Born: circa 1185
House: Berg
Predecessor: Bruno IV and Dietrich I
Reign: 1216 – 1225
Brief: Engelbert entered the clergy at the age of twelve when he began schooling in Cologne. He was made provost of St. George chapel and eventually was made the provost of Cologne Cathedral in 1216. He began collecting over provostships at St. Severin, Aachen, Deventer, and Zutphen. He was offered the title bishop of Münster in 1203, but declined it since he was only eighteen. In 1206, Engelbert was excommunicated for supporting his cousin, the archbishop of Cologne, who supported Philip of Swabia as Holy Roman Emperor. Engelbert was pardoned in 1208 and joined the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars of southern France in 1212 as penance. When he returned to Germany, he was made archbishop of Cologne.
Engelbert became a close confidant of Emperor Frederick II, joined him as imperial administer and acting as guardian for the emperor's son, Henry. In Cologne, he cleaned up the archbishopric and its finances, protecting them from rivals. He claimed the county of Berg in 1218 when his brother died, though Duke Walram III of Limburg claimed it as well. The dispute was resolved in 1220 and Engelbert served as count until his death. In Cologne, Engelbert reorganized the secular lands into what many considered a full ecclesiastical state. A conflict erupted in 1225 with a cousin in Essen who had been defrauding nuns. Engelbert wished to bring his cousin to trial for his crimes. The cousin, Frederick, confronted Engelbert and murdered him, though the intent was probably to capture the archbishop. He was buried in Cologne Cathedral in early 1226 and was immediately declared a martyr. Although he was never formally canonized, a saint biography and a feast day have both been appointed to him.
Brief: Engelbert entered the clergy at the age of twelve when he began schooling in Cologne. He was made provost of St. George chapel and eventually was made the provost of Cologne Cathedral in 1216. He began collecting over provostships at St. Severin, Aachen, Deventer, and Zutphen. He was offered the title bishop of Münster in 1203, but declined it since he was only eighteen. In 1206, Engelbert was excommunicated for supporting his cousin, the archbishop of Cologne, who supported Philip of Swabia as Holy Roman Emperor. Engelbert was pardoned in 1208 and joined the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars of southern France in 1212 as penance. When he returned to Germany, he was made archbishop of Cologne.
Engelbert became a close confidant of Emperor Frederick II, joined him as imperial administer and acting as guardian for the emperor's son, Henry. In Cologne, he cleaned up the archbishopric and its finances, protecting them from rivals. He claimed the county of Berg in 1218 when his brother died, though Duke Walram III of Limburg claimed it as well. The dispute was resolved in 1220 and Engelbert served as count until his death. In Cologne, Engelbert reorganized the secular lands into what many considered a full ecclesiastical state. A conflict erupted in 1225 with a cousin in Essen who had been defrauding nuns. Engelbert wished to bring his cousin to trial for his crimes. The cousin, Frederick, confronted Engelbert and murdered him, though the intent was probably to capture the archbishop. He was buried in Cologne Cathedral in early 1226 and was immediately declared a martyr. Although he was never formally canonized, a saint biography and a feast day have both been appointed to him.
Date of Death: 7 November 1225
Successor: Heinrich I
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
Successor: Heinrich I
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
- Umar, caliph of Sunni Islam (644)
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