Wilhelm I Count of Montfort (died 11 October 1301) was prince-abbot of Saint Gall from 1281 until 1301.
Wilhelm I Count of Montfort (died 11 October 1301) was prince-abbot of Saint Gall from 1281 until 1301.
By the end of the abbacy of Berchtold von Falkenstein (died 10 June 1272), Count Rudolf of Habsburg began to restrict the influence the abbey had on the region of Thurgau. An election for the successor of Berchtold ended in conflicting results, giving Rudolf the opportunity to seize more influence and become more involved in matters of the abbey (he was crowned king in 1273). Rudolf sided with Ulrich von Güttingen, who was elected abbot by the citizens of the city of St. Gallen. The convent, however, had chosen Heinrich von Wartenberg, whom the citizenry rejected on the grounds of being from the same family as Berchtold. The Gotteshausleute (inhabitants of the area of influence of the Abbey), especially the city of St. Gallen, which at the time had not yet gained independence from the Abbey, accepted Rudolf as protector, which was confirmed to them in a Handfeste. However, Rudolf appointed Ulrich von Ramschwag as advocatus over the princely abbey. Additionally, Ulrich was a bad economist who amassed a large amount of debt for the city, in large parts due to his warring efforts against Heinrich von Wartenberg. Ulrich also fought against Heinrich's successor, Rumo von Ramstein. When Ulrich died, everybody recognised Rumo as the only legitimate abbot. The Abbey's economic standing did not improve, however, as Rumo had to sell many treasures to pay the amassed debt and was generally seen as inept. He abdicated in 1281 when he could not handle the situation any longer. [1]
Wilhelm's election signalled a systemic change for Saint Gall. he was elected abbot from the dynasty of the counts of Montfort, which was hostile towards the abbey during Berchtold's abbacy and sided with Ulrich during the time of double rule. While the spreading influence of the Montforts from the Rheintal to the Argengau had been a point of contention between the house and the convent, the electorate now sought to use the name of the counts for their own benefit. Wilhelm had influential secular brothers who boosted his election, among which were Rudolf I von Montfort, Ulrich I von Montfort as well as the later bishop of Chur, Friedrich von Montfort. [2] [3] After the election, Wilhelm endeavoured to restore the Abbey's former glory. Those ambitions were stopped by king Rudolf who, after dealing with his strong will, grew more hostile towards Wilhelm. Wilhelm was forced to interrupt his first visit at the royal court in Augsburg abruptly in December 1282 to avoid further impositions from the king. Inhabitants of the abbey were so unhappy with Wilhelm's savings policies and his orders that every monk should be ordained priest, that they lodged a complaint at the royal court. Their accusations were backed by the court and in 1287, Rudolf constricted Saint Gall's access to secular goods and used his influence on a papal legate to impose an anathema on Wilhelm. [2] [3]
The king had built the castle Schwarzenbach as a stronghold against the city of Wil, an important trading centre of the Gotteshaus (area under rule of the Abbey). A fierce fight erupted there in August and September 1287. An agreement of atonement was settled outside of Wil on 6 September 1287. However, when Wilhelm visited the king to finalise the peace, the agreement fell through and Rudolf forced Wilhelm to make further concessions towards the king's sons Albert I and Rudolf II. Spurred by this, Wilhelm continued the fight, assisted by his brother, Bishop Friedrich. The king placed more interest into Ulrich von Ramschwag. When the ruling that Wilhelm was to be excommunicated was finalised, the king, followed by his sons Albert and Rudolf, appointed the abbot of Kempten, Konrad von Gundelfingen to be anti-abbot. Supporters of Wilhelm were threatened to receive the imperial ban if they continued their support. [3]
Count Rudolf II stayed behind to fight Wilhelm, who now had to endure a time of defeat and persecution. His castles, among which was castle Alt-Toggenburg, fell into enemy hands. One after the other, his refuges were lost or became unusable. Bishop Friedrich was captured in a battle and died in 1290 when he attempted to escape from Werdenberg castle, which was controlled by Hugo von Montfort, who was on the king's side. [3] When King Rudolf died on 15 July 1291, Wilhelm immediately sought negotiations with the citizens of the city of St. Gall, promising to restore their old rights. They promptly reinstated him as the only legitimate abbot on 25 July of the same year. He thanked the citizenry by formalising their rights on 31 July 1291 in a comprehensive treaty. [4]
