Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg

Last updated
Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg
Hochstift Brandenburg (German)
1165–1598
Wappen Bistum Brandenburg.png
Coat of arms
Karte des Hochstifts Brandenburg.svg
Episcopal territories, about 1535
Status State of the Holy Roman Empire
Capital Brandenburg an der Havel
Ziesar (residence)
Common languages Brandenburgisch, Polabian
Religion
Roman Catholic until the 1530s, then Lutheran
Government Elective monarchy, ruled by the bishop holding the see, elected by the cathedral chapter or, exceptionally, appointed by the Pope, or ruled by a regent
Prince-Bishop, or Regent 
 1173–1179
Prince-Bishop Sigfrid I
 1421–1459
Prince-Bishop Stephan
 1560–1569
Regent John George
 1569–1571
Regent Joachim Frederick
Historical era Middle Ages
 Diocese founded and restored
948
1161
 Territorial reign est.
1165
 De facto supremacy of Electoral Brandenburg
1373
 Electors privileged to choose candidates for the see
1447
 Secularised as part of Electoral Brandenburg
1571
 Legal dissolution
1598
Currency rixdollar
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Blank.png Northern March
Margraviate of Brandenburg Pabellon de Brandeburgo (c. 1684).svg

The Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg (German : Hochstift Brandenburg) was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire from the 12th century until it was secularized during the second half of the 16th century. It should not be confused with the larger Diocese of Brandenburg (Latin : Dioecesis Brandenburgensis) established by King Otto I of Germany in 948, in the territory of the Marca Geronis (Saxon Eastern March) east of the Elbe river. The diocese, over which the prince-bishop exercised only spiritual authority, was a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Magdeburg, its seat was Brandenburg an der Havel.

Contents

History

The Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg was an imperial estate of the Holy Roman Empire for some time, probably starting about 1161/1165. However, the Brandenburg bishops never managed to gain control over a significant territory, being overshadowed by the Margraviate of Brandenburg, which was originally seated in the same city. Chapter and cathedral, surrounded by further ecclesiastical institutions, were located on the Dominsel (Cathedral Island), which formed a prince-episcopal cathedral immunity district (Domfreiheit), distinct from the city of Brandenburg. Only in 1929 the - meanwhile former - immunity district was incorporated into the city itself.

As rulers of imperial immediacy, regnant in a, however, dispersed territory partitioned into the four bailiwicks (German : Ämter) of Brandenburg/Havel, Ketzin, Teltow and Ziesar. The prince-bishops from the early 14th century onwards resided in their fortress in Ziesar on the road to Magdeburg. The last actual bishop was Matthias von Jagow (d. 1544), who took the side of the Protestant Reformation, married, and in every way furthered the undertakings of the Hohenzollern elector Joachim II.

There were two more nominal bishops, but on the petition of the latter of these, the electoral prince John George of Brandenburg appointed in 1560, the secularisation of the bishopric was undertaken and finally accomplished in 1571, in spite of legal proceedings to reassert the imperial immediacy of the prince-bishopric within the Empire and so to likewise preserve the diocese, which dragged on into the 17th century.

Prince-bishops

Ziesar Castle [de], now a museum also showing the history of the Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg Burg Ziesar 14.jpg
Ziesar Castle  [ de ], now a museum also showing the history of the Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg

Catholics

Lutherans

Secularized and merged into Brandenburg.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archbishopric of Magdeburg</span>

The Archbishopric of Magdeburg was a Latin Catholic archdiocese (969–1552) and Prince-Archbishopric (1180–1680) of the Holy Roman Empire centered on the city of Magdeburg on the Elbe River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishopric of Dorpat</span> Medieval prince-bishopric in Livonia

The Bishopric of Dorpat was a medieval prince-bishopric, i.e. both a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church and a temporal principality ruled by the bishop of the diocese. It existed from 1224 to 1558, generally encompassing the area that now comprises Tartu County, Põlva County, Võru County, and Jõgeva County in Estonia. The prince-bishopric was a sovereign member of the Holy Roman Empire and part of the Livonian Confederation until its dissolution in 1561.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince-Bishopric of Würzburg</span> State of the Holy Roman Empire (1168–1803)

