Prince-Bishopric of Speyer

Prince-Bishopric of Speyer
Episcopatus Spirensis (Latin)
Fürstbistum Speyer (German)
888–1803
Coat of arms of Speyer
Coat of arms
The Prince-Bishopric of Speyer circa 1700
The Prince-Bishopric of Speyer circa 1700
StatusPrince-Bishopric
CapitalSpeyer (to 1379)
Udenheim2 (1379–1723)
Bruchsal (from 1723)
Common languagesRhine Franconian, South Franconian
GovernmentPrince-Bishopric
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Established
3rd or 4th century
• Gained territory
888
• Speyer became
    Imperial Free City
 
1294
1681–97
 
 
1801–03 1803
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Duchy of Franconia
Mont-Tonnerre
Margraviate of Baden Margraviate of Baden

The Prince-Bishopric of Speyer, formerly known as Spires in English, (German: Hochstift Speyer, Fürstbistum Speyer, Bistum Speyer) was an ecclesiastical principality in what are today the German states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. It was secularized in 1803. The prince-bishop resided in Speyer, a Free Imperial City, until the 14th century, when he moved his residence to Uddenheim (Philippsburg), then in 1723 to Bruchsal. There was a tense relationship between successive prince-bishops, who were Roman Catholic, and the civic authorities of the Free City, officially Protestant since the Reformation. The prince-provostry of Wissemburg in Alsace was ruled by the prince-bishop of Speyer in a personal union.[1]

  1. ^ Franck Lafarge, Les comtes Schönborn, 1642-1756, L'Harmattan, Paris, 2008, vol. 2, p. 349-350.