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Aprince-bishop is abishop who is also the civil ruler of somesecular principality andsovereignty, as opposed toPrince of the Church itself, a title associated withcardinals. Since 1951, the sole extant prince-bishop has been theBishop of Urgell, Catalonia, who has remainedex officio one of twoco-princes of Andorra, along with theFrench president.[1][2]
In the West, with the decline ofimperial power from the 4th century onwards in the face of thebarbarian invasions, sometimesChristian bishops ofcities took the place of the Roman commander, made secular decisions for the city and led their own troops when necessary. Later relations between a prince-bishop and theburghers were invariably not cordial. As cities demanded charters from emperors, kings, or their prince-bishops and declared themselves independent of the secular territorial magnates, friction intensified between burghers and bishops. The principality orprince-bishopric (Hochstift) ruled politically by a prince-bishop could wholly or largely have overlapped with his diocesan jurisdiction, but some parts of hisdiocese, even the city of his residence, could have been exempt from his civil rule, obtaining the status offree imperial city. If theepiscopal see was anarchbishopric, the correct term was prince-archbishop; the equivalent in the regular (monastic) clergy wasprince-abbot. A prince-bishop was usually considered anelected monarch. With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the title finally became defunct in theConfederation of the Rhine. However, in respect to the lands of the formerHoly Roman Empire outside of French control, such as theHabsburg Monarchy, including Austria proper (Salzburg,Seckau), theLands of the Bohemian Crown (the bulk ofOlomouc and parts ofBreslau), as well as in respect to the parts of the1795-partitioned Polish state, including those forming part of theKingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria or those acquired by theKingdom of Prussia, the position continued in some cases nominally and was sometimes transformed into a new, titular type, initially recognized by the German Empire and Austria-Hungary until their demise, with the title ultimately abolished altogether by the pope in 1951.
The sole exception is theBishop of Urgell, Catalonia, who no longer has any secular rights in Spain, but remainsex officio one of twoco-princes of Andorra, along with the French head of state (currently itsPresident), and thus the last extant prince-bishop.[1][2]
In theByzantine Empire, the stillautocratic Emperors passed general legal measures assigning all bishops certain rights and duties in the secular administration of their dioceses, possibly as part of a development to put theEastern Church in the service of the Empire[citation needed], with itsEcumenical Patriarch almost reduced to the Emperor's minister of religious affairs.[citation needed]. The institution of prince-bishop was revived in the Orthodox Church in the modern times during the existence of thePrince-Bishopric of Montenegro.
Bishops had been involved in the government of the Frankish realm and subsequentCarolingian Empire frequently as the clerical member of a duo of envoys styledMissus dominicus, but that was an individual mandate, not attached to the see. Prince-bishoprics were most common in the feudally fragmentedHoly Roman Empire, where many were formally awarded the rank of anImperial PrinceReichsfürst, granting them theimmediate power over a certain territory and a representation in theImperial Diet (Reichstag).
Thestem duchies of theGerman Kingdom inside the Empire had strong and powerfuldukes (originally, war-rulers), always looking out more for theirduchy's "national interest" than for the Empire's. In turn the firstOttonian (Saxon) kingHenry the Fowler and more so his son, EmperorOtto I, intended to weaken the power of the dukes by granting loyal bishops Imperial lands and vest them withregalia privileges. Unlike dukes they could not pass hereditary titles and lands to any descendants. Instead the Emperors reserved the implementation of the bishops of theirproprietary church for themselves, defying the fact that according tocanon law they were part of the transnationalCatholic Church. This met with increasing opposition by thePopes, culminating in the fierceInvestiture Controversy of 1076. Nevertheless, the Emperors continued to grant major territories to the most important (arch)bishops. The immediate territory attached to the episcopal see then became a prince-diocese or (arch)bishopric (Fürst(erz)bistum).[3] The German termHochstift was often used to denote the form of secular authority held by bishops ruling a prince-bishopric withErzstift being used for prince-archbishoprics.
EmperorCharles IV by theGolden Bull of 1356 confirmed the privileged status of the Prince-Archbishoprics ofMainz,Cologne andTrier as members of theelectoral college. At the eve of theProtestant Reformation, theImperial states comprised 53 ecclesiastical principalities. They were finally secularized in the 1803German Mediatization upon the territorial losses toFrance in theTreaty of Lunéville, except for the Mainz prince-archbishop and German archchancellorKarl Theodor Anton Maria von Dalberg, who continued to rule asPrince of Aschaffenburg andRegensburg. With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the title finally became defunct in the successorConfederation of the Rhine.
