Reinbern (died 1013 or 1015) was the only bishop of the short-lived Diocese of Kołobrzeg (1000 – c. 1007).

Reinbern was born in the Hassegau area of the medieval Duchy of Saxony.[1] When Holy Roman Emperor Otto III met with his friend, the Polish duke Boleslaw I in the Congress of Gniezno (Gnesen), the Archbishopric of Gniezno was founded.[2][3] One of Gniezno's subordinated bishoprics was the Diocese of Kołobrzeg.,[2][3][4] Its purpose was to advance the Christianization of the pagan Pomeranians that shortly before had been subdued by the Poles. Reinbern was made bishop.[3][4] It is documented that he "baptized" the Baltic Sea by spilling Holy Oil and Holy Water into the sea. He also demolished shrines of pagan gods in Pomerania.[1][4] Yet, after his bishopric was driven out during a pagan uprising, he returned to Boleslaw's court. In 1009, he accompanied Boleslaw to the marriage arranged between Boleslaw's daughter and Sviatopolk, the prince of Turov in Kievan Rus',[5] where an internal crisis involving Boleslaw's daughter led to the arrest of Reinbern by Vladimir I.[4] Soon afterwards, he died imprisoned in 1012.[4][5]

References

  1. 1 2 David Warner, Ottonian Germany: The Chronicon of Thietmar of Merseburg, Manchester University Press, 2001, p.358, ISBN 0-7190-4926-1, ISBN 978-0-7190-4926-2
  2. 1 2 Michael Borgolte, Benjamin Scheller, Polen und Deutschland vor 1000 Jahren: Die Berliner Tagung über den"akt von Gnesen", Akademie Verlag, 2002, p.282, ISBN 3-05-003749-0, ISBN 978-3-05-003749-3
  3. 1 2 3 Nora Berend, Christianization and the Rise of Christian Monarchy: Scandinavia, Central Europe and Rus' C. 900-1200, Cambridge University Press, 2007, p.293, ISBN 0-521-87616-8, ISBN 978-0-521-87616-2
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Michael Müller-Wille, Rom und Byzanz im Norden: Mission und Glaubenswechsel im Ostseeraum während des 8.-14. Jahrhunderts: internationale Fachkonferenz der deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft in Verbindung mit der Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur, Mainz: Kiel, 18.-25. 9. 1994, 1997, p.105, ISBN 3-515-07498-8, ISBN 978-3-515-07498-8
  5. 1 2 A. P. Vlasto, Entry of Slavs Christendom, CUP Archive, 1970, p. 275, ISBN 0-521-07459-2


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