Joseph Clemens of Bavaria (5 December 1671 – 12 November 1723) was a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty of Bavaria and also served as the Archbishop-Elector of Cologne from 1688 to 1723.

Biography

The third son of Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria and his wife, Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy, Joseph Clemens was designated by his parents for a life in the church. He became Archbishop of Cologne in 1688 after the death of Maximilian Henry of Bavaria, and his appointment to that post by Pope Innocent XI was one cause of the Nine Years' War. He later also served as Prince-Bishop of Liège, of Regensburg, of Freising and of Hildesheim. Joseph Clemens was the younger brother of Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria. As did his brother, Maximillian II, Joseph Clemens allied with France during the War of the Spanish Succession and was forced to flee his residence Bonn in 1702 and found refuge at the French court. Joseph Clemens was put under the Imperial ban and deprived of his lands in 1706. The war between France and the Holy Roman Empire was finally ended in 1714 with the Treaty of Baden, which restored Joseph Clemens. He died in Bonn, and was buried at the Cologne Cathedral. Joseph Clemens was succeeded by his nephew Clemens August of Bavaria.

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