Clemens August of Bavaria

File:Clemens August of Bavaria as Grand Master of Teutonic Knights.PNG

Clemens August of Bavaria.

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.

Illegitimate children

Clemens August and his mistress Mechthild Brion had a daughter:

• Anna Marie zu Löwenfeld (1735–1783) ∞ Franz Ludwig Count of Holnstein (1723–1780), son of Clemens August's brother Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor

Ancestors

Family of Clemens August of Bavaria

16. William V, Duke of Bavaria               8. Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria                       17. Renata of Lorraine               4. Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria                             18. Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor               9. Maria Anna of Austria                       19. Maria Anna of Bavaria               2. Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria                                   20. Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy               10. Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy                       21. Catherine Micaela of Spain               5. Henriette Adelaide of Savoy                             22. Henry IV of France               11. Christine Marie of France                       23. Marie de' Medici               1. Clemens August of Bavaria                                         24. Marek Sobieski               12. Jakub Sobieski                       25. Jadwiga Snopkowska               6. John III Sobieski                             26. Jan Daniłowicz               13. Zofia Teofillia Daniłowicz                       27. Zofia Żółkiewska               3. Teresa Kunegunda Sobieska                                   28. Antoine de La Grange d'Arquien               14. Henri Albert de La Grange d'Arquien                       29. Anne d'Ancienville               7. Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange d'Arquien                             30. Baptiste de La Châtre of Bruillebault               15. Françoise de la Châtre                       31. Gabrielle Lamy de Loury

External links

• A tour of Augustusburg Palace on YouTube

Clemens August of Bavaria House of Wittelsbach 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 de	Prince-Bishop of Paderborn 1719–61	Succeeded by de
	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 de, 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