Conrad of Vechta (Czech ''Konrád z Vechty''; German ''Konrad von Vechta'') (born ca. 1370, possibly in Bremen; died 24 December 1431 in Roudnice nad Labem) was Bishop of Verden (1400–1402/1407), Bishop of Olomouc (1408–1413),

Archbishop of Prague The following is a list of bishops and archbishops of Prague. The bishopric of Prague was established in 973, and elevated to an archbishopric on 30 April 1344. The current Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Prague is the continual successor of the b ...

(1413–1421), and Master of the Mint (1401–1403) and Chancellor (1405–1412) of the

Kingdom of Bohemia The Kingdom of Bohemia ( cs, České království),; la, link=no, Regnum Bohemiae sometimes in English literature referred to as the Czech Kingdom, was a medieval and early modern monarchy in Central Europe, the predecessor of the modern Czec ...

Before episcopate

It is not certain whether Conrad was a member of the patrician family named von Vechta, living as successful merchants in Bremen, where family members also held positions in the city government, or if Conrad was born in Vechta and therefore epithetised von Vechta in German.Václav Bartunek, "Konrad von Vechta", in: see references for bibliographical details, vol. 12, pp. 551seq., here p. 551. However, his brother Konstantin von Vechta held a canonicate at Bremen Cathedral as cathedral provost (Dompropst), presiding the cathedral chapter. This rather substantiates a patrician background, because Bremian canonicates were usually provided for members of patrician families of Bremen or of noble families of the Bremian knightage. Conrad was definitely no member of the comital family of Vechta, which used to be called after its castle Counts of Ravensberg.Walter Schlesinger, "Konrad von Vechta", in: see references for bibliographical details, vol. 16, pp. 608seq., here p. 608. Conrad strove for a clerical career. He sided already early with Wenceslaus, King of the Romans, ruling 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 ...

since 1376, on whose instigation Conrad was provided with a number of

prebend A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the ...

s. As many North Germans used to study in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

, Conrad's siding with Wenceslaus, who was simultaneously ruling as King of Bohemia since 1378, may indicate that Conrad had done so too. In 1395 Wenceslaus failed to get Conrad invested as bishop of Verden, whereas Dietrich of Nieheim prevailed. Conrad had earlier been provost of Lüne Nunnery and was then promoted to canon of the Collegiate Church of St. Blaise in Brunswick.Thomas Vogtherr, "Bistum und Hochstift Verden bis 1502", in: see references for bibliographical details, vol. II: pp. 279–320, here p. 302. .

Provided bishop of Verden

In 1400 Pope Boniface IX, on Wenceslaus' instigation, deposed Conrad's provided predecessor Conrad of Soltau, who had so far only been provided bishop of Verden in 1399, but not invested, and provided instead Conrad of Vechta not before 1 May, however, also lacking investiture. Conrad titled himself bishop elect of Verden until 1407.Thomas Vogtherr, "Bistum und Hochstift Verden bis 1502", in: see references for bibliographical details, vol. II: pp. 279–320, here p. 303. . Lacking the elective mandate of the cathedral chapter in Verden upon Aller, it did not recognise his episcopate. However, the pope soon changed his mind again, when the other prince-electors had deposed Wenceslaus as ruler of the Empire in 1400 and replaced him by King

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, who in May 1401 had accepted the deposed Conrad of Soltau, a native of the Prince-Bishopric of Verden, as legitimate and invested him with the princely regalia as prince-bishop. Boniface IX thus also confirmed Conrad of Soltau as canonical bishop of Verden in autumn 1402.

Later offices

In 1410 Konstantin von Vechta followed Conrad to Prague, succeeding him as provost of Mělník's Ss. Peter and Paul Church, which was combined with a canonicate at St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague. On 28 July 1419 Conrad crowned

Sigismund of Luxembourg Sigismund of Luxembourg (15 February 1368 – 9 December 1437) was a monarch as King of Hungary and Croatia (''jure uxoris'') from 1387, King of Germany from 1410, King of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor from 1433 until his death in 1 ...

as King of Bohemia. Conrad took the side of the Hussites during the Hussite Wars, despite remaining a Catholic prelate, and was deposed as archbishop by the Roman Curia.

Art patronage

Conrad was the probable original owner of a richly illuminated manuscript Bible, now known as the

Antwerp Bible The Antwerp Bible or Bible of Konrad of Vechta is an early 15th-century illuminated manuscript Bible, preserved in the Plantin-Moretus Museum, Antwerp, Belgium. Its illuminations are modeled on those in the Wenceslas Bible. The manuscript was p ...

from its survival in the

Museum Plantin-Moretus The Plantin-Moretus Museum ( nl, Plantin-Moretusmuseum) is a printing museum in Antwerp, Belgium which focuses on the work of the 16th-century printers Christophe Plantin and Jan Moretus. It is located in their former residence and printing establ ...

, Antwerp."Wenceslas Bible" in ''The Grove Encyclopedia of Medieval Art and Architecture'', vol. 2, edited by Colum Hourihane (

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print book ...

, 2012), pp. 366-367

References

* * Zdeňka Hledíková, Štěpán Kohout and Thomas Vogtherr, "Konrad von Vechta", in Erwin Gatz, ''Die Bischöfe des Heiligen Römischen Reiches'': 5 vols., in: ''Die Bischöfe des Heiligen Römischen Reiches'', Erwin Gatz under collaboration of Clemens Brodkorb (eds.), Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 2001, vol. 2: '1198 bis 1448', pp. 594–596; . * * Thomas Vogtherr, "Bistum und Hochstift Verden bis 1502", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.), Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995; ), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995; ), vol. III 'Neuzeit' (2008; ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 279–320.

Notes