In the Middle Ages, the Pope was one of the most influential person. He was so powerful that even managed to depose the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, one of whom was forced to kneel in front of the pope and ask for forgiveness for his unrighteous actions. However, not only the popes of Rome stood out on the field of clerics, there were still individuals who left their trace in history. We will talk about one of them today.
Mr. Konrad von Gochstaden was the son of the canon of the cathedral in Cologne, which our hero will rebuild at the zenith of his influence. Almost nothing is known about his childhood. It isn't even known authentically in which year he was born, in 1198 or 1205. However, already in 1216 he was appointed canon, and 10 years later the rector of the cathedral in Cologne. During the years of his ministry, he earned the reputation of an uncompromising and harsh man. In 1238 the archbishop of Cologne died, and the clergy of the cathedral elected Konrad in a short time. He immediately rolled up his sleeves, decided to take all this stuff into his own hands and entered into a series of skirmishes with neighboring secular rulers and aristocracy, who tried to prevent the cleric reigning alone in Cologne. In the end, he succeeded, the craftsmen raised their heads and took on some of the influence of the notable people, so the practically independent city moved under the authority of the church.
In 1239, a new round of confrontation between secular power and Rome increased. Initially, our hero took a pro-imperial position, but then, for unclear reasons, he moved to the camp of the viceroy of God on the Earth. After the death of the former opponent of the pope, Emperor Frederick II, Konrad managed to appoint the Roman protege, Henry Raspe, the German king. And when the latter died six months later, Konrad placed on the throne another Pope's king - William of Holland. Among these clashes, the Cologne cleric was able to build something new. In 1248, he laid the new Cologne Cathedral, the construction of which stretched for several hundred years. This really impressive cathedral is one of the largest in Europe, and the German government have to spend a lot of money every year maintain it. By order of Mr. Gokhstaden 15 years later the cathedral in the neighboring city of Xanten was laid.
Soon the archbishop and the pope had a tiff. After the death of Archbishop Mainz, the public demanded of Konrad, gaining a serious weight, to be placed on this position, but the Pope decided that he would not reside in two important German provinces simultaneously, and then even deprived him of the title of papal legate in Germany. Following the deterioration in the relationship between the clergy, the relations between the archbishop and King Wilhelm also deteriorated. Von Gohstaden did not give up, and Wilhelm's death awaited him. In the election of the next German king, he sold his vote for a considerable sum of money to Richard Cornwallis, the brother of the King of England Henry III. As a result, Richard became king, and a couple of months later Konrad von Gokhtaden solemnly crowned him in Aachen.
In 1261 the archbishop died, and grateful townspeople decorated the town hall with a sculpture of him. The sculpture of Konrad stands on a balloon depicting autofellatio. Autofellatio is such an act when a man caresses his own penis with his mouth. What citizens wanted to say by this sculpture is unclear...
Mr. Konrad von Gochstaden was the son of the canon of the cathedral in Cologne, which our hero will rebuild at the zenith of his influence. Almost nothing is known about his childhood. It isn't even known authentically in which year he was born, in 1198 or 1205. However, already in 1216 he was appointed canon, and 10 years later the rector of the cathedral in Cologne. During the years of his ministry, he earned the reputation of an uncompromising and harsh man. In 1238 the archbishop of Cologne died, and the clergy of the cathedral elected Konrad in a short time. He immediately rolled up his sleeves, decided to take all this stuff into his own hands and entered into a series of skirmishes with neighboring secular rulers and aristocracy, who tried to prevent the cleric reigning alone in Cologne. In the end, he succeeded, the craftsmen raised their heads and took on some of the influence of the notable people, so the practically independent city moved under the authority of the church.
In 1239, a new round of confrontation between secular power and Rome increased. Initially, our hero took a pro-imperial position, but then, for unclear reasons, he moved to the camp of the viceroy of God on the Earth. After the death of the former opponent of the pope, Emperor Frederick II, Konrad managed to appoint the Roman protege, Henry Raspe, the German king. And when the latter died six months later, Konrad placed on the throne another Pope's king - William of Holland. Among these clashes, the Cologne cleric was able to build something new. In 1248, he laid the new Cologne Cathedral, the construction of which stretched for several hundred years. This really impressive cathedral is one of the largest in Europe, and the German government have to spend a lot of money every year maintain it. By order of Mr. Gokhstaden 15 years later the cathedral in the neighboring city of Xanten was laid.
Soon the archbishop and the pope had a tiff. After the death of Archbishop Mainz, the public demanded of Konrad, gaining a serious weight, to be placed on this position, but the Pope decided that he would not reside in two important German provinces simultaneously, and then even deprived him of the title of papal legate in Germany. Following the deterioration in the relationship between the clergy, the relations between the archbishop and King Wilhelm also deteriorated. Von Gohstaden did not give up, and Wilhelm's death awaited him. In the election of the next German king, he sold his vote for a considerable sum of money to Richard Cornwallis, the brother of the King of England Henry III. As a result, Richard became king, and a couple of months later Konrad von Gokhtaden solemnly crowned him in Aachen.
In 1261 the archbishop died, and grateful townspeople decorated the town hall with a sculpture of him. The sculpture of Konrad stands on a balloon depicting autofellatio. Autofellatio is such an act when a man caresses his own penis with his mouth. What citizens wanted to say by this sculpture is unclear...
