Bishopric Of Lebus
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The Diocese of Lebus (; ; ) is a former
diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
of the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. It was erected in 1125 and suppressed in 1598. The
Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
of Lebus was also, ''
ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...
'', the ruler of a
lordship A lordship is a territory held by a lord. It was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and judicial unit in rural areas. It originated as a unit under the feudal system during the Middle Ages. In a lordship, the functions of econ ...
that was coextensive with the territory of the diocese. The geographic remit included areas that are today part of the
land Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of the planet Earth that is not submerged by the ocean or other bodies of water. It makes up 29% of Earth's surface and includes the continents and various islan ...
of
Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a states of Germany, state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an ar ...
in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and the Province of Lubusz in
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
. It included areas on both sides of the
Oder River The Oder ( , ; Czech, Lower Sorbian and ; ) is a river in Central Europe. It is Poland's second-longest river in total length and third-longest within its borders after the Vistula and Warta. The Oder rises in the Czech Republic and flows thr ...
around the town of
Lebus Lebus ( pl, Lubusz) is a historic town in the Märkisch-Oderland District of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the administrative seat of '' Amt'' ("collective municipality") Lebus. The town, located on the west bank of the Oder river at the border wi ...
( pl, link=no, Lubusz). The
cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
was built on the castle hill in Lubusz and was dedicated to St
Adalbert of Prague Adalbert of Prague ( la, Sanctus Adalbertus, cs, svatý Vojtěch, sk, svätý Vojtech, pl, święty Wojciech, hu, Szent Adalbert (Béla); 95623 April 997), known in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia by his birth name Vojtěch ( la, Vo ...
. Later, the seat moved to Górzyca (german: link=no, Göritz), back to Lebus and finally to
Fürstenwalde Fürstenwalde/Spree (; Lower Sorbian: ''Pśibor pśi Sprjewje'') is the most populous town in the Oder-Spree District of Brandenburg, Germany. Geography The town is situated in the glacial valley (''Urstromtal'') of the Spree river north of the R ...
( pl, link=no, Przybór) on the
River Spree Spree may refer to: Geography * Spree (river), river in Germany Film and television * ''The Spree'', a 1998 American television film directed by Tommy Lee Wallace * ''Spree'' (film), a 2020 American film starring Joe Keery * "Spree" (''Numbers ...
. It bordered the
Diocese of Poznań In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
to the east, the
Diocese of Brandenburg The Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg (german: Hochstift Brandenburg) was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire from the 12th century until it was secularized during the second half of the 16th century. It should not be confused w ...
to the west, the Diocese of Cammin (Kamień) to the north and the
Diocese of Meissen In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...
to the south.


Establishment

The
Lubusz Land Lubusz Land ( pl, Ziemia lubuska; german: Land Lebus) is a historical region and cultural landscape in Poland and Germany on both sides of the Oder river. Originally the settlement area of the Lechites, the swampy area was located east of Margrav ...
formed part of Poland since the reign of its first historic ruler
Mieszko I Mieszko I (; – 25 May 992) was the first ruler of Poland and the founder of the first independent Polish state, the Duchy of Poland. His reign stretched from 960 to his death and he was a member of the Piast dynasty, a son of Siemomysł and ...
in the 10th century. In 968, the
Diocese of Poznań In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
was founded as Poland's first Catholic diocese, covering the territory of Poland. In 1000, the
Archdiocese of Gniezno The Archdiocese of Gniezno ( la, Archidioecesis Gnesnensis, pl, Archidiecezja Gnieźnieńska) is the oldest Latin Catholic archdiocese in Poland, located in the city of Gniezno.Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...
rather than to a German archdiocese; this kept Poland independent from the Holy Roman Empire throughout the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
. The Diocese of Lubusz was established about 1125 at the behest of
Bolesław III Wrymouth Bolesław III Wrymouth ( pl, Bolesław III Krzywousty; 20 August 1086 – 28 October 1138), also known as Boleslaus the Wry-mouthed, was the duke of Lesser Poland, Silesia and Sandomierz between 1102 and 1107 and over the whole of Poland between ...
, Polish monarch from the
Piast dynasty The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I (c. 930–992). The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir III the Great. Branch ...
. The diocese covered the Lubusz Land, located in the westernmost part of Poland. The diocese was established to counter attempts at eastward expansion of the Holy Roman Empire by Emperor
Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...
and by the
Archbishop of Magdeburg The Archbishopric of Magdeburg was a Roman Catholic archdiocese (969–1552) and Prince-Archbishopric (1180–1680) of the Holy Roman Empire centered on the city of Magdeburg on the Elbe River. Planned since 955 and established in 968, the Roman ...
. The Diocese of Lubusz was erected as a
suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...
of the
Archdiocese of Gniezno The Archdiocese of Gniezno ( la, Archidioecesis Gnesnensis, pl, Archidiecezja Gnieźnieńska) is the oldest Latin Catholic archdiocese in Poland, located in the city of Gniezno.Lubusz Lebus ( pl, Lubusz) is a historic town in the Märkisch-Oderland District of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the administrative seat of ''Amt'' ("collective municipality") Lebus. The town, located on the west bank of the Oder river at the border with ...
, an important Polish stronghold against incursions by the
Kingdom of Germany The Kingdom of Germany or German Kingdom ( la, regnum Teutonicorum "kingdom of the Germans", "German kingdom", "kingdom of Germany") was the mostly Germanic-speaking East Frankish kingdom, which was formed by the Treaty of Verdun in 843, especi ...
, described in 13th-century chronicles as "the key to the Kingdom of Poland". Duke Bolesław prompted the construction of the Cathedral of St. Adalbert on the castle hill in Lubusz. The cathedral was later destroyed.


