Prince-Bishopric of Verden

Prince-Bishopric of Verden
Principality of Verden
(Hoch)Stift Verden (1180–1648)
1180–1648
Coat of arms of Verden
Coat of arms
The territory of Verden (pink, below right) around 1655
The territory of Verden (pink, below right) around 1655
StatusState of the Holy Roman Empire
CapitalVerden (seat of chapter),
Rotenburg (residence of pr.-bishops since 1195)¹
Common languagesGerman, Low German
Religion
Catholic Church till the 1550s, then Lutheranism
GovernmentPrincipality
Ruler 
• 1395–1398
Prince-Bishop Dietrich
• 1398–1399
Prince-Bishop Conrad II
• 1623–29, 1635–45
Administrator Frederick II
• 1630–1631
Prince-Bishop Francis
• 1631–1634
Admin. John Frederick
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Break-up of Saxony
1180
15 May 1648 1648
Area
1806[1]730 km2 (280 sq mi)
Population
• 1806[1]
20,000
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Duchy of Saxony
Kingdom of Westphalia
1: Rotenburg castle was built in 1195, this may have been when the diocese had effectively acquired territorial power as prince-bishopric.

The Prince-Bishopric of Verden (German: Fürstbistum Verden, Hochstift Verden or Stift Verden) was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire that was located in what is today the state of Lower Saxony in Germany. Verden had been a diocese of the Catholic Church since the middle of the 8th century. The state was disestablished in 1648. The territory was managed by secular lords on behalf of the Bishop of Verden. As a Prince-Bishopric of the Empire, the territory of the state was not identical with that of the bishopric, but was located within its boundaries and made up about a quarter of the diocesan area. By the terms of the Peace of Westphalia, the Prince-Bishopric was disestablished and a new entity was established, the Duchies of Bremen and Verden.

  1. ^ Köbler, Gerhard: "Historisches Lexikon der deutschen Länder. Die deutschen Territorien vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart", Munich 1995, page 650

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