Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek (Estonian: Saare-Lääne piiskopkond; German: Bistum Ösel-Wiek) was a semi-independent principality in what is now Saare and Lääne counties of Estonia.
The bishopric was created in 1228 by the Papal legate William of Modena as a compromise between the church and the Livonian Order, the main power of the region. It was part of the Livonian Confederation. The seat of the bishopric was Hapsal (Haapsalu). Another important possession was the castle of Arensburg (Kuressaare) on the island of Ösel (Saaremaa). The principality ceased to exist in 1560 when its last prince-bishop Johannes V von Münchhausen sold it to Denmark. The Danish king's brother Magnus, duke of Holstein, was elected bishop on 13 May 1560 despite being Lutheran. Denmark ceded Wiek (Lääne County) to Poland-Lithuania in exchange for parts of Ösel belonging to the Livonian Order. Later Ösel became a Danish possession.
[edit] Bishops and Prince-Bishops of Ösel-Wiek
- Gottfried 1228-1229 d. 1257
- Vacant
- Heinrich I 1234-1260? (first prince-bishop of Ösel-Wiek)
- Hermann I de Becheshovede (Buxhoevden) 1262-1285?
- Heinrich II 1290-1294
- Vacant
- Konrad I 1297 ?-1307?
- Vacant
- Hartung 1310-1321, †1323
- Jakob 1322-1337
- Hermann II Osenbrügge (de Osenbrygge) 1338-1362
- Konrad II 1363-1374
- Heinrich III 1374-1381
- Vacant
- Winrich von Kniprode 1385-1419
- Kaspar Schuwenflug 1420-1423
- Christian Kuband 1423-1432
- Johannes I Schutte 1432-1438
- Ludolf Grove 1439-1458 (in Ösel and Dagö 1449-1457) with
- Johann II Creul (Kreuwel) 1449-1457 (in Wiek 1449-1457)
- Vacant
- Jodokus Hoenstein 1460-1471
- Peter Wetberch 1471-1491
- Johannes III Orgas (Orgies) 1491-1515
- Johannes IV Kyvel (Kievel) 1515-1527
- Georg von Tiesenhausen 1527-1530
- Reinhold Buxhoevden 1532-1541, †1557
- Johannes V von Münchhausen 1542-1560
- Magnus, Duke of Holstein 1560-1572, †1583 (Protestant bishop)