No less than three of the (originally only seven)prince-electors, the highest order ofReichsfürsten (comparable in rank with the Frenchpairs), were prince-archbishops, each holding the title ofArchchancellor (the only arch-office amongst them) for a part of the Empire; given the higher importance of an electorate, their principalities were known asKurfürstentum ("electoral principality") rather than prince-archbishopric.
| Arms | Name | Rank | Local name(s) | Imperial immediacy | Imperial Circle | Modern nation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Augsburg | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Augsburg | c. 888–1803 | Swabian |  Germany | Augsburg became a Free Imperial City in 1276. |
 | Bamberg | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Bamberg | 1245–1802 | Franconian | Germany | |
 | Basel | Bishopric | French:Principauté de Bâle German:Fürstbistum Basel | 1032–1803 | Upper Rhenish |  France Germany Switzerland | Basel joined theOld Swiss Confederacy as theCanton of Basel in 1501. Secularized as a result ofSwiss Mediation. A tiny fraction of the bishopric is not now in Switzerland:Schliengen andIstein are both now in Germany; a very small part of theVogtei of St Ursanne is now in France. |
 | Besançon | Archbishopric | French:Archevêque de Besançon German:Fürstbistum Bisanz | 1043–1678/1803 | Upper Rhenish | France | MadePrince byHenry III in 1043. Temporal power revoked and granted to theFree City of Besançon in 1290, while the title ofPrince was retained by the Archbishop. Transferred to theBurgundian Circle in 1512.Imperial Diet seat was retained but left vacant afterFranceannexed Besançon in 1678. |
 | Brandenburg | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Brandenburg | c. 1165–1598 | Upper Saxon | Germany | Founded in 948; annihilated 983; re-establishedc. 1161. Continued by Lutheran administrators after the Reformation in 1520; secularized and incorporated into theMargraviate of Brandenburg in 1571. |
 | Bremen | Archbishopric | German:Erzstift Bremen | 1180–1648 | Lower Saxon | Germany | Continued byLutheran administrators from the Reformation in 1566 until 1645/1648.Bremen itself became autonomous in 1186, and was confirmed as a Free Imperial City in 1646. |
  | Breslau (Duchy of Nysa) | Bishopric | Czech:Niské knížectví German:Fürstentum/Herzogtum Neisse Polish:Księstwo Nyskie | fief of the Bohemian crown, after 1748 also of theKingdom of Prussia | None |  Poland Czech Republic(temporal and diocesan territory) Germany(diocesan territory only) | Ceded 1335/1348 by Poland. After dissolution of the HRE, secularized in 1810 (Prussian part) and in 1850 (Austrian part). The princely title continued until 1951, elevated to archbishopric 1930 |
 | Brixen | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Brixen Italian:Principato vescovile di Bressanone | 1027–1803 | Austrian |  Italy | secularized toTyrol |
 | Cambrai | Bishopric, then archbishopric | French:Principauté de Cambrai German:Hochstift Kammerich | 1007–1678 | Lower Rhenish / Westphalian | France | ToFrance by 1678Peace of Nijmegen |
 | Chur | Bishopric | German:Bistum Chur Romansh:Chapitel catedral da Cuira Italian:Principato vescovile di Coira | 831/1170–1526 | Austrian | Switzerland Liechtenstein | Secularized 1803 as a result ofSwiss Mediation. |
 | Cologne | Archbishopric electorate | German:Erzstift Köln, Kurköln | 953–1803 | Electoral Rhenish | Germany | Prince-elector and Arch-Chancellor ofItaly.Duke of Westphalia from 1180.Cologne became aFree Imperial City in 1288. |
 | Constance | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Konstanz | 1155–1803 | Swabian |  Austria Germany Switzerland | Greatly reduced during theReformation, when significant parts of Swabia and Switzerland became Protestant. |
 | Eichstätt | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Eichstätt | 1305–1802 | Franconian | Germany | |
 | Freising | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Freising | 1294–1802 | Bavarian | Austria Germany | |
 | Fulda | Abbey, then bishopric | German:Reichskloster Fulda, Reichsbistum Fulda | 1220–1802 | Upper Rhenish | Germany | Imperial Abbey until 5 October 1752, when it was raised to a bishopric. Secularized in 1802 in theGerman Mediatization |
