Melchior Klesl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence the Most Reverend Melchior Cardinal Klesl |
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| Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria della Pace | |
Melchior Klesl
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| In Office | 1624–1630 |
| Predecessor | Alessandro d'Este |
| Successor | Fabrizio Verospi |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 30 March 1614 by Placido della Marra |
Melchior Klesl (born February 19, 1552 – died September 18, 1630) was an important Austrian leader. He was also a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church during a time of big religious changes called the Counter-Reformation. Klesl was a close advisor to King and Emperor Matthias from 1609 to 1618. He worked hard to bring peace between different religious groups before a major conflict, the Thirty Years' War, began.
Klesl became the Bishop of Vienna in 1602. Later, in December, he was made a cardinal.
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Early Life and Education
Melchior Klesl was born in Vienna, which is in Austria. His parents were Lutheran Protestants, and his father was a baker. His last name could also be spelled Khlesl, Klesel, or Cleselius.
Klesl studied philosophy at the University of Vienna. He was very impressed by the teachings of the Jesuits, who are a Catholic religious order. Because of this, he decided to convert to Catholicism. He joined the University of Vienna in 1570. In 1574, he entered a special school for future priests run by the Jesuits. Emperor Rudolf II noticed Klesl's potential. The Emperor wanted Klesl to help him with his plans for church reform.
Becoming a Leader in the Church
In 1579, Klesl earned his degree in philosophy. He was then given an important job as the cathedral provost of St. Stephen's Church in Vienna. He was also ordained as a priest.
The Emperor and his advisors wanted Klesl to help reform the Catholic clergy. They asked the prince-bishop of Passau to make Klesl his official helper in Vienna. So, in 1580, Klesl became the official representative for Lower Austria. In 1581, he became the vicar-general in Vienna. His main job was to make sure Catholic priests followed strict rules.
As a church leader and chancellor of the university, Klesl worked for the Emperor. He made sure that professors and students were Catholic. He also tried to bring Protestant towns in Lower Austria back to the Catholic faith. This effort was strongest between 1585 and 1588.
Challenges and New Roles
Klesl's approach to bringing people back to Catholicism was quite moderate. This caused some disagreements with stricter Jesuits. To calm things down, Klesl said that a Jesuit priest had convinced him to convert. He also claimed they both had the same goals. In 1588, Emperor Rudolf appointed Klesl as the administrator of the Diocese of Wiener Neustadt.
Over time, the Counter-Reformation faced more challenges. It lost some important supporters in Vienna and at the imperial court. Even Emperor Rudolf II's help wasn't enough. There was strong opposition, especially from a leader named Wolfgang Unverzagt.
Unverzagt suggested making Klesl the bishop of Vienna. At the time, the Bishopric of Vienna was small and not very important. This was meant to reduce Klesl's influence. Klesl's friends at court couldn't stop this plan. To stay important, Klesl tried to get a powerful job with Archduke Matthias.
In 1598, Klesl was nominated to be the Bishop of Vienna. But Klesl caused a stir by saying he would be very strict with the government. So, his nomination was taken back. In 1602, he was finally installed as bishop. This happened after his requests for financial support for the bishopric were met. Klesl became the Bishop of Vienna, a diocese that needed a lot of spiritual and financial help. On March 30, 1614, he was consecrated as bishop. In 1616, Pope Paul V made him a cardinal.
Rising to Power
Klesl's appointment as Bishop of Vienna came at a hopeful time for the Catholic House of Austria. They wanted to regain power against the Protestant opposition. Klesl believed in confronting the opposition. Meanwhile, a struggle for power was growing between Emperor Rudolf II and his brothers. This was called the "Brothers' Quarrel." Archduke Matthias wanted to become emperor, which gave Klesl a chance to become more influential.
Klesl tried to arrange a marriage for Matthias to a Bavarian princess. This would bring the Dukes of Bavaria as Catholic allies. But the princess did not want to marry Matthias, so the plan failed.
Around 1605, there was an uprising in Hungary and Transylvania. Both Emperor Rudolf and Archduke Matthias started to be more moderate towards Protestants. They needed Protestant support against the uprising. Klesl disagreed with this policy. However, the final decisions were made by Matthias's council. A key figure was Karl I von Liechtenstein, who became very powerful. Liechtenstein eventually helped Matthias take control of Austria, Moravia, and Hungary from his brother. But Matthias had to make big promises to his allies.
