Prince-bishopric of Basel

Prince-Bishopric of Basel
Fürstbistum Basel
State of the Holy Roman Empire
1032–1803
Coat of arms
Map of the Bishopric of Basel in the 16th century
Capital		Basel (to 1528) Porrentruy (to 1792) Schliengen
Languages		Franc-Comtais, High Alemannic
Government		Elective principality
History
•	Diocese established	740
•	Elevated to     Prince-Bishopric	1032
•	Joined     Upper Rhenish Circle	1495
•	Swiss Reformation	1528
•	Mediatised to Baden	1803
Preceded by Succeeded by Kingdom of Burgundy Canton of Basel Rauracian Republic Margraviate of Baden

Coat of arms

The Prince-Bishopric of Basel (German: Fürstbistum Basel) was a historical feudal state within the Holy Roman Empire, from 1032 ruled by Prince-Bishops, whose seat was at Basel until 1528, in Porrentruy until 1792 and in Schliengen for the rest. The final dissolution of the state was declared in 1803 as part of the German Mediatisation.

Besides the city of Basel itself, it comprised territories now in the Swiss cantons of Basel-Landschaft, Jura, Solothurn and Bern, besides minor territories in nearby portions of southern Germany and eastern France.

The city of Basel became episcopal seat in ca. 740, continuing the 4th century diocese of Augusta Raurica. In 999, Rudolph III of Burgundy presented the bishop of Basel with the abbey of Moutier-Grandval, establishing the bishopric as a secular vassal state of Burgundy with feudal authority over significant territories. After the death of Rudolph in 1032, the vassalage was converted to imperial immediacy, elevating the Bishop of Basel to the status of Prince-Bishop, ranking as an ecclesiastical Reichsfurst of the Holy Roman Empire.