FÜRSTENBERG, FERDINAND von. - German bishop and statesman, born at Bilstein on 21 Oct. 1626 into a noble Westphalian family, died at Münster on 29 June 1683.
Private chamberlain to Alessandro VII, with whom he had maintained friendly relations since the time of the Congress of Westphalia, he carried on notable historical and literary activity in Rome from 1655 to 1661, which he continued thereafter as well, collecting sources for national and medieval history. In 1661 he was elected prince-bishop of Paderborn, and in 1678 also of Münster; in 1680 he was likewise appointed apostolic vicar for the northern missions. Pious and liberal, he devoted great care to the education and spiritual formation of the clergy and the people; he had numerous churches, colleges, monasteries, and institutions erected, as well as a special foundation for the missions of northern Germany, China, and Japan.
His poetic production was also much esteemed by the learned men of the time.