List of Bishops

The diocese was headed by the Bishop of Lebus who was elected by the
cathedral chapter According to both Catholic and Anglican canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics ( chapter) formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese during the vacancy. In ...
. This is a list of the ordinaries of the diocese: * Bernhard I (1133 Appointed – 1147 Died) * Stefan I (1149 Appointed – 1156 Died) * Bernhard II (1156 Appointed – 1180 Died) * Gaudenty (1180 Appointed – ) * Arnold (1191 Appointed – ) * Cyprian, '' Ordo Praemonstratensis'' (1198 Appointed – 1 Mar 1201 Appointed,
Bishop of Wrocław Bishops of the (Breslau )Wrocław Bishopric, Prince-Bishopric (1290–1918), and Archdiocese (since 1930; see Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wrocław for details). Bishops * 1000–? – John (Johannes) * 1051–1062 – Hieronymus * 1063–1072 ...
) * Wawrzyniec (1209 Appointed – 9 Mar 1233 Died) * Henry I (1233 Appointed – 1244 Died) * Nanker (15 Oct 1248 Appointed – 1250 Died) * Wilhelm I of Nysa (7 Mar 1252 Appointed – 1273 Died) * Wilhelm II (1274 Appointed – 1282 Died) * Wolmir (1282 Appointed – 6 Jan 1284 Died) * Konrad (12 Nov 1284 Appointed – 22 Jul 1299 Died) * Jan (1300 Appointed – 1302 Died) * Fryderyk I (10 Jan 1305 Appointed – 1313 Died) * Stefan II (17 Oct 1326 Confirmed – 24 Feb 1345 Died) * Apeczko of Ząbkowice (19 Oct 1345 Appointed – 13 Apr 1352 Died) * Henry of Bancz (Bantsch) (7 Jan 1353 Appointed – 30 Aug 1365 Died) * Peter of Opole (8 Jun 1366 Appointed – 26 Mar 1375 Died) *
Wenceslaus II of Legnica Wenceslaus II, Duke of Legnica (1348 – 30 December 1419) was a Duke of Legnica from 1364 (only nominal; from 1409 he reigned alone and personally) until 1413, Bishop of Lebus (1375–82) and Breslau ( Wroclaw) (1382–1417; also Duke of Nys ...
(3 Dec 1375 Appointed – 28 Jul 1382 Confirmed, Bishop of Wrocław) * Jan Kietlicz (3 Dec 1382 Confirmed – 2 Sep 1392 Appointed,
Bishop of Meissen The Bishop of Dresden-Meissen is the Ordinary (Catholic Church), ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dresden-Meissen in the Archdiocese of Berlin. The diocese covers an area of and was erected as the Diocese of Meissen on 24 June 1921. Th ...
) * Jan Mráz (15 Nov 1392 Appointed – 20 Jul 1397 Appointed,
Bishop of Olomouc The following is a list of diocesan bishops and archbishops of Olomouc. Not much is known about the beginnings of the Diocese of Olomouc. It was reestablished in 1063 and in 1777 it was elevated to an archdiocese. Bishops of Olomouc *''89 ...
) * Jan z Borsznic (24 Sep 1397 Appointed – 27 Mar 1420 Appointed,
Archbishop of Esztergom In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...
) * Jan z Wałdowa (29 Mar 1420 Appointed – 1423 Died) * Jan z Wałdowa (11 Sep 1423 Appointed – 5 Mar 1424 Died) * Krzysztof von Rotenhan (11 Oct 1424 Appointed – 22 Sep 1436 Died) * Piotr von Burgsdorff (9 Jan 1437 Appointed – 29 Jun 1439 Died) * Konrad Kron (1440 Appointed – 2 Jan 1443 Died) * Jan von Deher (16 Oct 1443 Appointed – 28 Jul 1455 Died) * Friedrich Sesselmann (1 Dec 1455 Confirmed – 21 Sep 1483 Died) * Liborius von Schlieben (26 Jan 1484 Appointed – 27 Apr 1486 Died) * Ludwig Burgsdorf (3 Aug 1487 Appointed – Jun 1490 Died) * Dietrich von Bülow (5 Nov 1490 Confirmed - 1 Oct 1523 Died) *
Georg von Blumenthal Georg von Blumenthal (1490 – 25 September 1550) was a German Prince-Bishop of Ratzeburg and Bishop of Lebus. He also served as a Privy Councillor of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and Chancellor of the University of Frankfurt (Oder), common ...
(6 Apr 1524 Confirmed - 25 Oct 1550 Died). He was the last Catholic bishop in north Germany. * Johann Horneburg (5 Oct 1551 Appointed - 16 Jun 1555 Died). He converted to
Lutheranism Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
.


