From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bishopric of Courland (Latin: Episcopatus Curoniensis, Low German: Bisdom Curland) was an independent bishopric established in 1234.
[edit] History
In ancient times the Curonians, a Baltic tribe, inhabited Courland. The Brethren of the Sword, a German military order, subdued the Curonians and converted them to Christianity in the first quarter of the 13th century. In 1237 the area passed into the influence of the Teutonic Knights owing to the amalgamation of this order with that of the Brethren of the Sword. During the Livonian War (1558–1582), under the increasing pressure of Muscovy, the Livonian Confederation dissolved. On the basis of the Union of Wilno, Livonia were ceded to The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and formed into the Ducatus Ultradunensis (Curonian: Pārdaugawas hercogiste). The land between the west bank of the Daugava River and the Baltic Sea formed another new region, The Duchy of Courland and Semigalia (Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste). It depended on the Grand Prince of Lithuania, later on The King of Poland and The Grand Prince of Lithuania. Gotthard Kettler, the last Master of The Livonian Brothers of the Sword, became the first Duke of Courland. Several parts of the Courland area did not belong to the bishopric. The Order of Livonia had already loaned the Grobiņa district (on the coast of Baltic Sea) to the Duke of Prussia. Another district, the Bishopric of Pilten, also called the "Bishopric of Courland" (on the Venta River in western Courland), belonged to Magnus, the King of Livonia. He promised to transfer it to The Duchy of Courland after his death, but this plan failed and only later Wilhelm Kettler did regain this district. After Magnus of Livonia died in 1583, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth invaded his territories in The Duchy of Courland and Frederick II of Denmark decided to sell his rights of inheritance. When Gotthard Kettler died in 1587, his sons, Friedrich and Wilhelm, became the dukes of Courland.
[edit] Chronology
[edit] Bishops of Courland
| Name |
From |
To |
| Engelbert, OP |
1234 |
1236/37 |
| N. N. |
1245 |
1250 |
| Heinrich of Lützelburg, OFM |
1251 |
1263 |
| Edmund of Werth, OT |
1263 |
1292 |
| Burkhard, OT |
1300 |
1321? |
| Paul OT |
1322 |
1330/32? |
| John I |
1328 |
1331/32 |
| John II, OT |
1332 |
1353 |
| Ludolf, OT |
1354 |
1359? |
| Jacob, OT |
1360 |
1371? |
| Otto, OT |
1371 |
1398? |
| Rutger of Brüggenei, OT |
1399 |
1404? |
| Gottschalk Schutte, OT |
1405 |
1424 |
| Dietrich Tanke, OT |
1424 |
1425 |
| Johann Tiergart, OT |
1425 |
1456 |
| Paul II Einwald |
1457 |
1473 |
| Martin Lewitz |
1473 |
1500 |
| Michael Sculteti |
1500 |
1500 |
| Henry II Basedow |
1501 |
1523 |
| Hermann II Ronneberg |
1524 |
1540 |
| John II of Münchausen |
1540 |
1560 |
| Magnus of Livonia |
1560 |
1583 |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
