Minnborinus of Cologne Minnborinus of Cologne Minnborinus of Cologne (fl. 974–986) was an Irish abbot and saint active in Germany. Minborinus was the leader of a group of missionaries from Ireland who travelled to Cologne, Germany. Upon arriving, the Archbishop of Cologne, Warin of Cologne, made Minnborinus abbot of St. Martin's Abbey (now Great St. Martin Church) in the city, and installed the rest of the group in the abbey. Minnborinus governed St. Martin's from 974 till his death on 15 August 986. He was succeeded by his fellow-countryman, Kilian of Cologne. Because St. Martin's was declared an Irish abbey, there were many
History of Cologne In 1074 the commune was formed. By the 13th century, the relationship between the city and its archbishop had become difficult, and after the Battle of Worringen in 1288, the forces of Brabant and the citizenry of Cologne captured Archbishop Siegfried of Westerburg (1274–97), resulting in almost complete freedom for the city. To regain his liberty the archbishop recognized the political independence of Cologne but reserved certain rights, notably the administration of justice. Cologne effectively became a free city after 1288, and in 1475 it was formally made a free imperial city, a status that it held until annexed by