In the spring of 1609, Klesl reached the peak of his power in Vienna. He became the favorite minister of Matthias. He officially became the president of the privy council in January 1613. Liechtenstein left the court. Klesl continued to fight for his position as the main minister until December 1611, when Liechtenstein finally gave up.
Working for Peace
In 1609, Klesl tried to undo the promises made to the Protestant groups. But the ongoing conflict with the emperor and Matthias's financial problems forced Klesl to be more moderate. Klesl worked to make Matthias the next emperor.
To achieve this, he needed the support of Protestant electors (princes who voted for the emperor). After Rudolf II died, Matthias was elected emperor because of the Protestant vote. As the new emperor's main advisor, Klesl first tried to unite everyone against the Ottoman Empire. This plan failed.
So, in 1614, Klesl began to negotiate with Ottoman representatives for a new peace treaty. The Treaty of Vienna in 1615 with the Ottomans was a big success for him. However, his efforts to solve conflicts between Protestant and Catholic groups were less successful. He tried to break up these alliances to create a united group supporting the emperor. But this faced too much resistance.
Cardinal and Imprisonment
After Matthias became emperor, the question of who would succeed him became important. Matthias had no male heir. The King of Spain wanted his son to be emperor. Archduke Ferdinand also wanted the crowns of Bohemia and Hungary. Negotiations led to a treaty between Spain and Ferdinand in 1617. Archdukes Maximilian III and Ferdinand wanted Ferdinand to be elected emperor quickly. But Klesl wanted to negotiate with Protestant electors first. Maximilian III saw this as a delay. To protect Klesl from his enemies, Emperor Matthias convinced the Pope to make Klesl a cardinal.
On December 2, 1615, Pope Paul V secretly made Klesl a cardinal. This was announced publicly on April 11, 1616. Klesl was given Santa Maria degli Angeli as his church title. In 1623, he changed it to San Silvestro in Capite.
In 1616, Maximilian III planned to murder Cardinal Klesl, but his cousin Ferdinand stopped him. An uprising in Bohemia, which started the Thirty Years' War, ended Klesl's position as a favorite minister. This was because Klesl favored a moderate response, and the emperor lacked money for war. On July 20, 1618, Maximilian III, Ferdinand II, and the Spanish Ambassador arrested Klesl. He was held prisoner in Tyrol.
The Pope sent a special representative, Cardinal Fabrizio Verospi, to investigate Klesl's case. The Pope asked for Klesl to be held under church arrest. In 1619, Klesl was moved to a monastery where he was held by the church. Through the Pope's efforts, Klesl was transferred to Castel Sant’ Angelo in Rome on October 23, 1622. The accusations against him were reduced, and there was no longer a good reason for his arrest. On June 18, 1623, Pope Gregory XV released him.
Later Life and Legacy
In Rome, Klesl continued to be involved in politics. He even supported some of his former enemies. In Vienna, this was seen as revenge against Emperor Ferdinand II. To get Klesl out of Rome, Ferdinand agreed to fully clear Klesl's name. Pope Urban VIII declared Klesl innocent. In the autumn of 1626, Klesl was allowed to leave Rome. On January 25, 1628, Klesl returned to St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna in a grand procession. He then resumed his duties as bishop.
At this time, the Catholic side seemed to be winning the war against Protestant princes. However, Klesl believed the war could not be won. He thought it would be better for the emperor and the Catholic Church to be more careful.
Melchior Klesl died in Wiener Neustadt in 1630. His heart is buried in the Cathedral of Wiener Neustadt. His body rests in St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna.
People in Vienna remember Klesl because a square, Khleslplatz, is named after him. It is in Vienna's 12th district, Meidling. It is said that he used to stop at a building there on his trips. Today, that building houses a political academy. Another building nearby used to be an animal shelter, where many people adopted homeless pets.
Episcopal Succession
As a bishop, Melchior Klesl was the main person who consecrated (officially made) the following bishops:
- Péter Pázmány, Archbishop of Esztergom (1617)
- Lilio Livioi, Auxiliary Bishop of Constantinople (1625)
- Vincenzo Martinelli (bishop), Bishop of Conversano (1625)
- Giovanni Battista Maria Pallotta, Titular Archbishop of Thessalonica (1628)
