Background
The son of the shoemaker Seyfried Roth, John was born 30 November 1426 in Wemding in Bavaria.
The son of the shoemaker Seyfried Roth, John was born 30 November 1426 in Wemding in Bavaria.
John studied in Rome, where he befriended Italian humanists, including Enea Silvio, and then in 1459 at Padua, where he was a rector and in 1460 earned a doctorate.
Johann Roth, was a brilliant speaker, humanist and supporter of the arts and learning. He then held an office in the papal chancery until 1464 when he then worked for, Emperor Frederick III. From 1460 til11466 he was dean of the cathedral in Passau and in 1466 he was made dean of the chapter of Wroclaw, a position he held till 1468 when he was made bishop of Lavant, in which position he was made an emissary to Rome and Venice. John was the Bishop of Wrocław from 1482 to 1506, and the governor of Silesia from 1490 to 1497.
In 1497 he held a synod and latter was subject of an attempted assassination As Bishop he held three diocesan synods, and arranged for the printing of missals, breviary, liturgical and song books
He also amassed a considerable collection of books He was also skilled in finance and administration redeeming several mortgaged estates and castles for the diocese.
John IV Roth died on the 21 January 1506 in Nysa and was buried in the cathedral. Today little remains of his extensive collection of books