Gandersheim Conflict

The conflict flared up for the first time in 987, when Sophia, a daughter of late Emperor Otto II who had been raised in Gandersheim since 979, should become invested as a canoness. Aware of her royal origin, she refused to become invested by the local Bishop Osdag of Hildesheim and insisted on an ordination by the Mainz archbishop Willigis.

The Mainz archbishop took the occasion to file a claim to the jurisdiction over the Gandersheim estates: the monastery had been founded in 852 at nearby Brunshausen, which belongs to the Diocese of Hildesheim, however, four years later the canonesses had moved to the present location in Gandersheim, thereby crossing the border with the Archdiocese of Mainz. The bishops of Hildesheim continued to exercise episcopal authority, though against the will of the Mainz archbishops. Empress dowager Theophanu, acting as regent for Sophia's brother Otto III, arbitrated between the parties and reached an agreement under which both bishops, Willigis of Mainz and Osdag of Hildesheim, invested Sophia as a canoness.

Consequently, the conflict was averted for the time being. When the Saxon noble Bernward, a close friend to King Otto III, became Bishop of Hildesheim in 993, he initially maintained friendly relations with Archbishop Willigis. However, Sophia displeased him when she stayed at the royal court of her brother for two years between 995 and 997, a very unusual behaviour for a canoness. Bishop Bernward sent Sophia back to Gandersheim, in consequence she got infuriated. Furthermore, he intrigued against Willigis, as Bernward felt that the archbishop had tempted Sophia to leave her monastery, and arranged his removal from the group of advisors to King Otto.

On 14 September 1000 the rebuilt premises of Gandersheim Abbey, which had been destroyed by a fire in 973, were supposed to be consecrated again. Meanwhile, Sophia undertook the tasks of the Abbess Gerberga II, who had fallen seriously ill. She wanted Archbishop Willigis to consecrate the newly erected abbey church and Bernward was convinced that the consecration of the abbey fell into the Mainz area of responsibility. Sophia only involved Willigis into the planning of the ceremony and sent Bernward an invitation. Bernward accepted and announced his arrival on September 14.

Later however, Archbishop Willigis postponed the celebrations by one week to the date of September 21, when Bernward was tied up by other commitments at the imperial court. Bernward appeared in Gandersheim on the original date, but had to realize that the ceremony had not been prepared. So he hold a holy mass and lamented that Sophia denied him the right to consecrate the abbey. The mass turned into a riot and Bernward left Gandersheim without having achieved anything. One week later, Archbishop Willigis arrived in Gandersheim. Bernward did not appear due to his other commitments, so Willigis demanded for him being present the next day, otherwise he would consecrate the abbey all by himself. Bernward, however, had anticipated Willigis plans by sending the Schleswig bishop Ekkehard as his representative. With reference to canon law, Ekkehard was able to prevent the consecration by Willigis.

Furious, Willigis convened a provincial synod in Gandersheim on November 28, where Bernward did also not appear as he was already on the way to Rome to tell Pope Sylvester II and Emperor Otto III about the incidents. He reached Rome on 4 January 1001, just two days later, a legate of Bishop Ekkehard appeared and reported the arguments at the Gandersheim synod. Both the pope and the emperor were angry about the happenings. On January 13, a papal synod nullified all Gandersheim proceedings. In a sharp letter, Archbishop Willigis was reprimanded and urged to hand off the rights about Gandersheim.

Willigis, however, did not react and still hindered Bernward from doing his official duties – with the support by Sophia, who had provoked the collegiate chapter against him. Another synod was held by a papal legate at Pöhlde on 21/22 June, where Willigis armed followers aborted the reading out of the papal letter. More meetings were necessary to solve the conflict: Willigis invited Bernward to a synod in Frankfurt on August 15, however, the Hildesheim bishop fell ill and again sent Ekkehard of Schleswig and his confidant Thangmar; much to the annoyance of Willigis, who questioned Bernward's disease and demanded an oath by his representatives. The meeting failed and Emperor Otto called for another convention at Todi on December 27. Given the weather conditions, few bishops had arrived by then; the meeting was postponed to 6 January 1002 and finally cancelled when the emperor died on January 24. Therefore, the Gandersheim Conflict remained unsolved.

Under Otto's successor, King Henry II, the conflict was still smouldering. The situation between the Mainz and Hildesheim dioceses remained tense. In view of this circumstances, Henry invited both bishops on Christmas 1006 to Pöhlde. Both bishops appeared and deferred to the will of the king. The new date for the consecration of Gandersheim Abbey was scheduled on 5 January 1007; Bernward had the task to plan the ceremony. Henry II participated in the consecration and during the mass he officially declared that the jurisdiction over Gandersheim was the task of the Hildesheim bishops. Willigis reluctantly had to agree to the compromise; in turn, he had the honor to officiate at the consecration of the abbey. The archbishop died in 1011. Neither he nor his successor Erkanbald resumed the quarrels.