Diocese of Verden

This list records the bishops of the Roman Catholic diocese of Verden (German: Bistum Verden), a suffragan of the Archbishopric of Mentz, who were simultaneously rulers of princely rank (prince-bishop) in the Prince-Bishopric of Verden (German: Hochstift Verden; est. 1180 and secularised in 1648), a state of imperial immediacy within the Holy Roman Empire. Verden upon Aller was the seat of the chapter, the cathedral and residence of the bishops until 1195, Rotenburg upon Wümme became the prince-episcopal residence since.

Not all incumbents of the Verden See were imperially invested princely power as Prince-Bishops and not all were papally confirmed as bishops. In 1180 part of the Verden diocesan territory were disentangled from the Duchy of Saxony and became an own territory of imperial immediacy called Prince-Bishopric of Verden, a vassal of the Holy Roman Empire. The prince-bishopric was an elective monarchy, with the monarch being the respective bishop usually elected by the Verden cathedral chapter, and confirmed by the Holy See, or exceptionally only appointed by the Holy See. Papally confirmed bishops were then invested by the emperor with the princely regalia, thus the title prince-bishop. However, sometimes the respective incumbent of the see never gained a papal confirmation, but was still invested the princely regalia. Also the opposite occurred with a papally confirmed bishop, never invested as prince. A number of incumbents, elected by the chapter, neither achieved papal confirmation nor imperial investiture, but as a matter of fact nevertheless de facto held the princely power. The respective incumbents of the see bore the following titles:

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