Page "Prince-Bishopric of Liège" Paragraph 28

He nominated Erard de la Marck ( 1505 – 38 ) who brought a period of restoration.

Erard was an enlightened protector of the arts.

It was he who commenced the struggle against the Protestant reformers, which his successors carried forth, especially Gerard of Groesbeeck ( 1564 – 80 ).

With the object of assisting in this struggle, Paul IV, by Bull ( Super Universi, 12 May 1559 ), created new bishoprics in the Low Countries.

The new bishoprics were created largely at the expense of the diocese of Liège ; many of its parishes were given to the dioceses of Roermond ,'s-Hertogenbosch, and Namur, or were added to the existing dioceses of Mechelen and Antwerp.

The number of deaneries in the diocese of Liège was reduced to 13.