The List of the Bishops of Schleswig contains the names of the bishops of the see in Schleswig (, ) in chronological order. Also Lutheran bishops, who officiated after 1542, superintendents and general superintendents are listed.
Note
Between 947 and 948 Archbishop Adaldag of Hamburg-Bremen founded the three suffragan dioceses of , Århus, and Ribe (Ripen). In 1104 the Schleswig see was redeployed in ecclesiastical hierarchy to become a suffragan to the Archdiocese of Lund.
Since 1542 the bishops were Lutherans, partially even lacking theological qualification but only collecting the prebends from the episcopal estates. Therefore, they were assisted by Lutheran (general) superintendents for the pastoral care. Most parishioners adopted Lutheranism too. After 1624 nobody was invested as Bishop of Schleswig any more. General superintendents fulfilled the pastoral functions as to Lutheran faithful. Between 1854 and 1864 the Lutheran church in the Duchy of Schleswig was reorganised as the led again by a cleric titled bishop.
In 1868, two years after the Prussian annexation of Holstein and Schleswig as the Province of Schleswig-Holstein the Lutheran churches in Holstein and Schleswig formed the (Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Schleswig-Holsteins). By the separation of state and religion after 1918 the privilege of the Prussian monarch as summus episcopus (i.e. supreme governor/bishop of the church) was abolished.
Thus in 1925 Schleswig-Holstein's Lutheran church body assumed the title of bishop, one officiating for the Holstein area, seated in Kiel, and one for Southern Schleswig, seated in Schleswig. The new offices as bishops replaced the prior general superintendents and continued also after the Schleswig-Holstein church body merged with three neighbouring church bodies in the North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1977. In 2008 a merger of the offices did away with the office Bishop of Schleswig. Northern Schleswig which returned to Denmark became the Diocese of Haderslev of the Church of Denmark. Their bishop also oversees the Danish Church in Southern Schleswig.
For the very few remaining, immigrating or converted Catholics pastoral functions were provided first by the Vicariate Apostolic of the Northern Missions (as of 1667; reduced by most South-Elbian regions renamed into the Vicariate Apostolic of the North in 1709), and later by the (as of 1868). After 1920 Northern Schleswig became part of the Vicariate Apostolic of Denmark, which transformed into the Roman Catholic Diocese of Copenhagen on 29 April 1953. In Southern Schleswig the rest of the Prefecture Apostolic of Schleswig-Holstein was assigned to the Diocese of Osnabrück in 1929, which had to cede this extension again in favour of the new founded Archdiocese of Hamburg in 1994.
Catholic bishops and administrator 947: Hored (also Oredo, Horath) 948–968: Marco 995–?: (d. ca. 1000) ?: Folkbert 999–1026: Ekkehard (also Ezico) of Oldenburg 1026–1034: Rodolphus (also Rudolf) 1043–1085: Ratolf 1085: Sigvard 1106: Gunnar (also Gunner) 1120–1135: Albert (also Adelbert) 1135–1139: (also Rike; d. ca. 1142), later also Bishop of Roskilde (1137–1138/1139) 1140–1141: Hermann of Schleswig (titular, never acceded his post) 1141–1145: Occo of Schleswig 1145–1161: Esbern, expelled by the Danish stadholder in Schleswig, died in Saxon exile 1161–1167: Occo of Schleswig, second term 1167–1179: Frederick I 1179–1208: Valdemar of Denmark (1157 or 1158–1235 or 1236, Cîteaux), also Prince-Archbishop of Bremen (1192 elect, 1206–1218 de facto). 1209–1233: Nicholas I, already per pro after Valdemar's imprisonment in 1192, consecrated as bishop after Valdemar's papal deposition 1234–1238: Tuco (also Tyge) 1240-1244: John I (Johannes/Jens) 1244–1255: Eskil 1255–1265: Nicholas II 1265–1282: Bonde (sold the episcopal residence of Gottorp to Eric II, Duke of Schleswig and moved his residence to Schwabstedt in 1268) 1282–1287: James (Jakob) 1287–1307: Berthold 1308–1331: 1331–1342: Hellembert of Fischbeck (Helmbrecht of Visbeke/Vischbeck) 1343–1351: Henry I of Warendorp 1351–1354: (also Dietrich of Kugelweit, or Dietrich of Portitz; ca. 1300–1367), before auxiliary bishop of Brandenburg (1346–1347) and of Olomouc (1347–1351), later Prince-Bishop of Minden (1353–1361) and Prince-Archbishop of Magdeburg (1361–1367). 