Lucas Watzenrode the Younger (sometimes also Watzelrode), (*30 October 1447 in Thorun, † 29 March 1512, ibi) was bishop of Warmia (Ermland) and uncle of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. Toruń (pronounce: [:tɔruɲ], Kashubian: Torń, German Thorn, see also other names) is a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula river. ... Warmia in 1547 Warmia (Polish: , German: , Latin: Varmia, also historically known as Ermeland) is a region between Pomerania and Masuria in northeastern Poland. ... Nicolaus Copernicus Nicolaus Copernicus (Polish: MikoÅ‚aj Kopernik, German: Nikolaus Kopernikus; February 19, 1473 – May 24, 1543) was a Polish polymath, now remembered as providing the first modern formulation of a heliocentric (Sun-centered) theory of the solar system. ...

Life

Watzenrode was the son of the trader Lucas Watzenrode the Elder who belonged to a German family in the Hanseatic city of Toruń (Thorn). He studied at the universities Kraków, Cologne and Bologna. Lucas Watzenrode the Elder (German also Lukas, Polish Łukasz) (*1400 in Thorun,†1462, ibi. ... The foundations of the Hanseatic League (German: Hanse), an alliance of trading cities that for a time in the later Middle Ages and the Early Modern period maintained a trade monopoly over most of Northern Europe and the Baltic, can be seen as early as the 12th century, with the... ToruÅ„ (pronounce: [], Kashubian: TorÅ„, German: Thorn, see also other names) is a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula river. ... Motto: none Voivodship Lesser Poland Municipal government Rada miasta Kraków Mayor Jacek Majchrowski Area 326,8 km² Population  - city  - urban  - density 757,500 (2004 est. ... Cologne Cathedral with Hohenzollern Bridge Cologne (German: (help· info) [kÅ“ln]; Kölsch: Kölle) is Germanys fourth-largest city after Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. ... Bologna (pronounced , from Latin Bononia, BulÃ¥ggna in the local dialect) is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, between the Po River and the Apennines. ...

In the second Peace of Toruń in 1466, the bishoperic had come under the protection of the Polish king, after it had been under power of the Teutonic order. Based on this treaty the Polish king claimed to have the right of naming the bishop, as he did in his kingdom, but neither bishop Nicolaus of Tüngen (1467-89) nor the chapter accepted this right. So in 1489 the chapter elected Lucas Watzenrode as bishop. The Pope Innocent VIII mitred Watzenrode against the explicit wishes of Polish king Casimir IV (1447–1492) who prefered his son Frederic. The attempts of Watzenrode finially led to the exemption of the bishopric (before it had been suffragan of the metropolitan see of Riga), shortly after his death. The Holy See considered the bishopric as exempt till its end as political entity in 1772 altough the latter bishops accepted a limited influence of the Polish king in the elections. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Second Peace of ToruÅ„. (Discuss) Peace of Thorn 1466 (also Peace of ToruÅ„ 1466 or the Second Peace of Thorn) was a peace treaty signed on 19 October 1466 in Thorn (ToruÅ„) between Poland and the Teutonic Order... Teutonic Knights, charging into battle. ... Innocent VIII, né Giovanni Battista Cibo (1432 – July 25, 1492), Pope from 1484 until his death, was born at Genoa, and was the son of Aran Cibo who under Pope Calixtus III (1455–58) had been a senator at Rome. ... Reign From 1446 until June 7, 1492 Coronation On June 25, 1447 in the Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, Poland Royal House Jagiellon Parents Władyslaw II Jagiełło Zofia Holszańska Consorts Elżbieta Rakuszanka Children with Elżbieta Rakuszanka Władysław II Jagiellończyk Jadwiga Jagiellonka Kazimierz Swięty Jan I Olbracht Aleksander Jagiellończyk Zofia Elżbieta Zygmunt I...

