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Lothar Franz von Schonborn (4 October 1655 – 30 January 1729) was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1694 to 1729 and the Bishop of Bamberg from 1693 to 1729.
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Family
Lothar Franz was born in Steinheim am Main, now suburb of Hanau, in 1655 to Count Philip Erwein of Schonborn. He was a nephew of John Philip of Schonborn, Archbishop of Mainz from 1647 until 1673, and a grand nephew of Georg Friedrich von Greiffenklau, Archbishop of Mainz from 1626 until 1629. Furthermore he was an uncle to the Schonborn-Buchheim branch which included John Philip Francis, Frederick Charles, Hugh Damian and Francis George.
Life
He was educated at the Jesuit College in Aschaffenburg. 1665 Lothar Franz was appointed Domizellar (canon) of Wurzburg Cathedral, 1667 in Bamberg Cathedral. He received a prebendary at Mainz Cathedral in 1674. Lothar Franz made his Grand Tour through Holland, France and Italy. His Biennium (two-year period of preparation) he attended from 1673 to 1675 in Vienna. During this time he kept a pro-imperial life stance. He was appointed canon of Bamberg in 1681 and in Wurzburg in 1683. For the Bishop of Bamberg, he travelled in various diplomatic missions and was appointed President of the Court Chamber. In 1689 he was Scholastikus (schoolmaster) and curator in Bamberg and canon of Mainz. Still being a canon let design artistically the castle Gaibach since 1694.
In 1693 Lothar Franz was elected the Bishop of Bamberg. In September 1694 he was appointed coadjutor bishop of Anselm Franz von Ingelheim in rivalry to Franz Ludwig von Pfalz-Neuburg. Despite an opposing recommendation by the Emperor ge succeeded Anselm Franz in 1695. During his reign, he increased taxation of the cathedral chapter and eroded some of its rights. In 1707 he was instrumental in the conversion of the Protestant Elizabeth Christina of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel to Catholicism. In 1711 he ensured the election of Charles VI of Austria as the Holy Roman Emperor, and crowned him in Frankfurt Cathedral. Lothar Franz was rewarded by Charles for his loyalty with 100,000 guldens with which he began the construction of Schloss Weisenstein in Pommersfelden. He also built the New Residence of the Bishops at Bamberg (1697-1703) and Favorite Palace at Mainz (1700-1722).