Groomed for a life in the church from an early age, Jacob became a canon of Family of de Haas in the Netherlands.

He was sent to study at the University of Basel (Rektor 1474; lic.

His reign is marked by the expansion of the size of the Archbishopric of Mainz.

Jacob was also a supporter of Imperial Reform, and participated enthusiastically in the Diet held in Cologne in 1505 and the Diet of Konstanz in 1507, where he was in favour of financial reforms and the creation of the Reichskammergericht.

Jacob died on 15 September 1508 and is buried in Mainz Cathedral.