Governance

The ''
cathedra A ''cathedra'' is the raised throne of a bishop in the early Christian basilica. When used with this meaning, it may also be called the bishop's throne. With time, the related term ''cathedral'' became synonymous with the "seat", or principa ...
'' of the
see See or SEE may refer to: * Sight - seeing Arts, entertainment, and media * Music: ** ''See'' (album), studio album by rock band The Rascals *** "See", song by The Rascals, on the album ''See'' ** "See" (Tycho song), song by Tycho * Television * ...
was moved three times. * Göritz/Górzyca (1276–1325); * Lebus/Lubusz (1354–1373/85); * Fürstenwalde/Przybór (1385–1558). With the fragmentation of Poland among the sons of Boleslaus, the Lubusz Land at various times belonged to the provincial duchies of
Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
,
Głogów Głogów (; german: Glogau, links=no, rarely , cs, Hlohov, szl, Głogōw) is a city in western Poland. It is the county seat of Głogów County, in Lower Silesian Voivodeship (since 1999), and was previously in Legnica Voivodeship (1975–1998) ...
,
Greater Poland Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed ...
and
Legnica Legnica (Polish: ; german: Liegnitz, szl, Lignica, cz, Lehnice, la, Lignitium) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River (left tributary of the Oder) and the Czarna Woda (Kaczawa), Czarna Woda ...
. The area became a destination for the Germans ''
Ostsiedlung (, literally "East-settling") is the term for the Early Medieval and High Medieval migration-period when ethnic Germans moved into the territories in the eastern part of Francia, East Francia, and the Holy Roman Empire (that Germans had al ...
''. Polish monarch
Henry II the Pious Henry II the Pious ( pl, Henryk II Pobożny; 1196 – 9 April 1241) was Duke of Silesia and High Duke of Poland as well as Duke of South-Greater Poland from 1238 until his death. Between 1238 and 1239 he also served as regent of Sandomierz and ...
died in 1241 at the
Battle of Legnica The Battle of Legnica ( pl, bitwa pod Legnicą), also known as the Battle of Liegnitz (german: Schlacht von Liegnitz) or Battle of Wahlstatt (german: Schlacht bei Wahlstatt), was a battle between the Mongol Empire and combined European forces t ...
fighting the Mongol invasion of Poland. Seven years later in 1248, his son
Bolesław II the Horned Bolesław II the Horned ( pl, Bolesław II Rogatka), known also as Bolesław II the Bald ( pl, Bolesław II Łysy) (c. 1220/5 – 26/31 December 1278), a member of the Silesian Piasts, was High Duke of Poland briefly in 1241 and Duke of Silesia at ...
permanently lost the Lubusz Land to the archbishopric of Magdeburg and the Ascanian margraviate of Brandenburg. Bolesław sold half of the land to Archbishopic of Magdeburg; the other half was captured by Ascanian nobles.