1354–1369: Nicholas III Brun 1370–1374: Henry II 1375–1421: 1421–1428: , resigned 1429–1474: 1474–1488: Helrich von der Wisch 1488–1499: 1488: (aka Enwald Sövenbroder, Enwaldus Soevenbroder; d. 14 August 1504), bishop elect, elected by the chapter, but not confirmed by the pope, he resigned in favour of the papally preferred Eggert Dürkop 1499–1502: sede vacante Administrator Apostolic John IV (Juan) de Castro (Valencia, 1431–1506, Rome), simultaneously Bishop of Girgenti (1479–1506), Cardinal Priest of Santa Prisca (1496–1506), later also Bishop of Malta (1504–1506). 1502–1507: Detlef Pogwisch 1507–1542: Gottschalk von Ahlefeldt (also Godske Ahlefeldt; last Catholic bishop)
Lutheran bishops and superintendents 1542–1551: (also van Hussen; Duchy of Cleves, 1497–1551, Schleswig), simultaneously general superintendent of the Lutheran Church in the Duchy of Schleswig 1551–1556: Frederick II, Prince of Denmark (1532–1556; son of King Frederick I of Denmark), simultaneously Prince-Bishop of Hildesheim 1556–1586: Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp (Flensburg, 1526–1586, Gottorp), simultaneously Duke of Holstein and Duke of Schleswig (1544–1586), assisted by Superintendent (-General as of 1564) Paul von Eitzen since 1562 1586–1602: sede vacante 1586–1593 (Hamburg, 1521–1598, Schleswig), superintendent of the Lutheran church of the Gottorp share of Holstein and Schleswig (as of 1562), general superintendent of the Lutheran church in the entire Duchies of Holstein and Schleswig (as of 1564); before Superintendent of Hamburg (1555–1562) 1593–1602: Jacob Fabricius the Elder (superintendent) 1602–1624: Ulrik of Denmark (1578–1624, Rühn; titular duke of Holstein and Schleswig, son of Frederick II of Denmark and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow), simultaneously as Ulrich II Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin (1603–1624), married with Lady Catherine Hahn-Hinrichshagen
After Ulrik's death no more Bishop of Schleswig was invested until 1854.
General superintendents for the royal shares of the Holstein and Schleswig duchies The general superintendents were then first seated in Flensburg, since 1693 in Rendsburg. There were also general superintendents for the Duchies of Holstein (ducal share) and of Schleswig (ducal share).
1636–1668: (also Klotz; Lippstadt, 13 September 1606 – 13 May 1668, Flensburg), first general superintendent for the Duchies of Holstein and of Schleswig (royal shares) 1668–1673: (also von Rehfeld; Kitzscher, 24 September 1610 – 7 July 1673, Schleswig), only competent for Schleswig, before court preacher in Bremervörde for Administrator Frederick II of the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen (1643–1645) 1673–1678: Johan(n) Hudemann (Wewelsfleth, 12 October 1606 – 24 March 1678), he succeeded Rehefeld as general superintendent for Schleswig and served in the same function for Holstein royal share already since 1668 1678–1684: (also Støcken, Stöcken, and Stöken; Rendsburg, 15 August 1633 – 4 September 1684, ibidem) 1684–1709: (also Schwarz; Waldau in Pomerania, now Wałdowo a part of today's Sępólno Krajeńskie, 5 February 1632 – 6 January 1709, Rendsburg), he first served as general superintendent only for Schleswig royal share, but succeeded in 1689 also Stemann (Copenhagen, 27 June 1629–20 May 1689, Glückstadt) only officiated as general superintendent for the Duchy of Holstein (1688–1689). Stemann was preceded by Hermann Erdmann (also Herrmann; 1631–1687) as general superintendent for Holstein royal share (1684–1687). Cf. Johann Heinrich Bernhard Lübkert, Versuch einer kirchlichen