Richard von Greiffenklau zu Vollrads

Richard von Greiffenklau zu Vollrads (also spelled Greiffenclau and Vollraths; 1467 – 13 March 1531) was a German clergyman who served as Archbishop and Elector of Trier from 1511 until his death in 1531.

Pope Julius II confirmed his appointment on 26 April 1512, and on 30 May 1512 Archbishop of Mainz Uriel von Gemmingen consecrated Richard as a bishop.

Only 23 days after his installation as Archbishop, Richard opened the altar that had enshrined a relic believed to be the seamless robe of Jesus since the building of the Dome in the presence of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and exhibited it.

This did not prevent Charles V from inviting Richard to the Diet of Worms in 1521 where, at Charles' behest, Richard unsuccessfully attempted to convince Martin Luther to recant the views that had resulted in Pope Leo X issuing the papal bull Exsurge Domine, which had excommunicated Luther in 1520.

The next year, he commissioned additions to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, including the large cannon known as the Kanone Greif, the largest siege gun of its time.

Richard's arms, from his tomb in the Cathedral of Trier .
The Kanone Greif commissioned by Richard in 1524.