Clemens August of Bavaria

Clemens August of Bavaria.
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Clemens August of Bavaria (German: Clemens August von Bayern) (17 August 1700 – 6 February 1761) was a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty of Bavaria and Archbishop-Elector of Cologne.

Biography

Clemens August (Clementus Augustus) was born in Brussels, the son of Elector Maximilian II Emanuel of Bavaria and Theresa Kunegunda Sobieska and the grandson of King John III Sobieski of Poland. His family was split during the War of the Spanish Succession and was for many years under house arrest in Austria; only in 1715 did the family become re-united.

His uncle Joseph Clemens, Elector and Archbishop of Cologne, saw to it that Clemens August received several appointments in Altötting, the Diocese of Regensburg, and at the Prince-Provostry of Berchtesgaden, and he soon received papal confirmation as Bishop of Regensburg, and later of Cologne.

As Archbishop of Cologne, he was one of the Electors, a Prince-Bishop of Münster, Hildesheim, and Osnabrück, and a Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.

Clemens August, who mostly sided with the Austrian Habsburg-Lorraine side during the War of the Austrian Succession, personally crowned his brother Charles VII emperor at Frankfurt in 1742. After Charles's death in 1745, Clemens August then again leaned toward Austria. Over time, Clemens August changed more frequently the alliances, as of Allied of Austria or France, also under the influence of his frequently changing First Ministers and high donations.

He died in Festung Ehrenbreitstein in 1761. In March 1761, shortly after his death, Pope Clement XIII rejected the succession of Clemens August's brother Cardinal John Theodore of Bavaria as Archbishop and Prince-Elector of Cologne since the pope entertained some doubt on John Theodore's "moral conduct". This was the end of the reign of the Wittelsbach in Cologne after 178 years of continuous rule. In his will, Clemens August donated only to his successor as Elector and the court chamber of the Electorate of Cologne, but not the Elector of Bavaria. His nephew Maximilian III. Joseph then tried to challenge the will before the Supreme Court of Appeal, however, this failed on 23 January 1767.

Cultural legacy

Clemenswerth Palace near Sögel built as a hunting lodge for Clemens August

Clemens August patronised the arts; among others he ordered to build the palaces of Augustusburg and Falkenlust in Brühl, North Rhine-Westphalia, listed on the UNESCO cultural world heritage list, and the church of St Michael in Berg am Laim in Munich. Ludwig van Beethoven's Flemish grandfather became a musician in Bonn during the reign of Clemens August.

Illegitimate children

Clemens August and his mistress Mechthild Brion had a daughter:

Ancestors

References

  1. ↑ "GeneAll.net - France". Geneall.net. Retrieved 2012-05-28.
Clemens August of Bavaria
Born: 1700 Died: 1761
Catholic Church titles
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Joseph Clemens		 Prince-Bishop of Regensburg
1716–19 		Succeeded by
John Theodore
Preceded by
Franz Arnold von Wolff-Metternich zur Gracht		 Prince-Bishop of Paderborn
1719–61 		Succeeded by
Wilhelm Anton von der Asseburg
Prince-Bishop of Münster, Burgrave of Stromberg and Lord of Werth
as Clemens August I
1719–61 		Succeeded by
Maximilian Friedrich von Königsegg-Rothenfels
Preceded by
Joseph Clemens of Bavaria		 Prince-Archbishop-Elector of Cologne, Arch-Chancellor of Italy and Duke of Westphalia
1723–61
Prince-Bishop of Hildesheim
1723–61 		Vacant
Title next held by
Frederick William of Westphalia, 1763–89
Preceded by
Ernest Augustus York and Albany
as Protestant administrator regnant		 Roman Catholic Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück
1728–61 		Vacant
Title next held by
Frederick of York and Albany
as Protestant administrator regnant, 1764–1802
Catholic Church titles
Grand Master of the Teutonic Order
Preceded by
Louis Francis of Palatinate-Neuburg		 Hochmeister
1732–1761 		Succeeded by
Charles Alexander of Lorraine


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