 | Geneva | Bishopric | French:Évêché de Genève German:Fürstbistum Genf | 1154-1526 | Upper Rhenish | France Switzerland | De jurereichsfrei since 1154.De facto dominated by their guardians, thecounts of Geneva (until 1400) andSavoy (from 1401).Geneva joined theOld Swiss Confederacy in 1526. |
 | Halberstadt | Bishopric | German:Bistum Halberstadt | 1180–1648 | Lower Saxon | Germany | |
 | Havelberg | Bishopric | German:Bistum Havelberg | 1151–1598 | Lower Saxon | Germany | Founded in 948; annihilated 983; re-established 1130. Continued by Lutheran administrators from Reformation in 1548 until 1598 |
 | Hildesheim | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Hildesheim | 1235–1803 | Lower Saxon | Germany | |
 | Lausanne | Bishopric | French:Principauté épiscopale de Lausanne German:Bistum Lausanne | 1270–1536 | None | Switzerland | Conquered by theSwiss city canton ofBern in 1536. |
 | Lebus | Bishopric | German:Bistum Lebus Polish:Diecezja lubuska | 1248/1454/1506–1598 | None | Germany Poland | Established 1124 in Poland, 1248-1372 disputed and 1372 ultimately lost to HRE. 1372–1454fief of the Bohemian crown, seated inFürstenwalde from 1385;reichsfrei ostensibly from 1248, but challenged byBrandenburg. Continued byHohenzollern Lutheran administrators from Protestant Reformation in 1555 until secularization in 1598. |
 | Liège | Bishopric | French:Principauté de Liége German:Fürstbistum Lüttich Walloon:Principåté d' Lidje | 980–1789/1795 | Lower Rhenish / Westphalian |  Belgium Netherlands | |
 | Lübeck | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Lübeck | 1180–1803 | Lower Saxon | Germany | Seated inEutin from the 1270s; Reformation started in 1535, continued by Lutheran administrators from 1586 until secularization in 1803.Lübeck became a Free Imperial City in 1226. |
 | Lyon | Archbishopric | French:Archevêque de Lyon Arpitan:Arch·evèque de Liyon | 1157-1312 | None | France | Seated inLyon;Reichsfreiheit confirmed byFrederick Barbarossa in 1157. Annexed by theKingdom of France in 1312. |
 | Magdeburg | Archbishopric | German:Erzstift Magdeburg | 1180–1680 | Lower Saxon | Germany | Continued byLutheran administrators between 1566 and 1631, and again from 1638 until 1680. |
 | Mainz | Archbishopric electorate | German:Erzbistum Mainz, Kurmainz | c. 780–1803 | Electoral Rhenish | Germany | Prince-elector and Arch-Chancellor ofGermany. |
 | Merseburg | Bishopric | German:Bistum Merseburg | 1004–1565 | None | Germany | Administered by the LutheranElectorate of Saxony between 1544 and 1565. |
 | Metz | Bishopric | French:Évêché de Metz German:Hochstift Metz | 10th century–1552 | Upper Rhenish | France | One of theThree Bishoprics ceded to France by the 1552Treaty of Chambord. |
 | Minden | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Minden | 1180–1648 | Lower Rhenish / Westphalian | Germany | |
 | Münster | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Münster | 1180–1802 | Lower Rhenish / Westphalian | Germany | |
 | Naumburg | Bishopric | German:Bistum Naumburg-Zeitz | Germany | Under guardianship ofMeissen from 1259. Administered bySaxony from 1564. | ||
 | Olomouc | Bishopric, then archbishopric | Czech:Arcibiskupství olomoucké German:Erzbistum Olmütz Polish:Archidiecezja ołomuniecka | fief of the Bohemian Crown, after 1742 also of theKingdom of Prussia | None | Czech Republic Poland | The Czech bishopric (later Metropolitan) ofOlomouc, as afief of the Bohemian Crown, was the peer of theMargraviate of Moravia, and from 1365 its prince-bishop was 'Count of the Bohemian Chapel', i.e., firstcourt chaplain, who was to accompany the monarch on his frequent travels. Secularized in 1803, but the princely title continued. However, all bishops' princely titles were abolished by the pope in 1951. |
 | Osnabrück | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Osnabrück | 1225/1236–1802 | Lower Rhenish / Westphalian | Germany | Alternated between Catholic and Protestant incumbents after theThirty Years' War; secularized in 1802/1803 |
 | Paderborn | Bishopric | German:Fürstbistum Paderborn | 1281–1802 | Lower Rhenish / Westphalian | Germany | |
