Hartwig of Uthlede

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Hartwig II von Uthlede
Denomination Roman Catholic Church
Senior posting
See Archdiocese of Bremen
Title Archbishop of Bremen
Period in office 1184/5–1207
Predecessor Siegfried
Successor Burghard
Personal
Date of birth unknown
Place of birth uncertain
Date of death November 3, 1207

Hartwig of Uthlede (died 1207) was Archbishop of Bremen and one of the originators of the Livonian Crusade. Coming from a family at Uthlede, he was a canon of Bremen Cathedral and a clerk of Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, before becoming archbishop in 1185; his election, owing to the competitive politics of Germany at the time, was regarded a triumph for the Welfs.[1]

A canon named Meinhard, originally from the Augustinian monastery at Segeberg (in Hartwig's diocese), was active at Üxküll among the pagan Livonians, apparently attempting to gain converts through preaching. In 1186, one year into Hartwig's episcopate, the archbishop intervened and gave him the status of a bishop, in effect ceasing control of missionary efforts there.[2] The historian Eric Christiansen judged this to be part of Hartwig's attempt to resurrect his see's former glory, when it "had exercised authority over the entire Northern world".[3] Papal records of 1188 indicate that the bishopric which had been established "in Russia" by Meinhard was recognised by the papacy as subordinate to the archbishopric of Bremen.[4]

In 1190, as part of the peace settlement between Henry the Lion and the emperor, Henry VI, Hartwig was deposed and forced to England and then Lüneburg in exile, returning after a few years; from 1192, however, Waldemar, Bishop of Schleswig, was claiming his position.[5] In Livonia, despite a further decade of activity, Bishop Meinhard had made little progress and died in 1196.[6] Archbishop Hartwig appointed the Cistercian Berthold, abbot of Loccum, to fill the vacancy at Üxküll.[7] In the previous year (1195) Hartwig had convinced Pope Celestine III to confer all the spiritual benefits gained by Levantine crusaders to Catholics visiting the valley of the Western Dvina; in 1198, Pope Innocent III repeated Celestine's privileges, while an expedition to Livonia was being prepared.[8] Archbishop Hartwig recruited an army of Saxon crusaders which were sent to Livonia under Bishop Berthold in 1198. Unfortunately for the Germans, however, their army was defeated and the bishop martyred in the same year.[9]

Not being discouraged, Hartwig appointed another canon of Bremen, his nephew Albert von Buxhövden, as the new Bishop of Üxküll.[8] Together they recruited another large army from Germany, eventually sending an expedition of 500 armed "pilgrims" in 13 naval vessels.[8] Bishop Albert's campaigns were more successful, removing his see to a new site at Riga and founding a viable crusader state.[10] Archbishop Hartwig died on November 3, 1207, while this was ongoing.[1]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Glaeske, "Hartwig II.".
  2. ^ Brundage, Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, p. 5, n. 5, & p. 27; Christiansen, Northern Crusades, p. 97.
  3. ^ Christiansen, Northern Crusades, p. 97; see also comments by Munzinger, "Profits of the Cross", pp. 169, 175.
  4. ^ Munzinger, "Profits of the Cross", p. 169; the phrase" in Russia" is likely explained by the fact that the Livonians of the lower Dvina were tributary to the Prince of Polotsk: see also Munzinger, "Profits of the Cross", p. 168.
  5. ^ Glaeske, "Hartwig II."; Huffman, Social Politics, p. 134.
  6. ^ Brundage, Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, p. 6.
  7. ^ Brundage, Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, p. 6; Christiansen, Northern Crusades, p. 97.
  8. ^ a b c Christiansen, Northern Crusades, p. 98.
  9. ^ Brundage, Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, p. 6; Christiansen, Northern Crusades, p. 98.
  10. ^ Brundage, Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, pp. 6-248; Christiansen, Northern Crusades, pp. 98-9.

[edit] References


Religious titles
Preceded by
Siegfried		 Archbishop of Bremen
1185–1207		 Succeeded by
Burghard
Languages