Friedrich Christian von Plettenberg

Friedrich Christian Freiherr von Plettenberg-Lenhausen (Born August 8, 1644 - † May 5, 1706) was from 1688 until his death prince bishop of Münster. Through his foreign policy, which relied on different alliance partners, he succeeded in giving the Hochstift Münster a semi-independent role for the last time during the Palatinate Succession War.

On July 29, 1688, he was elected prince-bishop. He brought significant diplomatic experience in his office. Likewise, he knew his way through the offices held in the past in the government of the congregation.

As a bishop, Friedrich Christian tried to improve the education of priests. He loved and organized many magnificent liturgies and church festivities. For the cathedral, he donated, among other things, new windows, silver candelabra and a marble floor.

To strengthen the independence of the bishop, he built, among other things with foreign aid, the Munster military. He had the neglected land fortresses repaired. In Munster, an armory was built and the fortifications of Meppen improved. Since the foreign funds were not sufficient, he took without the approval of the estates, loans of 100,000 Reichstalern to bring the army to a strength of 6000 men. The loan was repaid through additional subsidies.

Shortly after the death of the bishop in 1706, the army consisted of a bodyguard of 126 infantrymen and 70 cavalrymen. The main force consisted of seven infantry regiments with a combined total of about 3,000 men, two cavalry regiments with 660 men and an artillery division. The maintenance of the army, fortresses and magazines amounted to 200,000 Reichstaler per year. Most soldiers were mercenaries, often older and unreliable.

After the Imperial War against Louis XIV was declared in 1689, he participated in pressure from the Holy Roman Emperor on the war against France. Troops from Munster and Brandenburg arrived too late in the theatre of war, which contributed to the defeat of the allies in the Battle of Fleurus. On the orders of his sovereigns, the Munster General Schwartz stopped at Jülich.

His epitaph was created by Johann Mauritz Gröninger and is located in St. Paul's Cathedral in Münster. Striking is the large clock dial, which serves not only as a symbol of transience but also purely practical as a time display. It is synchronized with the beat of the astronomical clock of the dome.