Lordship of Lebus

When Bolesław III Wrymouth erected the diocese, at the same time he created a
lordship A lordship is a territory held by a lord. It was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and judicial unit in rural areas. It originated as a unit under the feudal system during the Middle Ages. In a lordship, the functions of econ ...
that was co-extensive with the territory of the diocese. This lordship or
bishopric In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
was not a prince-bishopric or state of the Holy Roman Empire since it was in the Polish realm at the time of its creation. While the Ascani and the Wettin archbishops competed for influence, the diocese itself remained subordinate to Gniezno. In 1245, the brothers
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...
and
Otto Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants ''Audo'', ''Odo'', ''Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity". The name is recorded fro ...
— joint
Margraves of Brandenburg This article lists the Margraves and Electors of Brandenburg during the period of time that Brandenburg was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire. The Mark, or ''March'', of Brandenburg was one of the primary constituent states of the Hol ...
— annexed lands in the region of
Teltow Teltow [] is a town in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district, in Brandenburg, Germany. Geography Teltow is part of the agglomeration of Berlin. The distance to the Berlin city centre is , while the distance to Potsdam is . The Teltow Canal links the ...
,
Barnim Barnim () is a district in Brandenburg, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) Poland, the district of Märkisch-Oderland, the city state of Berlin and the districts of Oberhavel and Uckermark. History The name "Barnim" emerge ...
, the
Uckermark The Uckermark () is a historical region in northeastern Germany, straddles the Uckermark (district), Uckermark District of Brandenburg and the Vorpommern-Greifswald District of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Its traditional capital is Prenzlau. Geogra ...
, and the Lordship of
Stargard Stargard (; 1945: ''Starogród'', 1950–2016: ''Stargard Szczeciński''; formerly German language, German: ''Stargard in Pommern'', or ''Stargard an der Ihna''; csb, Stôrgard) is a city in northwestern Poland, located in the West Pomeranian V ...
to Brandenburg. In the same year, the brothers captured the castle of
Köpenick Köpenick () is a historic town and locality (''Ortsteil'') in Berlin, situated at the confluence of the rivers Dahme and Spree in the south-east of the German capital. It was formerly known as Copanic and then Cöpenick, only officially adopt ...
and a fortress at
Mittenwalde Mittenwalde () is a town in the Dahme-Spreewald district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated 30 km southeast of Berlin (centre). On May 28, 1562, the town of Mittenwalde lent Berlin 400 guilders, a debt which has never been repaid, thou ...
. From these bases, they expanded further to the east. By 1249, they had acquired the
Lubusz Land Lubusz Land ( pl, Ziemia lubuska; german: Land Lebus) is a historical region and cultural landscape in Poland and Germany on both sides of the Oder river. Originally the settlement area of the Lechites, the swampy area was located east of Margrav ...
and reached the river
Oder The Oder ( , ; Czech, Lower Sorbian and ; ) is a river in Central Europe. It is Poland's second-longest river in total length and third-longest within its borders after the Vistula and Warta. The Oder rises in the Czech Republic and flows thr ...
. In this way the lordship became part of a state that was itself a state of the Empire; it was a
condominium A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership structure whereby a building is divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned. The term can be applied to the building or complex ...
of
Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a states of Germany, state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an ar ...
and
Magdeburg Magdeburg (; nds, label=Low Saxon, Meideborg ) is the capital and second-largest city of the German state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is situated at the Elbe river. Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archdiocese of Magdebur ...
. After this, tensions arose between the claims of Polish and Magdeburg representatives for influence in the diocese. Since the bishops of Lebus generally supported Polish interests, some time after 1276 they moved the seat of the see east of the Oder to Göritz ( Górzyca) due to the pressure exerted by Brandenburg. The margraves of Brandenburg began to annex further Polish territories to the east of the Oder to their newly formed region of
Neumark The Neumark (), also known as the New March ( pl, Nowa Marchia) or as East Brandenburg (), was a region of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and its successors located east of the Oder River in territory which became part of Poland in 1945. Calle ...
("New March"). Despite the Polish loss of the region, the Diocese remained a suffragan of the Polish Archdiocese of Gniezno, and several Polish bishops were still appointed, and under Bohemian (Czech) rule (1373–1415) also several
Czechs The Czechs ( cs, Češi, ; singular Czech, masculine: ''Čech'' , singular feminine: ''Češka'' ), or the Czech people (), are a West Slavic ethnic group and a nation native to the Czech Republic in Central Europe, who share a common ancestry, c ...