Konrad von Gundelfingen had to leave his post. He tried to re-establish himself as abbot through martial means, but relented when Wilhelm paid him 100 Mark. [5] Wilhelm, along with other enemies of the late king, joined an alliance against count Albert which was being assembled by bishop Rudolf von Konstanz. Subsequently, war erupted again in the Gotteshaus. Albert was largely victorious, but Ulrich von Ramschwag's sons – Ulrich himself had been driven out of the city when Wilhelm returned – suffered a major defeat outside the city of St. Gall on 15 February 1292. Following these events, the conflict was seemingly de-escalating, but never ceased entirely. In 1296, Wilhelm travelled to Austria to negotiate a peace treaty but had to leave without satisfying the wishes and hopes of everybody in St. Gall. [3]
When a feud broke out between Albert and King Adolf of Germany, who was Rudolf I's successor, Wilhelm joined forces with the new king, as he had shown himself to be beneficial towards St. Gall. After being granted assurances in the treaty of Schletstatt of 1 September 1297, the abbot consulted with King Adolf for the first time in the vicinity of Frankfurt to support him in his campaign against Albert I. In the summer of 1298, Wilhelm was the only clerical ruler ("Pfaffenfürst") in Adolf's camp. On 2 July at the battle of Göllheim, Wilhelm was one of the fugitives from the battlefield. Defeated and faced with economic difficulties due to the military expenditures and losses, he returned to the abbey. Moreover, the old enemy, Albert I, was now king. Only in 1301 could the questions raised about Schwarzenbach since 1292 be reconciled with the new king. According to the contents of the contract, the implementation of which would be delayed and never completely finalised, the castle and the city of Schwarzenbach should have been broken up and the city of Wil would have been completely restored. [3] However, Wilhelm had already fallen ill when Bishop Heinrich von Konstanz could report about a settlement. He died on 11 October, five days before the completion of the peace treaty. [2]
The Abbey of Saint Gall is a dissolved abbey (747–1805) in a Catholic religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The Carolingian-era monastery existed from 719, founded by Saint Othmar on the spot where Saint Gall had erected his hermitage. It became an independent principality between 9th and 13th centuries, and was for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe. The library of the Abbey is one of the oldest monastic libraries in the world.
Ulrich of Eppenstein served between 1071 and his death as Abbot of the powerful Abbey of Saint Gall. Ulrich was prominent as a supporter of Emperor Henry IV during the civil wars that erupted out of the power struggles between the emperor and the papacy during the closing decades of the eleventh century.
Konrad von Gundelfingen was prince-abbot of the Princely Abbey of Kempten from 1284 until 1302. He was also anti-abbot of the Princely Abbey of Saint Gall from 1288 until 1291, appointed by King Rudolf I.
Craloh was abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Gall from 942 to 958. During his time in office, the first anti-abbot was elected.
Lutold was counter-abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1077 to about 1083. Nothing is known about his life before and after his work in Saint Gall. In the oldest lists of abbots, Lutold is missing.
Werinhar was counter-abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1083 to 1086. Nothing is known about his life before and after his work in Saint Gall. He is documented neither in the obituary of Saint Gall nor in that of Reichenau.
Heinrich von Twiel was counter-abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1121 to 1122.
Manegold von Mammern was abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1121 to 1133. He descended from a noble family from the area around Untersee. He is documented for the years 1125 and 1126.
Werinher was abbot and librarian of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1133 to 1167. He is first documented in March 1134.
Ulrich von Sax was Abbot of Saint Gall from 1204 until his death.
Berchtold von Falkenstein was abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Gall from 1244 until 1272.
Heinrich von Mansdorf was abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1419 to 1426.
Otmar Kunz was abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1564 until 1577.
Bernhard Müller was prince-abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1594 until 1630. He was the son of Brosi Müller and Magdalena Lutz.
Gallus Jakob Alt was prince-abbot of Saint Gall from 1654 until 1687.
Bernard was abbot of the benedictine Abbey of Saint Gall from 883 until 890.
Heinrich von Ramstein was abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Gall from 1301 until 1318.
Hiltbold von Werstein was abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1318 until 1329 and in his capacity as domkustos, also librarian of the Abbey Library.
Heinrich von Wartenberg was anti-abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1272 until 1274.
Ulrich von Güttingen was the abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1272 until his death.
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