The Prince-Bishopric of Würzburg was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire located in Lower Franconia, west of the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg. Würzburg had been a diocese since 743. As established by the Concordat of 1448, bishops in Germany were chosen by the canons of the cathedral chapter and their election was later confirmed by the pope. Following a common practice in Germany, the prince-bishops of Würzburg were frequently elected to other ecclesiastical principalities as well. The last few prince-bishops resided at the Würzburg Residence, which is one of the grandest Baroque palaces in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diocese of Brandenburg</span>

The diocese of Brandenburg existed between the 10th and 16th centuries. From the 12th century, its bishops also ruled the Hochstift Brandenburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diocese of Lebus</span> Former Latin Catholic jurisdiction in Poland/Germany

The Diocese of Lebus is a former diocese of the Catholic Church. It was erected in 1125 and suppressed in 1598. The Bishop of Lebus was also, ex officio, the ruler of a lordship that was coextensive with the territory of the diocese. The geographic remit included areas that are today part of the land of Brandenburg in Germany and the Province of Lubusz in Poland. It included areas on both sides of the Oder River around the town of Lebus. The cathedral was built on the castle hill in Lubusz and was dedicated to St Adalbert of Prague. Later, the seat moved to Górzyca, back to Lebus and finally to Fürstenwalde on the River Spree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince-Bishopric of Minden</span> Principality of Holy Roman Empire

The Prince-Bishopric of Minden was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire. It was progressively secularized following the Protestant Reformation when it came under the rule of Protestant rulers, and by the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 given to Brandenburg as the Principality of Minden. It must not be confused with the Roman Catholic diocese of Minden, which was larger, and over which the prince-bishop exercised spiritual authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishopric of Havelberg</span>

The Bishopric of Havelberg was a Roman Catholic diocese founded by King Otto I of Germany in 946, from 968 a suffragan to the Archbishops of Magedeburg. A Prince-bishopric (Hochstift) from 1151, Havelberg as a result of the Protestant Reformation was secularised and finally annexed by the margraves of Brandenburg in 1598.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishopric of Cammin</span>

The Bishopric of Cammin was both a former Roman Catholic diocese in the Duchy of Pomerania from 1140 to 1544, and a secular territory of the Holy Roman Empire (Prince-Bishopric) in the Kołobrzeg area from 1248 to 1650.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn</span> Ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire

The Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn was an ecclesiastical principality (Hochstift) of the Holy Roman Empire from 1281 to 1802.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georg von Blumenthal</span> German Prince-Bishop of Ratzeburg and Bishop of Lebus

Georg von Blumenthal was a German Prince-Bishop of Ratzeburg and Bishop of Lebus. He also served as a Privy Councillor of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and Chancellor of the University of Frankfurt (Oder), commonly called the Viadrina.

<i>Hochstift</i> Territory of the Holy Roman Empire

In the Holy Roman Empire, the German term Hochstift referred to the territory ruled by a bishop as a prince, as opposed to his diocese, generally much larger and over which he exercised only spiritual authority. The terms prince-bishopric and ecclesiastical principality are synonymous with Hochstift. Erzstift and Kurerzstift referred respectively to the territory (prince-archbishopric) ruled by a prince-archbishop and an elector-archbishop while Stift referred to the territory ruled by an imperial abbot or abbess, or a princely abbot or abbess. Stift was also often used to refer to any type of ecclesiastical principality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joachim of Münsterberg-Oels</span>

Joachim of Münsterberg, also: Joachim of Poděbrady, a member of the Podiebrad family, was Silesian duke of Münsterberg and Oels from 1536 to 1542. He also held the title of a Count of Kladsko (Kłodzko), though he never actually ruled the county. From 1545 to 1560 he was Prince-Bishop of Brandenburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthias von Jagow</span>

Matthias von Jagow was a Bishop of Brandenburg and reformer in Brandenburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince-Bishopric of Chur</span> Ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire

The Prince-Bishopric of Chur was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire, and had Imperial immediacy. The Prince-Bishopric of Chur controlled contiguous land from the city of Chur, to Engadin, and to Vinschgau. The historical State must be distinguished from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chur which still exists, even if the bishop was the same man.

The 13 Cuirassier regiments of Old Prussia were formed in the mid-17th to mid-18th centuries, and formed the basis of Frederick the Great's vaunted cavalry.

Dietrich von Hardenberg was bishop of the Diocese of Brandenburg from 1521 to 1526.

References

52°24′30″N12°33′45″E / 52.40842°N 12.56249°E / 52.40842; 12.56249