Already in medieval times the Chancellor had political power like Willigis of Mainz (Archchancellor 975–1011, regent for Otto III 991–994) or Rainald von Dassel (Chancellor 1156–1162 and 1166–1167) under Frederick I.
Born at Schöningen in Saxony, the able and intelligent Willigis received a good education, and was recommended by Bishop Volkold of Meissen to the service of Emperor Otto I.
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In January 976 Willigis probably consecrated the first Bishop of Prague, Thietmar (Dětmar) at Brumath in Alsace, whose diocese was put under his jurisdiction.
Willigis |
In June 1002 he was sent as an imperial legate to the Synod of Pöhlde to mediate between the claims of Bernard, Bishop of Hildesheim, and Willigis, Archbishop of Mainz, concerning the control of the abbey of Gandersheim.
Gehlweiler’s history goes back to the 9th and 10th centuries, with the first descriptive mention being found in the Urkunden zur Willigskirche bei Auen (“Documents at Saint Willigis’s Church near Auen”) from the Church’s Sobernheim rural chapter.
Willigis Jäger (born 7 March 1925 in Hösbach) is a German Benedictine monk, mystic, and Zen master, who trained and taught in the Sanbo Kyodan tradition (being given the Japanese name Koun-ken) until 2009, and then continued his own sangha independently.