Initially performing only the functions of an archiepiscopal vicar, or auxiliary bishop, the bishops of Gurk did not receive a small episcopal territory until 17 July 1131, when Archbishop Conrad of Salzburg defined the boundaries of the diocese.[2] The bishops of Gurk were elevated to the rank of prince-bishops by Emperor Frederick III on 15 December 1460,[3] however, this title remained honorific and did not involve any immediate statehood.[citation needed] In the course of the Josephinist reforms in 1783, the bishops' see was relocated to the Carinthian capital Klagenfurt and the diocese significantly enlarged.
Heinrich was still bishop-elect on 30 August 1168, when he subscribed a diploma of Archbishop Conrad of Salzburg. On 6 July 1174 at Ratisbon, Heinrich subscribed a diploma of Frederick Barbarossa. Ankershofen, Urkunden-Regesten (Fortsetzung), p. 45, no. 415; p. 10, no. 461.
Bishop Roman was the son of Eberhard von Leibnitz, and a relative by blood of his predecessor, Bishop Roman. He was Provost of the cathedral of Gurk, and was elected by the clergy and confirmed by Pope Alexander III, who ordered the patriarch of Aquileia to consecrate him a bishop. On 2 June 1176, Pope Alexander appointed him Vicar of the diocese of Salzburg. In a document of 21 July 1178, he states that he had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He died in 1179, probably on 17 August. Jaksch I, pp. 229, no. 289; 231, no. 365; 233, no. 308. Schroll, p. 12. Cf. Ankershofen (1849),Urkunden-Regesten zur Geschichte Kärntens (Fortsetzung)., pp. 42-43, no. 408, dated 11 August 1167, and issued by Bishop Roman at Gurk.
Hermann was the son of Graf Otto von Ortenburg, and had been Archdeacon of Gurk. He was elected by the cathedral Chapter. His election was not confirmed, however, by Archbishop Conrad von Wittelsbach, who was graviter motus; he besieged Hermann in the episcopal residence in Salzburg. Hermann resigned the bishopric on 31 August 1180. Jaksch I, pp. 233-234, no. 309; 235, no. 311. Schroll, pp. 12-13.
Brother of the crusader Poppo von Albeck, Dietrich had been Provost of Gurk. He was appointed bishop by Archbishop Conrad von Wittelsbach of Salzburg, and consecrated by the archbishop on 2 February 1180. The papal legates, Cardinal Petrus of Frascati and Cardinal Petrus de Bono of S. Susanna, approved the appointment of Dietrich by the archbishop. He participated in the siege of Bishop Hermann in July and August 1180. He resigned in 1194, having become paralyzed by an illness (According to the "Annals of S. Rudbert of Salzburg", citied by Jaksch, he was suffering from paralysis and resigned: "Dietricus Gurcensis episcopus ex nimia infirmitate desperatus episcopatum resignat."), and died on 3 March. Jaksch I, p. 235, no. 312; 237-238, no. 314, 316; 267, no. 359. Schroll, p. 13.
Wernher had bee Provost of Klosterneuberg. He was appointed bishop of Gurk by Archbishop Adalbert of Salzburg. Bishop Wernher died on 21 December 1195. Jaksch I, pp. 267-269, nos. 360-364. Schroll, p. 13.
Ekkehard had been Provost of Maria Saal. He was already bishop of Gurk by 16 January 1194. He died on 23 April 1200. Jaksch I, p. 269, no. 365, 366; 280, no. 379. Schroll, pp. 13-14.
Walther was the uncle of Archbishop Eberhard of Salzburg. He was still bishop-elect in 1202. Andreas von Meiller, Regesta Archiepiscoporum Salisburgensium inde ab a. 1106 usque ad a. 1246,(in German), Wien: Gerold, 1866, p. 176. Bishop Walther died on 18 January 1213: Eubel I, p. 269. Schroll, p. 14.
Otto had been Provost of the cathedral of Salzburg. He was elected bishop of Gurk in May or June 1214, but was already dead on 30 June 1214, still bishop-elect. Schroll, p. 14. Eubel I, p. 269.
He had previously been a canon of Gurk. Bishop Udalschalk's resignation was accepted by Pope Honorius III on 4 December 1220, principally because of increasing blindness, "quod cum corpore senescente debilitata sint et debilitentur iugiter membra tua et praesertim visus tuus caligantibus oculis sit adeo diminutus." He died on 22 May 1231. Eubel I, p. 270, note 2. Schroll, pp. 15; 42-43.
On 15 January 1222, Pope Honorius III ratified the election of Bishop Ulrich, which had already been confirmed by the archbishop of Salzburg. Eubel I, p. 270. P. Pressutti, Regesta Honorii Papae III,(in Latin), Vol. 2 (Rome: Typographia Vaticana 1895), p. 32, no. 3731. On 21 July 1237, Bishop Ulrich was in his 17th year as bishop of Gurk: Jaksch II, p. 21, no. 554. He issued another document on 22 April 1238. He died at the end of December 1253. Schroll, p. 16.
