A succession dispute over the Bishopric of Münster from 1450 to 1457 that left no candidate able to claim the prince-bishop's throne.
Key Facts
- Duration
- 1450–1457
- Trigger
- Death of Prince-Bishop Henry II of Moers
- Rival candidates
- Walram of Moers, Eric of Hoya, Conrad of Diepholz
- Outcome
- No candidate succeeded to the bishop's throne
- Key internal actors
- Cathedral chapter and town of Münster (the Stände)
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The death of Prince-Bishop Henry II of Moers left the bishop's throne of the Diocese of Münster vacant. Three rival candidates — Walram of Moers (Henry's brother), Eric of Hoya, and Conrad of Diepholz — each pressed their claims, backed by powerful noble families including Archbishop Dietrich II of Moers, Count John of Hoya, and Prince-Bishop Rudolf of Diepholz.
Between 1450 and 1457, the competing factions waged the Münster Diocesan Feud to control appointment to the bishop's throne and thereby the governance of the diocese. The cathedral chapter and the town of Münster, as part of the Stände, at times acted independently, complicating the conflict further and preventing any single faction from securing a decisive advantage.
The prolonged armed dispute ended without any of the three candidates gaining the prince-bishop's office. The failure of all claimants to prevail demonstrated the capacity of internal diocesan institutions, particularly the Stände, to resist external dynastic pressure in determining ecclesiastical succession.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Walram of Moers, Archbishop Dietrich II of Moers, Eric of Hoya, Count John of Hoya.
Side B
2 belligerents
Conrad of Diepholz, Prince-Bishop Rudolf of Diepholz.