Wilhelm von Leslie (originally William Leslie) (1657–1727) was a Scottish Roman Catholic priest, who became Bishop of Laibach in 1718.

Wilhelm von Leslie
Bishop of Laibach
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
In office1718-1727
PredecessorFranz Karl von Kaunitz
SuccessorSigmund Felix von Schrattenbach
Orders
Ordination23 March 1681 (deacon)
5 April 1681 (priest)
Consecration6 March 1712 (Bishop)
by Giulio Piazza
Personal details
Bornc. 1657
Died4 April 1727 (aged c. 70)
Previous post(s)Bishop of Vác
(1716-1718)
Coadjutor Bishop of Trieste and Titular Bishop of Abdera
(1711-1716)

Life

He was the second son of William Leslie, fifth laird of Warthill, Aberdeenshire, and his wife Anne, daughter of James Elphinstone of Glack, and great-niece of William Elphinstone, bishop of Aberdeen. He went at the age of 11 with his elder brother to King's College, Aberdeen.[1]

On leaving the university Leslie was for a time parish schoolmaster of Chapel of Garioch, near his father's property. In 1684 he moved to Padua to study. There he became a Roman Catholic convert and after studying for the priesthood at the Pontifical Scots College in Rome took holy orders. Cardinal Gregorio Barbarigo appointed him professor of theology at Padua.[1] On 22 Dec 1697, he was consecrated bishop by Giulio Piazza, Bishop of Faenza, with László Ádám Erdődy, Bishop of Nitra, and Sigismund Kollonitsch, Bishop of Vác, serving as co-consecrators.[2] He held a succession of church posts in Austria and Hungary, and also became a diplomat.[3]

Leslie had relatives in Austria, the Counts Leslie, and through their influence he became in 1716 Bishop of Waitzen in Hungary. In favour with Emperor Joseph I, and a privy councillor, he was in 1718 translated to the see of Laibach, an appointment which carried with it the dignities of metropolitan of Carniola and prince of the Holy Roman Empire.[1]

In 1725 Leslie sent home to Scotland, to his brother, his portrait and his diploma from the university of Padua, with some correspondence. He died in 1727.[1]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lee, Sidney, ed. (1893). "Leslie, William (1657-1727)" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 33. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  2. Cheney, David M. "Bishop Wilhelm von Leslie". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2 January 2020. [self-published]
  3. Worthington, David. "Leslie, William". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/16503. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1893). "Leslie, William (1657-1727)". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 33. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

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