Diocese of Toul

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Bishopric of Toul
Fürstbistum Tull (German)
Principauté épiscopale de Toul (French)
Prince-bishopric of Holy Roman Empire
1048–1648
Blason Vicherey 88.svg
Coat of arms
Trois-Eveches.png
The Three Bishoprics of Verdun, Metz and Toul
Capital Toul
  Type Ecclesiastical principality
Historical era Middle Ages
  Bishopric established
365
 Acquired territory
1048
  Three Bishoprics
     annexed by France
 
1552 1648
  Treaty of Westphalia
    recognises annexation
 
1648
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Blank.png Duchy of Lorraine
Three Bishoprics Blank.png
Toul Cathedral Cathedrale de Toul-Facade.JPG
Toul Cathedral

The Diocese of Toul was a Roman Catholic diocese seated at Toul in present-day France. It existed from 365 until 1802. From 1048 until 1552 ( de jure until 1648), it was also a state of the Holy Roman Empire.

Contents

History

The diocese was erected in 338 AD by St. Mansuetus. The diocese was a suffragan of the ecclesiastical province of Trier. In 550 AD, the Frankish Council of Toul was held in the city.

By the high Middle Ages, the diocese was located at the western edge of the Holy Roman Empire; it was bordered by France, the Duchy of Bar, and the Duchy of Lorraine. In 1048 it become a state of the Empire while that city of Toul itself became a Free Imperial City.

In 1552, both states were annexed by King Henry II of France; the annexations were formally recognized by the Empire in 1648 by the Peace of Westphalia. By then, they were part of the French province of the Three Bishoprics.

In 1766, the Duchy of Lorraine became part of France. In 1777 and 1778, territory was carved out of Toul to form two new dioceses: Saint Dié and Nancy, both of them suffragans of Trier. By the terms of the Concordat of 1802, Toul was suppressed. Its territory was merged with that of Nancy to form a new diocese — the Diocese of Nancy-Toul with it seat in Nancy. The geographic remit included three Departments of France: Meurthe, Meuse, and Vosges.

List of bishops and prince-bishops

Bishops

Prince-Bishops

Nicholas Francis, cardinal, duke of Lorraine Nicolas-Francois-duc-de-Lorraine.jpg
Nicholas Francis, cardinal, duke of Lorraine

Bishops after the French annexation

See also

References

    Bibliography

    Reference Sources

    Studies

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