served as Bishops. With the extinction of the Brandenburg branch of the
House of Ascania The House of Ascania (german: Askanier) was a dynasty of German rulers. It is also known as the House of Anhalt, which refers to its longest-held possession, Anhalt. The Ascanians are named after Ascania (or Ascaria) Castle, known as ''Schloss ...
in 1320, disputes arose in the March. Bishop Stephan II openly supported King Władysław the Elbow-high, who went to the
Neumark The Neumark (), also known as the New March ( pl, Nowa Marchia) or as East Brandenburg (), was a region of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and its successors located east of the Oder River in territory which became part of Poland in 1945. Calle ...
region with Polish and Lithuanian troops. In 1325, in retaliation, Margrave Louis the Brandenburger ordered the governor of the Prince-bishopric — Erich von Wulkow — to capture the episcopal possessions and to destroy the cathedral in Göritz. Bishop Stephen fled to Poland. In 1354, Louis's successor in Brandenburg — Louis II — was reconciled with Bishop Henry Bentsch: the episcopal possessions were returned and the seat also returned to Lebus, where a new cathedral was built. The castle and lordship of Lebus were also left to the bishop. By the terms of the Treaty of Fürstenwalde, Emperor Charles IV purchased the Margraviate of Brandenburg from the childless Margrave Otto VII of Brandenburg. In 1373 the lordship was attacked by the emperor's troops. Charles incorporated the lands into the
lands of the Bohemian Crown The Lands of the Bohemian Crown were a number of incorporated states in Central Europe during the medieval and early modern periods connected by feudal relations under the Bohemian kings. The crown lands primarily consisted of the Kingdom of B ...
thereby ending the connection of the
House of Wittelsbach The House of Wittelsbach () is a German dynasty, with branches that have ruled over territories including Bavaria, the Palatinate, Holland and Zeeland, Sweden (with Finland), Denmark, Norway, Hungary (with Romania), Bohemia, the Electorate ...
to the Brandenburg margraviate. The episcopal seat moved, for the final time, to
Fürstenwalde Fürstenwalde/Spree (; Lower Sorbian: ''Pśibor pśi Sprjewje'') is the most populous town in the Oder-Spree District of Brandenburg, Germany. Geography The town is situated in the glacial valley (''Urstromtal'') of the Spree river north of the R ...
. Since the collegiate church in Lebus had been destroyed, Bishop
Wenceslaus II of Legnica Wenceslaus II, Duke of Legnica (1348 – 30 December 1419) was a Duke of Legnica from 1364 (only nominal; from 1409 he reigned alone and personally) until 1413, Bishop of Lebus (1375–82) and Breslau ( Wroclaw) (1382–1417; also Duke of Nys ...
from the
Piast dynasty The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I (c. 930–992). The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir III the Great. Branch ...
raised St. Mary's Church to the status of a
cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
. Polish monarchs still made peaceful attempts to regain the region but in 1424, the diocese became subordinate to the
Prince-Archbishopric of Magdeburg The Archbishopric of Magdeburg was a Roman Catholic archdiocese (969–1552) and Prince-Archbishopric (1180–1680) of the Holy Roman Empire centered on the city of Magdeburg on the Elbe River. Planned since 955 and established in 968, the Roma ...
. The status of the bishop during this period is summarised by Albrecht III Achilles, the
Elector of Brandenburg This article lists the Margraves and Electors of Brandenburg during the period of time that Brandenburg was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire. The Mark, or ''March'', of Brandenburg was one of the primary constituent states of the Hol ...
since 1471, who remarked, "What does it matter to us that there is a Bishop of Lebus or who he is, so long as he is a good honest man who is useful to the lordship and its territories? For in any case, whether he likes it or not, he must do whatever a Margrave of Brandenburg pleases in reasonable concerns affecting the Margrave and his territory."Reformation: Europe's House Divided 1490-1700", Diarmaid MacCulloch, 2 Sep 2004 This meant that the incumbent's loyalties to the Margravate must precede loyalty to the Emperor. In 1518, Ulrich of Bieberstein enfeoffed Storkow Castle to Bishop Dietrich von Bülow. The castle was then expanded into an episcopal ''
residenz Residenz () is a German word for "place of living", now obsolete except in the formal sense of an official residence. A related term, Residenzstadt, denotes a city where a sovereign ruler resided, therefore carrying a similar meaning as the modern ...
''. In 1518, the lordship also acquired the town of
Beeskow Beeskow ( dsb, Bezkow) is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, and capital of the Oder-Spree district. It is situated on the river Spree, 30 km southwest of Frankfurt an der Oder. Demography File:Bevölkerungsentwicklung Beeskow.pdf, Developme ...
. Upon the death of the last bishop in 1555, it was presented as a gift to the
Hohenzollern The House of Hohenzollern (, also , german: Haus Hohenzollern, , ro, Casa de Hohenzollern) is a German royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) dynasty whose members were variously princes, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern, Brandenb ...
margrave John of Brandenburg-Küstrin by King Ferdinand I of Bohemia. Together with neighbouring Beeskow, they merged into the Brandenburg electorate upon John's death in 1571.