 | Passau | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Passau | 999–1803 | Bavarian | Austria Germany | Princely title was confirmed at Nuremberg in 1217. |
 | Ratzeburg | Bishopric | German:Bistum Ratzeburg | 1236–1648 | Lower Saxon | Germany | Ruled by Lutheran administrators between 1554 and 1648. |
 | Regensburg | Bishopric, then archbishopric electorate | German:Hochstift Regensburg | 1132?–1803 | Bavarian | Germany | Regensburg became a Free Imperial City in 1245. |
 | Salzburg | Archbishopric electorate | German:Fürsterzbistum Salzburg | 1278–1803 | Bavarian | Austria | Raised to an electorate in 1803, but simultaneously secularized;seeElectorate of Salzburg. Since 1648, the archbishop has also borne the titlePrimas Germaniae, First [Bishop] of Germania, which used to include the right to preside over thePrinces of the Holy Roman Empire. However, all bishops' princely titles were abolished by the pope in 1951. |
 | Schwerin | Bishopric | German:Bistum Schwerin | 1180–1648 | Lower Saxon | Germany | Ruled by an administrator between 1516 and 1648. |
 | Speyer | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Speyer | 888–1803 | Upper Rhenish | Germany | Territories to the east of the Rhine were annexed by France in 1681, confirmed in 1697. Speyer became a Free Imperial City in 1294. |
 | Strasbourg | Bishopric | Alemannic German:Bistum Strossburi French:Évêché de Strasbourg German:Fürstbistum Straßburg | 982–1803 | Upper Rhenish | France Germany | Territories to the east of the Rhine were annexed by France in 1681, confirmed in 1697. |
.svg) | Tarentaise | Archbishopric | French:Prince-évêque de Tarentaise Arpitan:Prince Evèque de Tarentèsa Italian:Principato vescovile di Tarantasia | 1186-1769 | Upper Rhenish | France | Count of Tarentaise from 996;reichsfrei from 1186.De facto dominated by their guardiansSavoy (from 1271). Secularized and annexed by theKingdom of Sardinia 1769.[4] |
 | Toul | Bishopric | French:Principauté de Toul German:Bistum Tull | 10th century – 1552 | Upper Rhenish | France | One of theThree Bishoprics ceded to France by the 1552Treaty of Chambord, confirmed in 1648. |
 | Trent | Bishopric | Italian:Principato vescovile di Trento Venetian:Principe-vescovo de Trento German:Fürstbistum Trient | 1027–1803 | Austrian | Italy | Secularized toTyrol in 1803. |
 | Trier | Archbishopric electorate | German:Erzbistum Trier, Kurtrier French:Archevêque Trèves | 772–1803 | Electoral Rhenish | Germany | Prince-elector and Arch-Chancellor ofBurgundy. |
 | Utrecht | Bishopric | Dutch:Sticht Utrecht | 1024–1528 | Lower Rhenish / Westphalian | Netherlands | Sold toCharles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1528, after which it was moved to theBurgundian Circle. Founding member of theDutch Republic in 1579/1581, confirmed in 1648. |
 | Verden | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Verden | 1180–1648 | Lower Rhenish / Westphalian | Germany | Continued by Lutheran administrators after Reformation until 1645/1648, when it was continued as a secular and independent principality until its disestablishment in 1807. It became a part of theKingdom of Hanover in 1815. |
 | Verdun | Bishopric | French:Principauté de Verdun German:Bistum Wirten | 10th century – 1552 | Upper Rhenish | France | One of theThree Bishoprics ceded to France by the 1552Treaty of Chambord, confirmed in 1648. |
 | Worms | Bishopric | German:Bistum Worms | 861–1801 | Upper Rhenish | Germany | Worms city rule established by BishopBurchard (1000–25). Episcopal residence atLadenburg from 1400. Held large estates in the formerLahngau region. Territories on theLeft Bank of the Rhine lost by the 1797Treaty of Campo Formio; secularized at first to theFrench Empire, then toBaden andHesse-Darmstadt in 1815. |
 | Würzburg | Bishopric electorate | German:Hochstift Würzburg | 1168–1803 | Franconian | Germany | Duke of Franconia |
The suffragan-bishoprics ofGurk (established 1070),Chiemsee (1216),Seckau (1218), andLavant (1225) sometimes used theFürstbischof title, but never held anyreichsfrei territory. However, all bishops' princely titles were abolished by the pope in 1951.