Ennsthal had been Bishop of Chiemsee (1274–1279). He was nominated bishop of Gurk by Archbishop Friedrich of Salzburg, and transferred by Pope Nicholas III. He died on 22 or 25 or 26 July 1281. Schroll, p. 17. Eubel I, p. 270.
Conrad was Dean of the cathedral of Regensburg. He was elected by the Chapter of Gurk and approved by the archbishop of Salzburg. But, on 17 June 1282, Pope Martin IV voided the election, since he had reserved the appointment of the bishop to himself. He then appointed Conrad on his own papal authority, and ordered the Chapter to show him due reverence. Conrad, however, declined the election. Schroll, pp. 17; 40-42. F. Olivier-Martin, Les registres de Martin IV (Paris: Fontemoing 1901), p. 65, no. 174; p. 142, no. 340.
Considering the death of Bishop Johann von Ennsthal and the refusal of Conrad von Lupburg, leaving the diocese without a leader for too long, on 11 May 1283 Pope Martin IV authorized the Chapter of Gurk to proceed to the election of a suitable person as bishop. Hartnid (Hertrudus), Provost of the collegiate church at Virgilienberg and Archdeacon of Kärnten, was elected on 19 July 1283. He died on 28 November 1298. F. Olivier-Martin, Les registres de Martin IV (Paris: Fontemoing 1901), p. 142, no. 340. Schroll, p. 18. Eubel I, p. 270.
Heinrich had been a canon of Salzburg and Bishop of Lavant (1291–1299). He was chosen by the cathedral Chapter and approved by Archbishop Conrad von Vonstorf of Salzburg. His transfer from Lavant to Gurk was authorized by Pope Boniface VIII on 13 April 1299. He died in February 1326. Schroll, pp. 18-19. Georges Digard, Les registres de Boniface VIII(in Latin), Vol. 2, fasc. 5 (Paris: E. Thorin 1890), p. 379, no. 2991. Eubel I, pp. 270, 298.
Gerold, born in Friesach: was the Vicedominus of Salzburg and Provost of Friesach. He appears as bishop of Gurk on 4 April 1326. He erected and endowed the collegiate chapter of S. Nicholas in Strassburg. He died in Friesach on 9 (or 7) December 1333. Schroll, p. 19. Eubel I, p. 270.
The appointment of Bishop Lorenz had been reserved by the papacy. On 1 October 1337, Pope Benedict XII appointed Abbot Conrad of the Cistercian monastery of Salem in Konstanz. He died in December 1344. Schroll, p. 20. J.-M. Vidal, Benoit XII (1334-1342): lettres communes(in Latin), Volume 1 (Paris: A. Fontemoing, 1903), p. 381, no. 4089. Eubel I, p. 270.
On 12 June 1359, Pope Innocent VI had to write an apology to the Emperor Charles IV and Duke Rudolph of Austria, who had nominated Johann von Platzheim, the duke's chancellor and secretary, to the bishopric of Freising, after the pope had already appointed Paul von Jägerdorf. Emil Werunsky, Auszüge aus den Registern der Päpste Clemens VI. und Innocenz VI. zur Geschichte des Kaiserreichs unter Karl IV.,(in German and Latin), (Innsbruck: Wagner, 1885), p. 141. Johann had been a canon of the Capitular church of Zovingen (Konstanz). He was appointed by Pope Innocent VI on 16 October 1359, to the seat left vacant by the transfer of Paul von Jägerndorf to Freising. Johann was consecrated bishop in May or June 1360. He was transferred to the diocese of Brixen on 14 February 1364. He died on 6 August 1374. Schroll, p. 22. Eubel I, pp. 148 with note 7; 270 with note 9.
Johann von Töckheim had been Provost of S. Adalbert in Güör (Hungary) and Bishop of Tini (Knin, Istria) from 1357 to 1363, and was Court Chaplain of King Louis I of Hungary. From 1363 to 1365, he was Landeshauptmann (royal governor) of Kärnten. He was appointed Bishop of Gurk by Pope Urban V on 6 March 1364. In 1365, he was one of the prelates who were papal delegates at the elevation of the church of S. Stephen in Vienna to the status of collegiate church. He died on 29 February 1376. Schroll, pp. 22-23. Eubel I, pp. 270, 486.
