Karl von Miltitz

Karl von Miltitz (ca. 1490?November 20, 1529) was a papal nuncio and a Mainz Cathedral canon. He was born in Rabenau near Meißen and Dresden, his family stemming from the lesser Saxon nobility. He studied at Mainz, Trier, Cologne (1508?1510), and Bologna (1510??), but his deficient Latin reveals that he was not especially learned. He went to the papal court in 1513/1514. In his career at the papal court he was unable to rise further than privy chamberlain and secretary. His Saxon heritage, however, made him a natural liaison between the papal court and Elector Frederick the Wise. On September 3, 1518 Pope Leo X decided to bestow on Elector Frederick the Wise the papal Golden Rose of Virtue?an award with attendant religious privileges to deserving princes. On October 15, 1518 Miltitz was appointed nuncio to deliver it to the elector and seek a conciliatory resolution of the Indulgence Controversy (1517?1521) with Martin Luther. He met with Luther in Altenburg on January 5-6, 1519, and negotiated a tentative settlement to the controversy: Luther would remain silent on the indulgence issue, write a conciliatory letter to the pope, and write and publish a tract supporting papal authority. Luther's silence was contingent on the silence of his opponents, Johann Tetzel would be disciplined, and Luther was allowed by Miltitz to make it plain that he would not recant his position. Miltitz's later meetings with Luther in Liebenwerda (October 1519) and in Lichtenburg, near Wittenberg (October 1520) were fruitless; however, Luther did publish a letter to the pope along with his tract, dedicated to the pope: On the Freedom of the Christian (1520).

Related Topics:
1490 - November 20 - 1529 - Papal - Mainz Cathedral - Canon - Rabenau - Meißen - Dresden - Mainz - Trier - Cologne - 1508 - 1510 - Bologna - Papal - 1513 - 1514 - Elector Frederick the Wise - September 3 - 1518 - Pope Leo X - Golden Rose - October 15 - Indulgence - Controversy - 1517 - 1521 - Martin Luther - Altenburg - January 5 - 6 - 1519 - Johann Tetzel - Liebenwerda - Lichtenburg - Wittenberg - 1520 - On the Freedom of the Christian

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From 1523 until his accidental death in 1529 Karl von Miltitz lived in Mainz and Meißen as a canon of the Mainz Cathedral. He accidentally drowned in the Main River near Groß-Steinheim on November 20, 1529, and was buried in Mainz Cathedral.

Related Topics:
1523 - 1529 - Mainz - Meißen - Canon - Mainz Cathedral - Main River - Groß-Steinheim - November 20

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