Joseph Clemens of Bavaria

Joseph Clemens of Bavaria (German: Joseph Clemens von Bayern von Wittelsbach) (4 December 1671 – 12 November 1723) was a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty of Bavaria and also served as the Archbishop-Elector of Cologne from 1688 to 1723.

Joseph Clemens of Bavaria
Archbishop of Cologne
Joseph Clemens of Bavaria
Church	Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Cologne
Installed	19 July 1688
Term ended	12 November 1723
Predecessor	Maximilian Henry of Bavaria
Successor	Clemens August of Bavaria
Orders
Ordination	18 December 1705 (priest)
Consecration	1 May 1707 (bishop) by François Fénelon
Personal details
Born	Joseph Clemens von Bayern von Wittelsbach 4 December 1671 Munich, Bavaria
Died	12 November 1723 (aged 51) Bonn, Cologne
Buried	Cologne Cathedral

Biography

The third son of Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria and his wife, Henriette Adelaide of Savoy, Joseph Clemens was designated by his parents for a life in the church. He became Archbishop of Cologne on 19 July 1688 after the death of Maximilian Henry of Bavaria, and his appointment to that post by Pope Innocent XI was one cause of the Nine Years' War. He later also served as Prince-Bishop of Liège, of Regensburg, of Freising and of Hildesheim.

Joseph Clemens was the younger brother of Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria.^[1] As did his brother, Maximillian II, Joseph Clemens allied with Kingdom of France during the War of the Spanish Succession and was forced to flee his residence Bonn in 1702 and found refuge at the French court. Joseph Clemens was put under the Imperial ban and deprived of his lands in 1706.

The war between France and the Holy Roman Empire was finally ended in 1714 with the Treaty of Baden, which restored Joseph Clemens. He died in Bonn and was buried at the Cologne Cathedral. Joseph Clemens was succeeded by his nephew Clemens August of Bavaria.