Archbishopric of Riga

The Archbishopric of Riga (Latin: Archiepiscopatus Rigensis, Low German: Erzbisdom Riga) was an archbishopric in Medieval Livonia, a subject to the Holy See. It was established in 1186 as the bishopric of Livonia at Ikšķile, then after moving to Riga it became the bishopric of Riga in 1202 and was elevated to an archbishopric in 1255.

Not to be confused with the Lutheran Archbishop of Riga or the current Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Riga.
Archbishopric of Riga

Archiepiscopatus Rigensis (la)
Erzbisdom Riga (nds)
1186–1561
Seal
Archbishopric of Riga (in yellow), shown within Terra Mariana
StatusPrince-Bishopric of Terra Mariana
CapitalRiga
Common languagesLatin
Low German
Livonian
Latvian
GovernmentTheocracy
Archbishop of Riga 
• 1245–73
Albert Suerbeer (first)
• 1539–63
Wilhelm von Brandenburg (last)
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Established
1186
• Disestablished
1561
CurrencyLivonian Penny
Livonian Schilling
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Ancient Estonia
Principality of Jersika
Principality of Koknese
Tālava
Duchy of Livonia
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Archbishops of Riga

The archbishops of Riga were also the secular rulers of Riga until 1561 when during the reformation the territory converted from Catholicism to Lutheranism and all church territories were secularized. The see was restored as a diocese of the Catholic Church in 1918 and raised into an archdiocese in 1923.

See also: Livonian Confederation, Livonian Order, Conquest of Estonia, and Northern Crusades

Bishops and Archbishops of Riga
Bishopric of Livonia
(Bishopric of Üxküll)
1186–1255
1186–1196Saint Meinhard
1196–1198Berthold of Hanover
1199–1202Albert of Riga
Bishopric of Riga
1202–1255
1202–1229Albert of Riga
1229–1253Nikolaus von Nauen
1245–1255Albert Suerbeer
Archbishopric of Riga
1255–1561
1255–1273Albert Suerbeer
1273–1284Johannes I of Lune
1285–1294Johannes II of Vechten
1294–1300Johannes III of Schwerin
1300–1302Isarnus Tacconi of Fontiès-d'Aude
1303–1310Jens Grand
titular, never came to Riga
1304–1341Friedrich von Pernstein
1341–1347Engelbert von Dolen
1348–1369Bromhold von Vyffhusen
1370–1374Siegfried Blomberg
1374–1393Johannes IV von Sinten
1393–1418Johannes V von Wallenrodt
1418–1424Johannes VI Ambundi[1]
1424–1448Henning Scharpenberg
1448–1479Silvester Stodewescher
1479–1484Sede vacante (empty seat)
1484–1509Michael Hildebrand
1509–1524Jasper Linde[2]
1524–1527Johannes VII Blankenfeld[3]
1528–1539Thomas Schöning
1539–1563Wilhelm von Brandenburg

A new Bishopric of Livonia was established in Latgalia in 1621 during the Inflanty Voivodeship of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Coinage

The Archbishops of Riga were innovators in the field of minting currency, reviving techniques abandoned since the collapse of Rome. The names of individual archbishops after 1418, as well as the years of their respective reigns, are stamped on Livonian pennies excavated at archaeological sites. In many cases, this is the only biographical data available. No Livonian pennies before 1418 have been found.

See also

References
  1. Wendehors, Alfred (1989). Das Stift Neumünster in Würzburg (in German). Walter de Gruyter. p. 503. ISBN 3-11-012057-7. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  2. due to deflation, no coins were minted during the reign of Jasper Linde; biographical data exists in alternate formats
  3. due to deflation, no coins were minted during the reign of Johannes VII Blankenfeld; biographical data exists in alternate formats

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