Bishopric of Brandenburg
The medieval Bishopric of Brandenburg (Latin Episcopatus Brandenburgensis or Dioecesis Brandenburgensis ) was in the ecclesiastical province of the Archdiocese of Magdeburg (provincia Magdeburgensis ), his name was Branebor Bohemian, his patron Saint Peter. The certificate of incorporation of the diocese, which is preserved in its original, has been dated to 1 October 948. However, there is a historical dispute, when the diocese was actually founded, which move the data between 938 (based on a Chronicle endorsement by Thietmar of Merseburg ) and 965.
On October 1, 948 built by King Otto, built the Prämonstratenserbischof Wigger ( 1138-1159/61 ) in Leitzkau a Prämonstratenserkonvent, which became the provisional Cathedral Chapter of the Diocese. His successor, who emerged from the convent, rose in 1161 to Prämonstratenserkonvent Pardwin ( Parduin / St. Gotthardt, old town of Brandenburg an der Havel ) to the cathedral chapter and initiated in 1165 which moved to the Cathedral Island of Brandenburg, where now the foundation was laid for the new cathedral. After already in 1186 the rights of the cathedral chapter and provost were fixed, incorporated Pope Clement III. the cathedral chapter in 1188 finally the Premonstratensian Order.
This is basically self- complementary cathedral chapter with Provost and Prior at the top had in good times about 30 members, with the proportion of the nobility in the 14th century was at 35 % and in the 15th century at 45 %. In most cases, without university education, the chapter supplied about 14 of its 30 churches themselves after the margrave's attempt to convert into a Säkularkanonikerstift to Bishop and Chapter in 1447 was failed, succeeded transmutation 1506/ 07, where it had been reduced to 16 members. At its peak, were now provost and dean. Pope Leo X gave the Elector of Brandenburg, who already possessed the right of nomination to Domkanonikate 4, 1514, the right of nomination for the provost.
The Ecclesiastical Province of Magdeburg belonging, it was with the archbishop repeatedly with respect to its sovereign rights in the dispute. In general, always being fought over by the surrounding country gentlemen, never succeeded to the bishops to acquire more territory. The Brandenburg bishops who were equal in rank as princes of Brandenburg margrave, had to lack of sufficient coverage by land ultimately go and so lost their equality in their protection.
Residence of the Brandenburg bishops
The Brandenburg bishops resided mostly not in their cathedral, but first in the early period of the diocese, as the first cathedral and the margrave's seat still divided the property of the ancient Slavs main castle Brandenburg, on their nearby TafelGUT Pritzerbe. They had there apparently undetectable permanent house or even a Burgwardium. Later, probably under Bishop Dietrich II Kothe about 1350 or possibly already under Bishop Friedrich von Plötzke at the beginning of the 14th century, attracted the Brandenburg bishops on the fixed base situated about 30 km southwest Ziesar Castle, on the under Bishop Dietrich von Stechow (see list of bishops of Brandenburg), the culturally and historically remarkable " Stechow " chapel was built. This is not unusual for that time separation brought the Brandenburg bishops several advantages: Firstly, the economically strengthened bourgeoisie of the towns of Brandenburg the action, law and freedom of movement of the neighboring clergymen began a trend of the times of the late Middle Ages, following more and more narrow. A move to the individually owned Ziesar, about a day's journey from his cathedral church, assured the Bishop just for those lost in Brandenburg an der Havel rights and the possibilities of a befitting royal household. The relative insignificance " stedeken " from the up in the middle of the 16th century as designated Ackerbürger town Ziesar guaranteed that the bishops of Brandenburg had nothing to fear on their castle Ziesar the same development as the time on the Cathedral Island Brandenburg. During the Chapter often located in opposition to their spiritual pastors were left in the focal point of the constant confrontation with the Municipalen the adjacent two powerful cities of Brandenburg ( old and new ) and thus bound their forces simultaneously dominated the bishops of the castle Ziesar from a decisive control of the old long-distance trade route ( highway ) between Magdeburg, Ziesar, Brandenburg, Spandau, which led over Poznan to Kiev in the further course. As a burial ground then selected with the exception Stechows again its Brandenburg Cathedral. Stechow, however, could be interred in his chapel at the castle Ziesar. Stayed them, for example on the occasion of selected religious ceremonies, again in Brandenburg an der Havel, so they moved proven to be the bishop of the Church of St. Gotthardt, which indeed taken over the Kathedralfunktion of the still under construction dome itself for a decade in the early period of the diocese had. The enclosure of the bishop's palace (now the site of the BBAG, Walther Rathenau -Platz 1 ) formed at the same time the northern end of the old town of Brandenburg. The extent to which the so-called mirror castle, a structural extension of the Domklausurgebäude at the castle Brandenburg, or a no longer existing building on the west corner of the North exam of Domklosters served as the episcopal residence, is still under discussion.
Between 1527 and 1529 counted Brandenburg 18 Archidiakonate with over 285 parish churches. Since 1527 increasingly Protestant Siert by the bishop, it was 1540, the new church order. Since 1560 mountain Havel and Lebus in personal union, this was soon converted into a real union. The cathedral chapter of Brandenburg -existent up to the present day as a Protestant cathedral chapter.