Melchior von Meckau was born in
Meissen in 1440, the son of Gaspar von Meckau, who later became a counselor of
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor. He began his studies at
Leipzig in 1458, and then enrolled at the
University of Bologna in 1459. He ultimately received a
doctorate in
law from the University of Bologna. He became
provost of the
Cathedral of Magdeburg in 1470. He moved to
Rome and became a secretary in the
Chancery of Apostolic Briefs. In 1473,
Pope Sixtus IV nominated him to be
dean of the
cathedral chapter of
Meissen Cathedral. From 1473, he was also a counselor of
Sigismund, Archduke of Austria, becoming his
chancellor in 1481. He was also a
canon of
Brixen Cathedral. On April 20, 1482, he was named
coadjutor bishop of
Georg Gosler,
Prince-Bishop of
Brixen. He spent most of his time with Archduke Sigismund in
Innsbruck until 1488, when Bishop Gosler transferred administration of the prince-bishopric to him. When Bishop Gosler died on June 20, 1489, Bishop Meckau succeeded as Prince-Bishop of Brixen. He celebrated a diocesan
synod in November 1489, where the major topic of discussion was the
Breviary and the
Missal used in Brixen. In 1490, he became a canon of
St. Lambert's Cathedral, Liège. Upon the death of
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, the new emperor, Maximilian I, left Bishop Meckau in charge of the territorial government of
Tyrol. He was an active governor and supported the emperor financially during the
Swabian War. Bishop Meckau was a patron of the arts, architecture and literature, and has been called the first
humanist bishop of Brixen.
Pope Alexander VI made him a
cardinal priest in the
consistory of May 31, 1503. He received the
titular church of
San Nicola in Carcere on June 12, 1503. He did not participate in the
papal conclave of September 1503 that elected
Pope Pius III, but he did participate in the
papal conclave of October 1503 that elected
Pope Julius II. Emperor Maximilian named Cardinal Meckau as his
ambassador to arrange for the diplomacy necessary for his
coronation. Cardinal Meckau visited the pope in Rome on December 16, 1506 and then visited the
Republic of Venice, which was forbidding passage through its territory. On January 5, 1507, he opted for the titular church of
Santo Stefano Rotondo. Because of the intransigence of the Republic of Venice, Maximilian could not be crowned and traveled to
Trent. (This was one of the grievances leading up to the
War of the League of Cambrai.) In February 1507, Maximilian declared that he was
Holy Roman Emperor even though he had not been crowned; Cardinal Meckau conveyed this decision to the pope, who gave his assent. He died in Rome on March 3, 1509. He was buried in
Santa Maria in Ara Coeli. ==References==