Johannes von Geissel
Johannes von Geissel (5 February 1796 – 8 September 1864) was a German Catholic Archbishop of Cologne and Cardinal from the Electorate of the Palatinate. Life Gessel was born in Gimmeldingen in the Electorate of the Palatinate. After completing his classical studies at Neustadt an der Weinstraße, and at Edesheim, he was received into the then imperial lycée of Mainz in 1813, and studied theology in the diocesan seminary of the same city, under Prof. Bruno Franz Leopold Liebermann, from 1815. He was ordained priest, 22 August 1818. For a short time he became assistant in the parish of Hambach an der Weinstraße. On 1 February 1819, he was appointed professor at the Gymnasium of Speyer; on 24 June 1822, canon of the cathedral chapter of Speyer; and on 25 May 1836, dean of that body. Nominated Bishop of Speyer by the King of Bavaria, he was preconized by Pope Gregory XVI, 20 May 1837, and consecrated in Augsburg cathedral the following 13 August. After the accession to the throne of Prussia of Frederick William IV, the "conflict of Cologne" was to be settled amicably by an agreement between Church and State, to the effect that Archbishop Clemens August von