Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg

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Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg Hochstift Brandenburg (German)
1165–1598
Coat of arms
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 Northern March Margraviate of Brandenburg

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.