Sigfried of Westerburg (German: Sigfried von Westerburg) (? - 1297) was the Archbishop of Cologne from 1274 until 1297.
Archbishop of Cologne
Sigfried became the Archbishop of Cologne in 1274. In c. 1283 Sigfried became involved in the War of the Limburgish Succession and apprehended a party of Count Rainald I of Gelders. In July 1287 he released the city of Cologne in exchange for its financial support in the Limburg war. On 5 July 1288 the interference of Sigfried led to the Battle of Worringen in which he was defeated by an alliance of the citizens of Cologne and the Duke of Brabant. Sigfried was taken prisoner and was held in castle Burg, and was only released on 6 July 1289 after he agreed to recognise the independence of the city of Cologne (done in 18 July 1288), pay reparations of 12,000 Marks (about 3 tonnes of Silver) and give significant territories to the Counts of the Marck and the Dukes of Berg. Limburg was passed to Rainald of Gelders.
On 18 January 1290, however, Pope Nicholas IV relieved Sigfried of having to meet any of the promises, and on January 31 asked the Archbishops of Mainz and Trier to assist Siegfried in reclaiming all the lost territory. In 1292, his brother-in-law King Adolph of Nassau promised to assist Sigfried in his struggles, and Sigfried cronwed him in Aachen on 24 June 1292. Sigfried's planned restoration was not a success however due to the resistance of the victors at the Battle of Worringen, and the difficulty of fighting war with the separation of the Lower Rhenish and Westphalian territories. Sigfried died on 7 April 1297 and was buried in Bonn Cathedral.
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Preceded by: |
Sigfried of Westerburg |
Succeeded by: |
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| Engelbert II of Falkenburg | Archbishop of Cologne 1274 - 1297 |
Wikbold of Holte |