Conrad II (bishop of Hildesheim)

Conrad II of Reifenberg(German:Konrad II.;late 12th century – 18 December 1249)[1]wasBishop of Hildesheimfrom 1221 to 1246. During his tenure, theBishopric of Hildesheimwas raised to anImperial State(Hochstift), when Conrad was vested with secular rights of aprince-bishopby EmperorFrederick IIin 1235.

Portrait on a late 18th-century medallion

Life

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Born into the noble family of Reifenberg or Reisenberg, he studied at theUniversity of Paris,and is said to have taught theology there as well, and to have preached against theAlbigenses.Back in theHoly Roman Empire,Conrad was dean of theSpeyer Cathedralfrom 1209 to 1216, and a scholastic at theMainz Cathedralfrom 1216 to 1221, during which time he oversaw the recruitment in Germany for theFifth Crusade.[2]

He was appointed Bishop of Hildesheim in 1221, becoming part of a new wave of bishops with a reputation for scholarship, which was at the time not common in Germany.[2]He was noted for both his ecclesiastical and temporal leadership of the bishopric.[3]During his time as bishop, he engaged in a notabledisputationwith Heinrich Minneke, theprovostofNeuwerk,and oversaw thecanonizationof the recently deceasedElizabeth of Hungary,which took place on 27 May 1235. In the same year Hildesheim's episcopal and capitulartemporalities(theStift) was imperially recognized as a state ofimperial immediacy,thePrince-Bishopric of Hildesheim.Conrad II died in 1249 inSchönau Abbey.[1]

Notes

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  1. ^abMadey, cols. 392–393
  2. ^abPixton, pp. 203–204
  3. ^Pixton, p. 218

References

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  • Johannes Madey (1992). "Konrad II. von Hildesheim". In Bautz, Traugott (ed.).Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL)(in German). Vol. 4. Herzberg: Bautz. cols. 392–393.ISBN3-88309-038-7.
  • Paul B. Pixton (1995).The German Episcopacy and the Implementation of the Decrees of the Fourth Lateran Council, 1216–1245.BRILL.ISBN90-04-10262-0.
Conrad of Reisenberg or Reifenberg
Born:late 12th centuryDied:18 December 1249
Catholic Church titles
Regnal titles
Preceded byas bishop Bishop and then
Prince-Bishop of Hildesheim
(as of 1235)

1221–1246
Succeeded byas prince-bishop