Lothar Friedrich von Metternich-Burscheid was born on 29 September 1617 in
Bourscheid Castle, a member of the
House of Metternich. He was the younger son of Johann Gerhard von Metternich,
Lord of
Burscheid and
Esch (d. 1644) and his wife, Maria von der
Leyen (d. 1660). As it was a custom in all great houses of the time, the younger son was almost always destined for ecclesiastical career. At the age of eight, Lothar Friedrich von Metternich-Burscheid became a
canon (
Domizellar) in
Trier. He studied in Trier 1635-36 and then at the
Jesuit school in
Pont-à-Mousson. He became
Domizellar of
Mainz in 1639. He was
ordained as a
deacon in 1640 On 11 April 1652 the
cathedral chapter of
Speyer Cathedral elected Lothar Friedrich von Metternich-Burscheid
Bishop of Speyer. He was ordained as a
priest on 17 December 1652. On 9 June 1653,
Pope Innocent X confirmed his appointment as Bishop of Speyer, and directed him to repair Speyer Cathedral and to found a
seminary. He was
consecrated as a
bishop by
Heinrich Wolter von Strevesdorff,
Auxiliary Bishop of
Mainz on 24 June 1656. The
cathedral chapter of
Mainz Cathedral elected Lothar Friedrich von Metternich-Burscheid
Coadjutor Archbishop of Mainz on 15 December 1670, with the understanding that he would succeed as Archbishop upon the death of
Johann Philipp von Schönborn.
Pope Clement X confirmed this arrangement on 16 November 1671. As such, Lothar Friedrich von Metternich-Burscheid succeeded as Archbishop of Mainz on 12 February 1673. The cathedral chapter of
Worms Cathedral elected him as
Bishop of Worms on 16 April 1673. Lothar Friedrich von Metternich-Burscheid died in
Mainz on 3 June 1675. ==References==