Wilhelm Biener

Wilhelm Biener (Bienner) (1590 – 17 July 1651) was a lawyer, and chancellor of Tyrol.

Born in Laupheim in Upper Swabia, he was employed by Margrave Karl von Burgau from 1620 onwards. After having served under the Elector of Bavaria, Maximilian I from 1625 to 1630, he was appointed by Emperor Ferdinand II to be a judge at the Imperial Court. He was assigned to Archduke Leopold V of Tyrol, initially in an advisary function, but in 1638 he became court chancellor, a function he was to hold until 1650, first under Archduchess Claudia de Medici and, after her death in 1648, under her son, Archduke Ferdinand Charles.

Wilhelm Biener tightened the administration, and fought against corruption and official malpractice. He prevented the secession of the ecclesiastical principalities Brixen and Trento by enforcing their contractual ties to Tyrol so that, as a consequence, these territories remained under the authority of the Tyrol.

Through careful diplomacy, he also prevented a French invasion of the Münstertal in Switzerland and settled disagreements with Graubünden farmers, who were nominally still subject to Tyrol but in fact already were independent.

Resisted by the States, Wilhelm Biener strengthened the power of the sovereign. In vain, he protested against the selling of Tyrolian rights to Graubünden. These rights were sold in order to finance the extravagant life style of Archduke Ferdinand Charles. Thus, the Prättigau and the Lower Engadin were incorporated into Graubünden.

In 1650, Wilhelm Biener fell from power due to the machinations of his personal and political enemies. He was charged with treason and embezzlement, and subsequently sentenced to death. Although having been pardoned, he was executed in 1651 in the town of Rattenberg as the official pardon was delivered too late.