Bishop Watzenrode was a successful organisator of the internal affairs of his territory and resided in Lidzbark Warmiński (Heilsberg). He reorganised the school of the cathedral and planned the foundation of a university at Elblag (Elbing). As he argued, that the Teutonic Order had done its mission in the Baltic region which was completely converted to Christianity at that time, he proposed to send the order to more heathen regions. The Ottoman empire was an ongoing thread and had overtaken large parts of Europe and the Bishop suggested to 'fight the Turks'. Lidzbark WarmiÅ„ski (pronounce: [liÊ£barg varmiɲski], German Heilsberg) is a town in the Polish voivodship Warmia i Mazury. ... Motto: none Voivodship Warmia-Masuria Municipal government Rada Miejska w Elblągu Mayor Henryk Słonina Area 83,32 km² Population  - city  - urban  - density 130. ... Teutonic Knights, charging into battle. ...

The bishopric was exposed to repeated armed attacks from the Teutonic Order, which tried to get the territory back. But also the Polish kingdom tried to cut the autonomy of the de facto prince-bishoperic and had plans to force it by means of weapons to give up his prerogatives to the Polish kingom. In this area of conflict Watzenrode guarded the interests of Warmia and kept friendly relations with both the Teutonic Order and the Polish kingdom.

When his sister Barbara and his brother-in-law Nicolaus Koppernigk had died, he took responsibility for the nephews and nieces. He sent the brothers Nicolaus (Copernicus) and Andreas to the Jagellonian University of Kraków and for further studies to Italy (Bologna, Padua, Ferrara). After his studies Nicolaus helped his uncle in all administration affairs and was his closest advisor. It was speculated that he had arranged Nicolaus for becoming his successor on the see. Copernicus also acted as personal physician of Watzenrode. Nicolaus Copernicus (in Latin; Polish Mikołaj Kopernik, German Nikolaus Kopernikus - February 19, 1473 – May 24, 1543) was a Polish astronomer, mathematician and economist who developed a heliocentric (Sun-centered) theory of the solar system in a form detailed enough to make it scientifically useful. ... Jagiellonian University (Polish: Uniwersytet JagielloÅ„ski) is a university in Krakow, Poland. ... Bologna (pronounced , from Latin Bononia, BulÃ¥ggna in the local dialect) is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, between the Po River and the Apennines. ... Location within Italy Tronco Maestro Riviera: a pedestrian walk along a section of the inland waterway or naviglio interno of Padua The city of Padua (Lat. ... Ferrara is a town, an archiepiscopal see and a province in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, capital city of the province of Ferrara. ...

See also

Bishops of Warmia Prince Bishops / Bishops of Warmia: 1250-1274 Anselm of Meissen 1278-1300 Heinrich I Fleming 1301-1326 Eberhard of Neisse 1327-1328 Jordan 1329-1334 Heinrich II Wogenap 1337-1349 Herman of Prague 1350-1355 Joannes I of Meissen 1355-1373 Joannes II Stryprock 1373-1401 Heinrich III Sorbom 1401...

Bishopric of Warmia The Archbishopric of Warmia (formerly Bishopric of Warmia) (Polish: Archidiecezja warmińska, Latin: Archidioecesis Varmiensis, German: Erzbistum Ermland) is a bishopric in Poland. ...

References

• Bücherei Danzig, J. Kretzmer, Liber de episcopatu et episcopi Varmiensis ex vetusto Chronico Bibliotheca Heilsbergensis, 1593
• Christoph Hartknoch, Preußische Kirchen-Historia, Frankfurt a.M., 1668
• M.G. Centner, Geehrte und Gelehrte Thorner, Thorn 1763
• A. Semrau, "Katalog der Geschlechter der Schöffenbank und des Ratsstuhles in der Altstadt Thorn 1233-1602", in: Mitteilungen des Copernicus-Vereins für Wissenschaft und Kunst zu Thorn 46 (1938)
• Wojciech Iwanczak, "Lucas Watzenrode", in Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon, Bautz Verlag
• Poczet biskupów warmińskich, Olsztyn 1998
• Jürgen Hamel: Nicolaus Copernicus. - Spektrum Verlag: Heidelberg, 1994.