Statistik Holsteins, Glückstadt: Johann Wilhelm Augustin, 1837, p. 57. as general superintendent for Holstein royal share too. Schwartz moved the united general superintendency to Rendsburg in 1693 1709–1721: (also Dassau, Dassow, Theodorus Dassovius; Hamburg, 27 February 1648 – 6 January 1721, Rendsburg), his ambit also included the formerly ducal Schleswig share, before served by general superintendent , who continued to officiate in Holstein ducal share 1721–1724: Thomas Clausen (also Claussen; Flensburg, 29 April 1677 – 23 April 1724, Hamburg) 1724–1728: Andreas Hojer (also Hoyer; Karlum, 16 May 1654 – 10 July 1728, Rendsburg), uncle of the homonymous Danish historian, served already as viceprovost for Schwartz since 1694 1728–1747: (Riga, 27 February 1679 – 7 September 1747, Rendsburg), prior royal court preacher in Copenhagen (1720–1728) 1747–1757: Jeremias Friedrich Reuß (Horrheim, a part of today's Vaihingen upon Enz, 8 December 1700 – 6 March 1777, Tübingen), resigned in favour of a professorship at Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, becoming also its chancellor 1757–1760: vacancy? 1760–1791: (Neuruppin, 8 September 1708 – 20 May 1791, Rendsburg), in 1781, after general superintendent Hasselmann of Holstein (ducal share) had died, his ambit also included the formerly ducal Holstein share
General provosts in Duke John's share of the Holstein and Schleswig duchies 1545–1553: Vincentius Alberti (died 1553), general provost, simultaneously visitator in Nordstrand, since 1549 also pastor and provost in Tondern 1554–1560: Johannes Vorstius, general provost, simultaneously provost of Haderslev, resigned in favour of the office as general provost for Holstein royal share, there also pastor in Itzehoe and provost of the Münsterdorf Consistory 1560–1569: Georgius Boëthius Agricola, general provost, simultaneously provost of Haderslev, since 1553 provost of Nordstrand 1569–1573: vacancy, unsuccessful touting for Lucas Bacmeister (1530–1608) Peter Boëthius, pastor in Königsbüll, and H. Tast, pastor in Bupsee,Königsbüll and Bupsee (aka Bopsee) and much of Strand island, and many more places, were completely drowned and eroded in the Burchardi flood in 1634, their former locations are now covered by the North Frisian Wadden Sea. served as vice-provosts per pro 1573–1580: Georgius Schröder, general provost, pastor in Haderslev, simultaneously provost of Haderslev and of Nordstrand After John's death his share was divided between his brothers Adolphus and Christian.
General superintendents for the ducal shares of the Holstein and Schleswig duchies The general superintendents were seated in Kiel. Their competence comprised until 1713 the ducal shares of the Duchies of Holstein and Schleswig. The Danish king as liege lord of the dukes of Schleswig deposed them in 1713 (confirmed in 1720), thereafter ducal co-rule was restricted to the Duchy of Holstein.
1549–1563: Volquard Jonas 1562–1593: 1593–1610: 1610–1616: 1616–1640: Jacob Fabricius the Elder 1640–1645: 1645–1673: Johann Reinboth 1674–1684: 1684/88–1697: 1698–1713: His successors as general superintendents for Holstein ducal share were Georg Hinrich Reimarus (1733–1735), Anton Caspar Engel (1736–1748), Gustav Christoph Hoßmann (1749–1766) und Friedrich Franz Hasselmann (Haßelmann; 1766–1784). In 1773 the ducal House of Gottorp and the royal House of Oldenburg exchanged Holstein ducal share for the Danish-held County of Oldenburg, thus ending the royal ducal condominium. So with Hasselmann's death in 1784, there was only one general superintendent for all of both duchies.
Then Theodor Dassov, who had served earlier already in Schleswig royal share, and his successors took on.
Bishop and general superintendents for Schleswig 1792–1834: Gen. Supt. Christian Adler (Arnis, 8 December 1756 – 22 August 1834, Giekau), simultaneously general superintendent for Holstein since 1806 1835–1848: Gen. Supt. (Glückstadt, 20 February 1777 – 3 October 1861, Schleswig)