Disestablishment

The
Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
, with the support of the Electors of Brandenburg, resulted in most of northern Germany being lost to the
Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...
. When Bishop
Georg von Blumenthal Georg von Blumenthal (1490 – 25 September 1550) was a German Prince-Bishop of Ratzeburg and Bishop of Lebus. He also served as a Privy Councillor of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and Chancellor of the University of Frankfurt (Oder), common ...
died, he was the last Catholic bishop in northern Germany. When the Lutheran administrator Johann Horneburg died, the lordship was formally incorporated into Brandenburg. In 1598, the Church formally suppressed the diocese.


Legacy

The name of the historical bishopric was invoked again in 1945 when the newly acquired Polish
Recovered Territories The Recovered Territories or Regained Lands ( pl, Ziemie Odzyskane), also known as Western Borderlands ( pl, Kresy Zachodnie), and previously as Western and Northern Territories ( pl, Ziemie Zachodnie i Północne), Postulated Territories ( pl, Z ...
were put under the Apostolic Administration of Kamień, Lubusz and the Prelature of Piła whose name openly implied that it was the successor of the Diocese of Lebus, a claim later upheld by the succeeding Diocese of Gorzów later renamed Diocese of Zielona Góra-Gorzów, though less outright.


Sources

* ''From Lebus to Fürstenwalde. Brief History of the Medieval Diocese of Lebus (1124 - 1555/98)''. Heinz Teichmann, Leipzig 1991, * Heinrich Grimm:
Bülow, Dietrich von.
' In: '' New German Biography'' (NDB). Volume 2, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1955, , p. 733
digitized
. * Theodor Hirsch:
Bülow, Dietrich von.
' In: '' General German Biography'' (ADB). Volume 5, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1877, p. 182 f. * Hartmut Krohm, Alexander Bindr: ''The Sacrament House in St. Mary's Cathedral in Fürstenwalde''. Findling, Neuenhagen 2003.


Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Diocese Of Lebus
Lebus Lebus ( pl, Lubusz) is a historic town in the Märkisch-Oderland District of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the administrative seat of '' Amt'' ("collective municipality") Lebus. The town, located on the west bank of the Oder river at the border wi ...
Lubusz Lebus ( pl, Lubusz) is a historic town in the Märkisch-Oderland District of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the administrative seat of ''Amt'' ("collective municipality") Lebus. The town, located on the west bank of the Oder river at the border with ...
Lebus Lebus ( pl, Lubusz) is a historic town in the Märkisch-Oderland District of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the administrative seat of '' Amt'' ("collective municipality") Lebus. The town, located on the west bank of the Oder river at the border wi ...
Lebus Lebus ( pl, Lubusz) is a historic town in the Märkisch-Oderland District of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the administrative seat of '' Amt'' ("collective municipality") Lebus. The town, located on the west bank of the Oder river at the border wi ...
Lebus Lebus ( pl, Lubusz) is a historic town in the Märkisch-Oderland District of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the administrative seat of '' Amt'' ("collective municipality") Lebus. The town, located on the west bank of the Oder river at the border wi ...
Lebus Lebus ( pl, Lubusz) is a historic town in the Märkisch-Oderland District of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the administrative seat of '' Amt'' ("collective municipality") Lebus. The town, located on the west bank of the Oder river at the border wi ...
12th-century establishments in Poland
Lebus Lebus ( pl, Lubusz) is a historic town in the Märkisch-Oderland District of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the administrative seat of '' Amt'' ("collective municipality") Lebus. The town, located on the west bank of the Oder river at the border wi ...
Lebus Lebus ( pl, Lubusz) is a historic town in the Märkisch-Oderland District of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the administrative seat of '' Amt'' ("collective municipality") Lebus. The town, located on the west bank of the Oder river at the border wi ...
Christianity in Brandenburg