Prince-Bishopric of Worms

Summary

The Prince-Bishopric of Worms was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Located on both banks of the Rhine around Worms just north of the union of that river with the Neckar, it was largely surrounded by the Electorate of the Palatinate. Worms had been the seat of a bishop from Roman times. From the High Middle Ages on, the prince-bishops' secular jurisdiction no longer included the city of Worms, which was an Imperial Free City (the Free Imperial City of Worms) and which became officially Protestant during the Reformation. The prince-bishops however retained jurisdiction over the Cathedral of Worms inside the city.

Prince-Bishopric of Worms
Episcopatus Vormatiensis (Latin)
Fürstbistum Worms (German)
861–1802
Coat of arms of Worms, Bishopric
Coat of arms
The Prince-Bishopric of Worms circa 1700
The Prince-Bishopric of Worms circa 1700
StatusPrince-Bishopric
CapitalWorms until 1400; thereafter Ladenburg
Common languagesRipuarian Franconian
GovernmentPrince-Bishopric
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Bishopric founded
614
• Gained Reichsfreiheit
861
• Occupied by France
1795
1802
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Electoral Palatinate
Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt
The Imperial Cathedral of Worms

In 1795 Worms itself, as well as the entire territory of the prince-bishopric on the left bank of the Rhine, was occupied and annexed by France. In the wake of the territorial reorganizations that came with the German mediatization of 1802, the remaining territory of the bishopric, along with that of nearly all the other ecclesiastical principalities, was secularized. In this case, it was annexed by Hesse-Darmstadt.

Bishops of Worms, 770—1802 edit

  • Erembert 770-803
  • Bernhar 803-823
  • Volkwin 823-841
  • Samuel 841-859
  • Gunzo 859-872
  • Adelhelm 873-890
  • Dietlach 890-914
  • Richowo 914-950
  • Hanno 950-978
  • Hildebold 978-998
  • Franco from Hesse 998-999
  • Erfo 999
  • Razo 999
  • Burchard I 1000-1025
  • Azecho 1025-1044
  • Adalgar 1044
  • Arnold I 1044-1065
  • Adalbert I von Rheinfelden 1065-1070
  • Adalbert II of Saxony 1070-1107
  • Erzo 1107-115
  • Arnold II 1110-1131
  • Burchard II von Asorn 1120-1149
  • Konrad I von Steinach 1150-1171
  • Konrad II von Sternberg 1171-1192
  • Henryk I van Maastricht 1192-1195
  • Luitpold von Schonfeld 1196-1217
  • Henry II of Saarbrücken 1217-1234
  • Landolf of Hoheneck 1234-1247
  • Konrad III von Durkheim 1247
  • Richard of Dhaun 1247-1257
  • Eberhard I of Baumberg 1257-1277
  • Friedrich of Baumberg 1277-1283
  • Simon von Schoneck 1283-1291
  • Eberhard II von Strahlenberg 1291-1293
  • Emicho of Baumberg 1294-1299
  • Eberwin von Kronenberg 1300-1308
  • sede vacante 1309–1310
  • Emeric von Schoneck 1310-1318
  • Heinrich III of Dhaun 1318-1319
  • Konrad IV von Schoneck 1319-1329
  • Gerlach von Erbach 1329-1332
  • Salomon Waldbott, 1332–1350
  • Dietrich I Bayer von Boppard 1350-1365
  • Johann Schadland 1365-1370
  • Echard von Dersch 1370-1405
  • Matthew of Kraków 1405-1410
  • Johann II von Fleckenstein 1410-1426
  • Eberhard III von Sternberg 1426-1427
  • Friedrich II von Domneck 1427-1445
  • Ludwig von Ast 1445
  • Reinhard I von Sickingen 1445-1482
  • Johann von Dalberg 1482-1503
  • Reinhard von Rüppurr 1503-1523
  • Henry of the Palatinate 1523-1552

External links edit

  •   Media related to Bishopric of Worms at Wikimedia Commons