Peter Philipp von Dernbach

Who is Peter Philipp von Dernbach?

Peter Philipp von Dernbach was the Prince-Bishop of Bamberg from 1672 to 1683 and Prince-Bishop of Würzburg from 1675 to 1683.

Peter Philipp von Dernbach was born in Geisa on July 1, 1619. His father was a Lutheran who later converted to Roman Catholicism.

He became a canon of Bamberg Cathedral on February 7, 1631, and a canon of Würzburg Cathedral on February 25, 1643. He spent 1642-43 studying at the University of Bamberg, and then moved on to study at the Collegium Germanicum in Rome. On May 31, 1649, he was made a prebendary of Bamberg Cathedral; he became a prebendary of Würzburg Cathedral on August 7, 1649. On June 27, 1651, he succeeded Philipp Valentin Albrecht Voit von Rieneck as provost of Bamberg Cathedral.

He was appointed Bishop of Bamberg on March 22, 1672, with Pope Clement X confirming his appointment on January 28, 1675. He was ordained as a priest on May 19, 1675. He was consecrated as a bishop by Damian Hartard von der Leyen-Hohengeroldseck, Archbishop of Mainz, on June 2, 1675. He was appointed Bishop of Würzburg in July 1675, with the pope confirming this appointment on February 24, 1676. This created a personal union between the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg and the Prince-Bishopric of Würzburg.