Joseph Clemens of Bavaria

Joseph Clemens of Bavaria (German: Joseph Clemens von Bayern) (5 December 1671 – 12 November 1723) was a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty of Bavaria and also served as the Archbishop-Elector of Cologne from 1688 to 1723.

Joseph Clemens of Bavaria
Archbishop-Elector of Cologne
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Cologne
See	Cologne
Appointed	1688
Term ended	1723
Orders
Ordination	18 December 1705
Consecration	1 May 1707 by François Fénelon
Personal details
Born	5 December 1671 Munich, Electorate of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empire
Died	12 November 1723 (aged 51) Bonn, Cologne, Holy Roman Empire

Biography

The third son of Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria and his wife, Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy, Joseph Clemens was designated by his parents for a life in the church. He became Archbishop of Cologne in 1688 after the death of Maximilian Henry of Bavaria, and his appointment to that post by Pope Innocent XI was one cause of the Nine Years' War. He later also served as Prince-Bishop of Liège, of Regensburg, of Freising and of Hildesheim.

Joseph Clemens was the younger brother of Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria.^[1]

As did his brother, Maximillian II, Joseph Clemens allied with France during the War of the Spanish Succession and was forced to flee his residence Bonn in 1702 and found refuge at the French court. Joseph Clemens was put under the Imperial ban and deprived of his lands in 1706.

The war between France and the Holy Roman Empire was finally ended in 1714 with the Treaty of Baden, which restored Joseph Clemens. He died in Bonn, and was buried at the Cologne Cathedral. Joseph Clemens was succeeded by his nephew Clemens August of Bavaria.

Notes

1. Goorts 2019, p. 64.

References

• Goorts, Roeland (2019). "The balance of power in the Principality of Liège". In Thomas, Werner (ed.). War, State, and Society in Liège: How a Small State of the Holy Roman Empire survived the Nine Year's War (1688-1697). Leuven University Press. pp. 45–80. doi:10.2307/j.ctv9hvrb2. ISBN 978-94-6270-131-1. JSTOR j.ctv9hvrb2.8. Retrieved 23 February 2024.

General references

• Cont, Alessandro (2018). La Chiesa dei principi. Le relazioni tra Reichskirche, dinastie sovrane tedesche e stati italiani (1688–1763) (in Italian). Trento: Provincia autonoma di Trento. pp. 19–55. Retrieved 23 February 2024.

External links

• "Joseph Clemens, c.1700–20". Royal Collection Trust. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
• "Joseph Clemens of Bavaria, Archbishop and Elector of Cologne". V&A. Retrieved 17 February 2024.

Joseph Clemens of Bavaria House of Wittelsbach Born: 5 December 1671 in Munich Died: 12 November 1723 in Bonn
German royalty
Catholic Church titles
Regnal titles
Preceded by Albert Sigismund of Bavaria	Prince-Bishop of Freising 1685–1694	Succeeded by John Francis von Eckher von Kapfing und Liechteneck
	Prince-Bishop of Regensburg 1685–1694	Succeeded by Clemens August of Bavaria
Preceded by Maximilian Henry of Bavaria	Archbishop-Elector of Cologne and Duke of Westphalia 1688–1723
Preceded by Jobst Edmund of Brabeck	Prince-Bishop of Hildesheim 1702–1723
Preceded by John Louis of Elderen	Prince-Bishop of Liège 1694–1723	Succeeded by Georges-Louis de Berghes