Conrad III of Scharfenberg

Conrad of Scharfenberg (German: Konrad von Scharfenberg), also Conrad de Scharfenberg (c. 1165 – 24 March 1224), came from a family of knights that served the Holy Roman Empire. He came from the area around Trifels Castle. His family castle was Scharfenburg Castle (today Burg Münz).

Conrad was raised and educated at the cathedral school in Speyer. In 1187 he entered royal service during the reign of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor. Altogether, he served four emperors and kings in the imperial chancellery, where he made his career in both the worldly and the spiritual.

First he was the provost of Saint Germain in Speyer. In 1198 he became Dekan of the chapter there. He became a follower of the Staufer Philip of Swabia during the struggle for the throne between the House Hohenstaufen and the House of Welf, which broke out after the death of Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor.

In 1200, Conrad was named Bishop of Speyer and master of the imperial cathedral. In 1208 he was named chancellor, although this office was normally filled by the archbishop of Mainz in the Holy Roman Empire. After the murder of King Philip (which had nothing to do with the struggle for the throne) in 1208, Conrad managed the imperial insignia.

When the Welf king Otto IV was generally recognized, Conrad served him and accompanied him to Rome for his crowning by Pope Innocent III.

...
Wikipedia