Archbishopric of Magdeburg

Prince-Archbishopric of Magdeburg
  • Erzstift Magdeburg (German)
  • Archiepiscopatus Magdeburgensis (Latin)
1180–1680
Coat of arms of Magdeburg
Coat of arms
Prince-Bishoprics of Hildesheim, Halberstadt and Magdeburg (violet), about 1250
Prince-Bishoprics of Hildesheim, Halberstadt
and Magdeburg (violet), about 1250
StatusPrince-Archbishopric
Capital
Common languagesEastphalian
GovernmentPrince-Archbishopric
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Archbishopric founded
   by Emperor Otto I
968
• Conquered Jüterbog
1157 1180
• Gained immediacy at
   breakup of Saxony
1180
• Subdued Halle
1478
1500
• Albert of Brandenburg
   elected archbishop
1513
1680
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Duchy of Saxony
Duchy of Magdeburg

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.

Planned since 955 and established in 967, the archdiocese had de facto turned void since 1557, when the last papally confirmed prince-archbishop, the Lutheran Sigismund of Brandenburg came of age and ascended to the see. All his successors were only administrators of the prince-archbishopric and Lutheran too, except the Catholic layman Leopold William of Austria (1631–1635). In ecclesiastical respect the remaining Catholics and their parishes and abbeys in the former archdiocese were put under supervision of the Archdiocese of Cologne in 1648 and under the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Vicariate of the Northern Missions in 1670.

In political respect the Erzstift, the archiepiscopal and capitular temporalities, had gained imperial immediacy as a prince-archbishopric in 1180. Its territory comprised only some parts of the archdiocesan area, such as the city of Magdeburg, the bulk of the Magdeburg Börde, and the Jerichow Land as an integral whole and exclaves in parts of the Saalkreis including Halle upon Saale, Oebisfelde and environs as well as Jüterbog and environs. The prince-archbishopric maintained its statehood as an elective monarchy until 1680. Then the Brandenburg-Prussia the prince-archbishopric of Magdeburg. After being secularised, the state was transformed into the Duchy of Magdeburg, a hereditary monarchy in personal union with Brandenburg.

The 1994-founded modern Diocese of Magdeburg is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church located in the German states of Saxony-Anhalt (bulk), Brandenburg and Saxony (smaller fringes each).


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