ThePatriarchate of Aquileia[5] (1077–1433) was conquered byVenice in 1420 and officially incorporated after the 1445Council of Florence.
InBrescia Bishop Notingus was made count of Brescia in 844.
In theBishopric of Belley, SaintAnthelm of Belley was grantedReichsfreiheit by EmperorFrederick I, but submitted temporal authorities to theDuchy of Savoy in 1401.
TheBishopric of Sion (French:Principauté épiscopale de Sion,German:Bistum Sitten) was from 999 a classic example of unified secular and diocesan authority. It progressively lost its powers since the Renaissance, and was finally replaced by theRepublic of the Seven Tithings in 1634.
Upon the incorporation of theLivonian Brothers of the Sword in 1237, the territory of theOrder's State largely corresponded with theDiocese of Riga. BishopAlbert of Riga in 1207 had received the lands ofLivonia as an Imperial fief from the hands of German kingPhilip of Swabia, he however had to come to terms with the Brothers of the Sword. At the behest ofPope Innocent III theTerra Mariana confederation was established, whereby Albert had to cede large parts of the episcopal territory to theLivonian Order. Albert proceeded tactically in the conflict between the Papacy and EmperorFrederick II: in 1225 he reached the acknowledgement of his status as a Prince-Bishop of the Empire, though theRoman Curia insisted on the fact that the ChristianizedBaltic territories were solely under the suzerainty of theHoly See. By the 1234 Bull of Rieti,Pope Gregory IX stated that all lands acquired by the Teutonic Knights were no subject of anyconveyancing by the Emperor.
Within this larger conflict, the continued dualism of the autonomous Riga prince-bishop and theTeutonic Knights led to a lengthy friction. Around 1245 the Papal legateWilliam of Modena reached a compromise: though incorporated into the Order's State, the archdiocese and its suffragan bishoprics were acknowledged with their autonomous ecclesiastical territories by the Teutonic Knights. The bishops pursued the conferment of the princely title by the Holy Roman Emperor to stress their sovereignty. In the originalPrussian lands of the Teutonic Order, Willam of Modena established the suffragan bishoprics ofCulm,Pomesania,Samland andWarmia. From the late 13th century onwards, the appointed Warmia bishops were no longer members of the Teutonic Knights, a special status confirmed by the bestowal of the princely title by EmperorCharles IV in 1356.
| Arms | Name | Rank | Local name(s) | Territory | Modern nation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Courland | Bishopric | German:Hochstift Kurland Latvian:Kurzemes bīskapija Low German:Bisdom Curland | Terra Mariana |  Latvia | Established about 1234, the smallest of the Livonian dioceses.Secularized in 1559 and occupied by PrinceMagnus of Denmark. From 1585 under the suzerainty of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, part of theDuchy of Livonia. |
 | Dorpat | Bishopric | Estonian:Tartu piiskopkond German:Hochstift Dorpat Low German:Bisdom Dorpat | Terra Mariana |  Estonia | BishopHermann, appointed by his brother BishopAlbert of Riga, received the title of a prince-bishop by KingHenry VII of Germany in 1225. Dorpat (Estonian:Tartu) remained asuffragan diocese ofRiga. Dissolved in the course of theProtestant Reformation in 1558. |
 | Ösel-Wiek | Bishopric | Estonian:Saare-Lääne piiskopkond German:Bistum Ösel-Wiek Low German:Bisdom Ösel-Wiek | Terra Mariana | Estonia | Established onSaaremaa island in 1228 under Bishop Gottfried, appointed by BishopAlbert of Riga, vested with the title of a prince-bishop by KingHenry VII of Germany. It remained asuffragan diocese ofRiga. Dissolved in the course of theProtestant Reformation in 1559. |
 | Riga | Archbishopric | German:Erzbistum Riga Latvian:Rīgas arhibīskapija Low German:Erzbisdom Riga | Terra Mariana | Latvia | Episcopal see atÜxküll 1186–1202. In 1225Albert of Riga received the title of a Prince-bishop ofLivonia by EmperorFrederick II. Last ArchbishopWilliam of Brandenburg resigned in 1561 during theLivonian War, territory fell to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, toSweden in 1621. |
 | Warmia | Bishopric | German:Fürstbistum Ermland Polish:Biskupie Księstwo Warmińskie | Prussia | Poland (temporal and diocesan territory)  Lithuania Russia(diocesan territory only) | Established by Papal legateWilliam of Modena in 1243, princely title documented in theGolden Bull of 1356. Incorporated into theJagiellon kingdom of Poland in 1466 and re-established as an autonomous prince-bishopric under thePolish crown in 1479 (see below). |
Three bishoprics were initially parts of the Kingdom of Poland and its offshoots before being subsequently incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire, namely the bishoprics ofWolin/Kamień (Wollin/Cammin) (1140-1181),Lubusz (Lebus) (1125-1372) andWrocław (Breslau) (1201-1335/1348), with the latter two of them continuing, however, as suffragan to the Polisharchbishopric of Gniezno for many years later (until 1424 in the case of Lebus and until 1821 in the case of Breslau). On the other hand, the Prince Bishopric of Warmia was obtained byPoland following theSecond Peace of Thorn.
