List of bishops, prince-bishops, and administrators of Verden

This is a list of bishops, prince-bishops, and administrators of Verden. The Catholic Diocese of Verden (), was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Mainz. From the 12th century, the Bishop of Verden was also, ex officio, a prince of the Holy Roman Empire and the ruler of a state in imperial immediacy — the Prince-Bishopric of Verden (. The Prince-Bishopric was established in 1180 and disestablished in 1648. The city of Verden upon Aller was the seat of the cathedral and the cathedral chapter. The bishop also resided there until 1195 when the residenz was moved to Rotenburg upon Wümme.

Titles of the incumbents of the Verden See Not all incumbents of the Verden See were imperially invested princely power as Prince-Bishops and not all were papally confirmed as bishops. In 1180 part of the Verden diocesan territory were disentangled from the Duchy of Saxony and became an own territory of imperial immediacy called Prince-Bishopric of Verden, a vassal of the Holy Roman Empire. The prince-bishopric was an elective monarchy, with the monarch being the respective bishop usually elected by the Verden cathedral chapter, and confirmed by the Holy See, or exceptionally only appointed by the Holy See. Papally confirmed bishops were then invested by the emperor with the princely regalia, thus the title prince-bishop. However, sometimes the respective incumbent of the see never gained a papal confirmation, but was still invested the princely regalia. Also the opposite occurred with a papally confirmed bishop, never invested as prince. A number of incumbents, elected by the chapter, neither achieved papal confirmation nor imperial investiture, but as a matter of fact nevertheless de facto held the princely power. The respective incumbents of the see bore the following titles: Bishop of Verden until 1180 Prince-Bishop of Verden from 1180 to 1566 and again 1630 to 1631 Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Verden 1566 to 1630 and again 1631 to 1645. Either simply de facto replacing the Prince-Bishop or lacking canon-law prerequisites the incumbent of the see would officially only hold the title administrator (but nevertheless colloquially referred to as Prince-Bishop). From 1566 to 1630 and again 1631 to 1645 all administrators were Lutherans.

Catholic Bishops of Verden till 1180 Roman Catholic Bishops of Verden till 1180EpiscopatePortraitNameBirth and deathwith placesReason for end of officeNotes no assured datesIn record, obfuscated in the 13th century, the years 775–785 are given Swibrecht unknown legendary, not substantiated, any relation to Verden deniedThomas Vogtherr, "Bistum und Hochstift Verden bis 1502", in: Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser: 3 vols. [vol. 1 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995), vol. 2 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995), vol. 3 'Neuzeit' (2008)], Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.), (Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vol. 7), Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008. ISBN (vol. 1) , (vol. 2) , (vol. 3) , vol. 2 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)', pp. 279–320, here pp. 281seq. no assured datesIn record, obfuscated in the 13th century, the years 785–788 are given Spattoalso Patto Ireland, unknown–30 March 788? death also abbot at Amorbach Abbey no assured datesIn record, obfuscated in the 13th century, the years 788–808 are given Tancho of Verdenalso Tanco, Tanko Ireland, unknown – 16 December 808? death also abbot at Amorbach Abbey; martyr (murdered by pagans), saint, feast day: 16 February 809–829 Harud also Haruth Ireland, unknown – 15 June 829 death also abbot at Amorbach Abbey; first bishop of assured informationThomas Vogtherr, "Bistum und Hochstift Verden bis 1502", in: Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser: 3 vols. [vol. 1 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995), vol. 2 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995), vol. 3 'Neuzeit' (2008)], Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.), (Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vol. 7), Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008. ISBN (vol. 1) , (vol. 2) , (vol. 3) , vol. 2 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)', pp. 279–320, here p. 282.Genealogie Mittelalter Bistum Verden Retrieved 20 September 2006 829–831 sede vacante 831–838 Helmgaud also Haligad unknown – 21 January 841 death 838–847 sede vacante 847–849 Waldgaralso Waltgar, Walter unknown – 7 September 865? death 849–868 sede vacante 868–874Erlulfalso Erlulphus (Lat.), Herluf Ireland?, unknown – 10 May 874 death martyr (murdered by pagans), saint, feast day: 2 February; in 1631 Prince-Bishop Francis of Wartenberg fled Verden taking Erlulf's relics with him to Regensburg 874–908 Wigbert of Verdenalso Wikbert unknown – 8 September 908 death great-grandson of Widukind 908–913 Bernhar I unknown – 20 October 913 death 913–933 Adalward (House of Immeding) unknown – 27 October 933 death teacher and promoter of his relative Adaldag 933–962 Amalung Billungalso Amelung(House of Billung) unknown – 5 May 962 death brother of Hermann Billung 962–976 Bruno Billungalso Brunas Bruno I(House of Billung) unknown – 7 March 976 death nephew of his predecessor and son of Wichmann the Elder, received immunity for the diocese by Emperor Otto I 976–993 Erpo of Verdenalso Adelperio, Albertus, Erp, Herpo(House of Erponids) unknown – 19 February 993 death before provost of Bremen Cathedral, Erpo received from Emperor Otto III the regalia of coinage, of hunting in the Sturmigau region (comparable to the future prince-bishopric), of holding markets and of punishment for the diocesan subjects 993–1013 Bernhar II unknown – 25 July 1013 death 1013–1031 Wigger of Verdenalso Wigher unknown – 16 August 1031 death before provost of Cologne Cathedral, fixed the diocesan border towards the diocese of Halberstadt 1031–1034 Thietmar of Verden also Dietmaras Thietmar I unknown – 26 June 1034 death 1034–1049 Count Bruno of Walbeckalso Brunas Bruno II unknown – 20 August 1049 death brother of Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg 1049–1060 Siegbert of Verden also Sizzo unknown – 9 October 1060 death Henry IV granted him a manor in Hermannsburg and the Magetheide forest 1060–1076/1084 Richbert unknown – 29 November 1084 death he and his bailiff Hermann Billung the Younger ravaged the neighbouring archdiocese of Bremen 1076–1085 sede vacante 1085–1097 Hartwig of Verdenalso Hartwich unknown – 14 October 1097 death 1097–1116 Mazo of Verden unknown – 25 October 1116 death Mazo enfeoffed Lothair of Süpplingenburg as inheritable diocesan bailiff (military protector) 1116–1148 Thietmar of Plötzkaualso Dietmaras Thietmar II(House of Plötzke) unknown – 23 September 1148 death arbiter in the dispute between Henry the Lion and Bremen's Archbishop Adalbero on the County of Stade 1149–1167 Hermann Behr(House of Behr) c. 1110 – 11 August 1167, near Rome death before member of the Halberstadt cathedral chapter, disputed with Archbishop Hartwig I of Bremen on the common diocesan border since the former settled uninhabited areas within the Verden diocese (second mile of Altes Land), in 1148/1150 Hermann falsified documents to fictitiously date back the foundation of the Verden see to 786, claiming Bremen's suffragans sees Ratzeburg and Mecklenburg were actually part of the Verden diocese, Hermann spent much of his time at the court of Frederick Barbarossa in Italy (1158–1161, 1162–1163, and 1166–1167) 1167–1180 Hugo of Verden unknown – 1 March 1180 death Hugo confirmed the foundation of the Lüne Nunnery in 1172, he spent much of his time at the court of Frederick Barbarossa in Italy (1174–1175, and 1176–1178)

Catholic Prince-Bishops (1180–1566)