Bodo III, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode
A German count nicknamed 'the Blissful,' he navigated the turbulent dawn of the Protestant Reformation from his ancestral castles.
1467–1538 (age 71)·Birthday: January 4
Biography
Bodo III, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode, ruled his patchwork of territories in the Harz Mountains during a time of profound religious upheaval. His reign began in 1511, just years before Martin Luther's ideas would fracture Christendom. Nicknamed 'the Blissful,' Bodo's life was less about dramatic conquest and more about the steady management of a noble house through a shifting world. He was a contemporary of Luther and lived as the Reformation took hold across German lands. His legacy is tied to the preservation and administration of his family's holdings—the County of Stolberg, the Lordship of Wernigerode, and claims to the County of Hohnstein. He represents the layer of regional nobility whose decisions, often pragmatic and local, collectively shaped the political and religious map of the Holy Roman Empire in the 16th century.
#1 When Bodo Was Born
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Bodo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1467Born
1472Started school
1480Became a teenager
1483Could drive
1485Could vote
1488Turned 21
1497Turned 30
1507Turned 40
1517Turned 50
1527Turned 60
1537Turned 70
1538Died at 71
Key Achievements
- Governed the County of Stolberg and Lordship of Wernigerode for 27 years during the early Reformation period.
- Maintained control over the contested inheritance of the County of Hohnstein.
- Preserved the territorial integrity and influence of the House of Stolberg through a volatile era.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'the Blissful' (der Glückselige) is a posthumous designation, not one used in his lifetime.
He was a member of the powerful and extensive House of Stolberg.
His death in 1538 came just one year after the formation of the Schmalkaldic League, a Protestant military alliance.
“The true faith is the shield of our lands and the peace of our people.”