| Arms | Name | Rank | Local name(s) | Years under Polish crown or offshoots | Modern nation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Wolin/Kamień | Bishopric | Polish:Biskupie Księstwo Kamieńskie German:Hochstift Cammin | 1140-1181 | Poland (temporal and diocesan territory) Germany(diocesan territory only) | Established 1140 in the Polish Duchy of Pomerania. Since 1181 part of HRE.Reichsfreiheit obtained 1248 from and lost 1544 again toDuchy of Pomerania. Secularized in 1650, to BrandenburgProvince of Pomerania |
.jpg)  | Kraków (Duchy of Siewierz) | Bishopric | Polish:Księstwo Siewierskie | 1443-1791 | Poland | Wenceslaus I, Duke of Cieszyn, sold aDuchy of Siewierz to theBishop of KrakówZbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki for 6,000 silverGroschen in 1443. This tiny duchy had its own laws, treasury and army. In 1790, theGreat Sejm took over the Duchy of Siewierz to the State Treasury and incorporated it directly into thePolish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. |
| Lebus | Bishopric | Polish:Diecezja lubuska German:Bistum Lebus | 1124-1248/1372 | Germany Poland | Established 1124 in Poland, 1248-1372 disputed and 1372 ultimately lost to HRE. 1372-1454fief of the Bohemian crown, seated inFürstenwalde since 1385;Reichsfreiheit ostensibly since 1248, but challenged byBrandenburg. Continued byHohenzollern Lutheran administrators after Protestant Reformation in 1555 until secularization in 1598. |
| Warmia | Bishopric | Polish:Biskupie Księstwo Warmińskie German:Fürstbistum Ermland | 1466-1772 | Poland (temporal and diocesan territory) Lithuania Russia(diocesan territory only) | Established as a part of the State of the Teutonic Order (see above) by Papal legateWilliam of Modena in 1243, with princely title documented in theGolden Bull of 1356. Incorporated into theJagiellon kingdom of Poland in 1466 and re-established as an autonomous prince-bishopric under thePolish crown in 1479. It was ultimately abolished in the course of thePrussian annexation in 1772 during theFirst Partition of Poland. |
 | Wrocław (Duchy of Nysa) | Bishopric | Polish:Księstwo Nyskie German:Fürstentum/Herzogtum Neisse Czech:Niské knížectví | 1201-1335/1348 | Poland Czech Republic (temporal and diocesan territory) Germany(diocesan territory only) | Ceded 1335/1348 to Lands of the Bohemian Crown (part of HRE). After dissolution of the HRE, secularized in 1810 (Prussian part) and in 1850 (Austrian part), but the princely title continued until 1951, elevated to archbishopric 1930 |
Thebishops of Durham, while not sovereign, held extensive rights usually reserved to the English, and later British, monarch within the county palatine of Durham. In 1075Walcher, the bishop of Durham, was allowed to purchase the earldom of Northumbria; this marked the beginning of the bishops' temporal powers, which expanded during the Middle Ages before being gradually curbed from the sixteenth century onwards.[6] Except for a brief period of suppression during theEnglish Civil War, the bishopric retained some temporal powers until it was abolished by theDurham (County Palatine) Act 1836, when its powers returned to the Crown.[7][8] The last institution of the palatinate, itscourt of chancery, was abolished in 1974.[9]
From the tenth century civil wars on, many bishops took over the powers of the local count, as authorised by the king. For example, at Chalons-sur-Marne the bishop ruled the lands 20 km (12 mi) around the town, while the Archbishop of Rheims demarcated his territory with five fortresses of Courville, Cormicy, Betheneville, Sept-Saulx and Chaumuzy.[11]A number of French bishops did hold a noble title, with a tiny territory usually about their seat; it was often aprincely title, especially Count but also Prince or Baron, including actual seigneurial authority and rights.[12] Indeed, six of the twelve originalPairies (the royal vassals awarded with the highest precedence at Court) were episcopal: theArchbishop of Reims, theBishop of Langres, and theBishop of Laon held aducal title, the bishops ofBeauvais,Chalôns, andNoyon hadcomital status. They were later joined by theArchbishop of Paris, who was awarded a ducal title, but with precedence over the others.[12][13]
