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Prince-Bishop of Würzburg

Prince-bishopric of Würzburg
Fürstbistum Würzburg
State of the Holy Roman Empire
1168–1803


Coat of arms

The twin prince-bishoprics of Würzburg and Bamberg
Capital Würzburg
Languages East Franconian German
Religion Roman Catholic
Government Elective principality
Prince-Bishop
 •  743–55
    (founding Bishop)
 
St Burchard I
 •  1165–70
    (first Prince-Bishop)
 
Herold von Hochheim
 •  1795–1808
    (Prince-Bishop to 1803)
 
Georg Karl von Fechenbach
Historical era Middle Ages
 •  Bishopric founded 743
 •  Raised to prince-bishopric 1168
 •  Prince-Bishops styled
    Dukes in Franconia
 
1441
 •  Ecclesiastical Prince
    of Franconian Circle
 
1500
 •  Secularised and
     annexed by Bavaria
February 25, 1803 1803
 •  Ceded to Ferdinand and
     raised to Grand Duchy
30 September 1806
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Duchy of Franconia Duchy of Franconia
Electorate of Bavaria


Coat of arms

The Prince-Bishopric of Würzburg was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire located in Lower Franconia west of the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg. Würzburg had been a diocese since 743. As definitely established by the Concordat of 1448, bishops in Germany were chosen by the canons of the cathedral chapter and their election was later confirmed by the pope. Following a common practice in Germany, the prince-bishops of Würzburg were frequently elected to other ecclesisatical principalities as well. The last few prince-bishops resided at the Würzburg Residence, which is one of the grandest baroque palaces in Europe.

As a consequence of the 1801 Treaty of Lunéville, Würzburg, along with the other ecclesiastical states of Germany, was secularized in 1803 and absorbed into the Electorate of Bavaria. In the same year Ferdinand III, former Grand Duke of Tuscany, was compensated with the Electorate of Salzburg. In the 1805 Peace of Pressburg, Ferdinand lost Salzburg to the Austrian Empire, but was compensated with the new Grand Duchy of Würzburg, Bavaria having relinquished the territory in return for the Tyrol. This new state lasted until 1814, when it was once again annexed by Bavaria.


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