Background
Wolfger was born to a noble family from Erla on the river Enns.
Wolfger was born to a noble family from Erla on the river Enns.
Wolfger"s diocesan court occupies a place of central importance in the history of German literature. His travel accounts provide the only contemporary and non-literary reference to the famous Minnesänger Walther von der Vogelweide. He may also have been the patron of the author of the Middle High German Nibelungenlied.
He entered the church and became, in 1183, the dean of Pfaffmünster and in 1184 of Zell am Secretary
In 1195, Wolfger pressed for the release of Richard the Lion-hearted, then imprisoned in Dürnstein under the care of Hadmar II of Kuenring. He also urged the creation of another diocese out of the territory of the diocese of Passau, but this never came to fruition before he began vigorously seeking election to the patriarchate of Aquileia.
In 1204, Wolfger built the castle of Obernburg because of a feud with the Count of Ortenburg in defiance. He generally maintained good relations with both the Guelphs and Ghibellines, and the emperor-elect Philip of Swabia appointed him his Reichslegaten (imperial legate) in the Kingdom of Italy, a position he retained under the Emperor Otto IV after Philip"s assassination in 1208.
Wolfger obtained the support of the cities of Milan, Pavia, Piacenza, Cremona and Brescia for Otto.
In 1215, he attended the Fourth Lateran Council and withdrew from imperial politics thereafter.
As patriarch he defended his secular powers and in 1209 regained control over the marches of Istria and the Carniola.