France also counted a number of prince-bishops formerly within the Holy Roman Empire such those of Besançon, Cambrai, Strasbourg, Metz, Toul, Verdun, and Belley. The bishops of Arles, Embrun, and Grenoble also qualify as princes of episcopal cities. The bishop of Viviers was Count of Viviers and Prince de Donzère. The bishop of Sisteron was also Prince de Lurs, the title of count was held by the Archbishop of Lyons, and the bishops of Gap, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, Vienne and Die were Seigneurs of their cities.
Never part of the empire were Lisieux, Cahors, Chalon-sur-Saône, Léon, Dol and Vabres whose bishops were also counts. Ajaccio was Count of Frasso. The bishops of Sarlat, Saint-Malo (Baron de Beignon) and of Luçon were Barons and Tulle was Viscount of the city. The bishop of Mende was governor and count, Puy held the title Count of Velay, Quimper was Seigneur of the city and Comte de Cornouailles, Valence was Seigneur and Count of the city. Montpellier's bishop was Count of Mauguio and Montferrand, Marquis of Marquerose and Baron of Sauve, Durfort, Salevoise, and Brissac. The bishop of Saint-Claude was Seigneur of all the lands of Saint-Claude. The bishops of Digne (Seigneur and Baron), Pamiers (co-Seigneur), Albi, Lectoure, Saint-Brieuc, Saint-Papoul, Saint-Pons, and Uzès were Seigneurs of the cities.[13][14][15][12]
From 1472 to 1967, the bishop ofCoimbra held thecomital title of Count ofArganil, being thus called "bishop-count" (Portuguese:Bispo-Conde). The use of thecomital title declined during the 20th century sincePortugal has become a republic and nobility privileges have ceased to be officially recognized, and was ultimately discontinued.
Thebishops of Cetinje, who took as thePrince-Bishops of Montenegro the place of the earlier secular (Grand)Voivodes in 1516, had a unique position ofSlavonic,Orthodox prince-bishops ofMontenegro underOttoman suzerainty.[16] It was eventually secularized and became ruled by hereditary princes and ultimatelyKings of Montenegro in 1852, as reflected in their styles:
TheBishop of Urgell, Catalonia, who no longer has any secular rights in Spain, remainsex officio one of twoco-princes of Andorra, along with the French head of state (currently itsPresident)[1][2]
The term has been used by Episcopalians in North America to describe modern bishops with commanding personalities usually of previous generations.[17] One such individual was BishopHorace W. B. Donegan of whom Episcopalsuffragan bishopRobert E. Terwilliger said "We often say that Bishop Donegan is the last prince bishop of the church because in his graciousness, in his presence, in his total lack of any crisis of identity, we have seen what a bishop is; and we know that it is a kind of royalty in Christ."[18]
Anglican ArchbishopRobert Duncan expressed his view that the pastoral changes "in the 1970s was a revolution in reaction to those prince bishops – they had all this authority, they had all this power." So systems such as the Commission on Ministry system in the Episcopal Church "was to replace an individual's authority with a committee's authority."[17]
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, serves as Co-Prince of Andorra in addition to his duties as French President and is one of the few examples of a democratically elected leader serving in a royal capacity in another country. Since 2003, the other Co-Prince is the Catholic Bishop of Urgell from Spain, Joan-Enric Vives i Sicília. But how did the president and bishop become co-princes of another country? The answer lies in a political arrangement stretching back over seven centuries.
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