Herman of Wied

HERMAN OF WIED: Archbishop (Herman V.) of Cologne; b. Jan. 14, 1477, fourth son of Count Frederick of Wied (32 m. s.e. of Cologne); d. at

Vied Aug.15, 1552. At the age of six he was given a benefice in the cathedral chapter of Cologne. In 1493 he was immatriculated under the- law faculty in Cologne. In 1515 he was elected archbishop of Cologne. His intellectual attainments were not high, and, upon his own admission, he was more interested in his position as prince than as bishop. Originally he opposed Luther, but through the influence of Erasmus, Butzer, and Melanchthon, he became favorable to the Reformation and undertook certain ecclesiastical reforms in his archdiocese, thereby coming into conflict with the Curia and Popes Clement VII. and Paul III. After the recess of the Diet of Regensburg he called Butzer to his court and had him prepare a scheme for a reformation. This was accepted by the civil authorities, and by a part of the clergy; and the following Easter the communion was administered according to an Evangelical rite. Subsequently Herman summoned to his aid other Protestant theologians, including even Melanchthon. However, on the petition of the majority of the clergy, Charles V. interfered. The archbishop was cited to appear in Brussels and Rome, and a suit was brought against his adherents in the cathedral chapter. Herman turned to the Schmalkald League for support, but in vain. In April, 1546, he was excommunicated by the pope; and in Jan., 1547, the secular estates of Cologne were compelled by imperial commissioners to pay homage to Count Adolf of Schaumburg, hitherto the coadjutor, as their new master. By his unwillingness to agree to the Interim, Herman came into many a difficult position; but all threats and dangers were unable to shake his faith.

K. Varrentrapp.

Bibliography: The sources and older literature are indicated in C. Varrentram, Hermann von Wied und rein se. formationavdsuch in KSln, Leipsic, 1878, and in ZKG xx (1899), 37 sqq.; A. Hasenclever, Die Politik der schmmY kaldener vor Ausbruch des sdtmalkoidiwhen Kriaga, vaL

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xaiv. of E. Ebering's Historische Studien, Berlin, 1901; idem, in Zeitschrift des Berg. Geschichtsvereins, vol. xxv.; G. Wolf, Aus Kurkoln im 16. Jahrhundert, pp. 28 sqq., Berlin, 1906.