Mayrhofer had been the first Provost of S. Stephen, Vienna. On the death of Bishop Johann, Archbishop Pilgrimus von Puchheim of Salzburg proposed to the Chapter of Gurk: Eckhard von Pernek, Johann von Neuberg, and Provost Albert of Gurk. The dukes of Austria proposed Johann von Mayrhofer. He was confirmed as bishop by 20 July 1376, and on 19 August was granted the privilege by Pope Gregory XI of being consecrated bishop by whomever he wished. From 1386 to 1393, he was tutor/guardian of the sons of Count Mainhard of Gurk. He died on 30 January 1402. Anton von Perger, Der Dom zu Sanct Stephan in Wien,(in German), (Triest: Verlag der Literarisch-Artistischen Abth. des Österreichischen Lloyd, 1854), pp. 82-83. Schroll, p. 23. Eubel I, p. 270 with note 10.
Sixtus was the nephew of Archbishop Bernhard von Rohr of Salzburg. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He had been a canon of Frising. Bishop Sixtus was transferred to the diocese of Frising on 12 January 1474. He died on 14 July 1495. Schroll, p. 27. Eubel II, pp. 156, 162.
Lorenz had been Provost of Gurk. He was nominated bishop by the Emperor Frederick III, and approved by Pope Sixtus IV on 11 May 1474. He was not consecrated a bishop, however, until 4 October 1478, by Archbishop Bernhard of Salzburg. He died on 15 August 1487. Schroll, p. 27. Eubel II, p. 162.
Peraudi was named bishop of Gurk on 21 February 1491. He had an auxiliary bishop, Nicholas of Hippo, from 1493. He was named a cardinal by Pope Alexander VI on 20 September 1493. On 20 July 1501, Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg, the Provost of Augst and Private Secretary of the Empeeror Maximilian was named Perpetual Vicar, Coadjutor, and Administrator of the diocese of Gurk. Cardinal Peraudi died in Viterbo on 5 October 1505. Schroll, p. 28. Eubel II, pp. 22, no. 10; 162.
A Graf von Lodron, and canon of Salzburg and of Trent. He died at Concesio, a family property, on 4 September 1643. He was nominated bishop of Gurk by the Emperor Ferdinand II on 15 February 1630, and was confirmed by Archbishop Paris von Lodron of Salzburg on 15 August 1630. Schroll, pp. 33-34. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 200 with note 3.
Franz was the brother of Bishop Sebastian von Lodron. He had been a canon of Salzburg and of Trent. He was named bishop by Archbishop Paris von Lodron of Salzburg on 30 Septemberf 1643. He died in Trent on 30 November 1652. Schroll, p. 34. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 200.
Polycarp had been Provost of the cathedral of Salzburg, and was appointed bishop of Gurk by Archbishop Maximilian Gandolf of Salzburg in March 1673; he was confirmed on 24 February 1674, and consecrated a bishop in Salzburg on 2 April. He died in Salzburg on 15 July 1575. Schroll, p. 35. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 200.
Joseph von Thun held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure, and was a canon of Salzburg and of Passau. He was auditor of the Rota in Rome and representative of Empress Maria Theresa at the papal court. He was nominated bishop of Gurk on 17 October 1741, and confirmed by Archbishop Leopold of Salzburg on 11 January 1742; he was consecrated a bishop in Rome on 18 February, and took possession of the diocese by proxy on 1 May. He was nominated bishop of Passau on 8 November 1761, and transferred by Pope Clement XIII on 29 March 1762. He died on 15 June 1763. Schroll, p. 37. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, pp. 232 with note 2; 329 with note 2.
Auersperg was requested as bishop of Passau by the cathedral Chapter of Passau on 19 May 1783, and transferred by Pope Pius VI on 25 June 1784. He was appointed a cardinal by Pius VI on 30 March 1789. He died on 21 August 1795. Schroll, p. 37. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, pp. 36, no. 57; 232; 330 with note 4.
The name of the diocese was changed by a placitum of the Emperor Joseph II on 25 July 1787. Von Salm was named a cardinal by Pope Pius VII on 23 September 1816. He died in Klagenfurt on 19 April 1822. Schroll, p. 38.
Paulitsch had been Provost of Gurk. He was nominated bishop by Franz I of Austria on 9 February 1824, and confirmed by Archbishop Augustin Gruber of Salzburg on 29 May. He was consecrated on 30 May. He died on 5 January 1827. Schroll, pp. 38-39. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VII, p. 210.
Funder was the Dean of Gurk and a doctor of theology. He was nominated bishop on 30 March 1881 by the Emperor Franz Joseph, and confirmed by Archbishop Franz Eder on 25 June. He was consecrated a bishop the next day. Schroll, p. 40.
Ankershofen, Gottlieb Freiherr von (1849). Urkunden-Regesten zur Geschichte Kärntens (Fortsetzung).. (in German and Latin). Wien: K. u. k. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei 1849 [Akademie der Wissenschaften herausgegebenen Archivs für Kunde österreichischer Geschichtsquellen, vol. 2].
Freed, John B. (2016). Frederick Barbarossa: The Prince and the Myth. Yale University Press.
