Conrad of Vechta

Conrad of Vechta (Czech Konrád z Vechty; German Konrad von Vechta) (born , possibly in Bremen; died 24 December 1431 in Roudnice nad Labem) was Bishop of Verden (1400–1402/1407), Bishop of Olomouc (1408–1413), Archbishop of Prague (1413–1421), and Master of the Mint (1401–1403) and Chancellor (1405–1412) of the Kingdom of Bohemia.

Before episcopate It is not certain whether Conrad was a member of the patrician family named von Vechta, living as successful merchants in Bremen, where family members also held positions in the city government, or if Conrad was born in Vechta and therefore epithetised von Vechta in German. However, his brother Konstantin von Vechta held a canonicate at Bremen Cathedral as cathedral provost (Dompropst), presiding the cathedral chapter.

Conrad strove for a clerical career. He sided already early with Wenceslaus, King of the Romans, ruling the Holy Roman Empire since 1376, on whose instigation Conrad was provided with a number of prebends. As many North Germans used to study in Prague, Conrad's siding with Wenceslaus, who was simultaneously ruling as King of Bohemia since 1378, may indicate that Conrad had done so too. In 1395 Wenceslaus failed to get Conrad invested as bishop of Verden, whereas Dietrich of Nieheim prevailed.

Provided bishop of Verden In 1400 Pope Boniface IX, on Wenceslaus' instigation, deposed Conrad's provided predecessor Conrad of Soltau, who had so far only been provided bishop of Verden in 1399, but not invested, and provided instead Conrad of Vechta not before 1 May, however, also lacking investiture. Lacking the elective mandate of the cathedral chapter in Verden upon Aller, it did not recognise his episcopate. However, the pope soon changed his mind again, when the other prince-electors had deposed Wenceslaus as ruler of the Empire in 1400 and replaced him by King Rupert, who in May 1401 had accepted the deposed Conrad of Soltau, a native of the Prince-Bishopric of Verden, as legitimate and invested him with the princely regalia as prince-bishop.