in the Upper Franconian district of Bamberg in Germany. Geography The community lies north of Höchstadt an der Aisch on the river Reiche Ebrach. Constituent communities The community of Pommersfelden is subdivided ...

. Among his various residences, Friedrich Karl clearly preferred Würzburg, however. As an imperial prince, Friedrich Karl remained a supporter of the Habsburgs, despite numerous and significant political differences. His considered, moderately absolutist, rule served him well in reorganizing administration, finance and education in both bishoprics. In 1735 he helped to turn the ''Bamberger Akademie'' into a full university, by adding law and medical faculties. In 1743 he gave the

University of Würzburg The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (also referred to as the University of Würzburg, in German ''Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg'') is a public research university in Würzburg, Germany. The University of Würzburg is one of ...

new study regulations. He implemented the perpetual adoration at Würzburg in 1736. In both bishoprics he built or renovated numerous churches, often using Würzburg engineer Balthasar Neumann. Under him, Neumann also completed the

Würzburg Residence The Würzburg Residence (German: ''Würzburger Residenz'') is a palace in Würzburg, Germany. Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt and Maximilian von Welsch, representatives of the Austrian/South German Baroque style, were involved in the construction, ...

(begun under his brother) and the ''Schönbornkapelle'' of

. Friedrich Karl also had Neumann build a new summer residence at

Werneck Werneck is a market town in the district of Schweinfurt in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It has a population of around 10,000 and is best known for its Baroque palace, Schloss Werneck. Geography Location Werneck lies in the Lower Franco ...

. He died on 26 July 1746 at Würzburg and is buried in the ''Schönbornkapelle'' of Würzburg Cathedral. Bundeskanzleramt Ballhausplatz Wien 2007.jpg,

Reichskanzleitrakt Vienna Sept 2006 001.jpg, Imperial Chancellory Wing of the

in Vienna Blauer Hof Laxenburg.jpg, Blauer Hof Laxenburg Residenz Wuerzburg Vorderan.jpg,

DSC 0133-a.jpg,

Palace Schoenbornkapelle Wuerzburg-1.jpg,

with adjacent Schönborn burial chapel

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schonborn, Friedrich Karl von 1674 births 1746 deaths Prince-Bishops of Bamberg Prince-Bishops of Würzburg Friedrich