The Bishop of Lausanne (French: Évêque de Lausanne) was the principal ecclesiastical authority of the Catholic Diocese of Lausanne (Latin: Dioecesis Lausannensis).

History King Rudolphe I of Burgundy granted the Church of Lausanne the privilege of electing its own bishop on 28 January 895.Schmitt (1858), Mémoires historiques sur le Diocèse de Lausanne, I pp. 281-282. Conon d'Estavayer, pp. 53-54: "Constituentes omnimodis ut quando proprium rectorem Morte interueniente, filii frequenter prelibate Lausannensis amiserint ecclesie, habeant liberam potestatem secundum canonicam institutionem eligendi sicubi dignius repperiri voluerint de propria ecclesia pastorem. Si autem quod non obtamus in eadem ad hoc opus idoneus minime fuerit repertus, de conuicina ecclesia petant sibi dari, tantum ut nullus ibidem consecretur nec preponatur nisi qui a clero et populo sancte ecclesie Lausannensis fuerit electus."

On 25 August 1011, at the request of Queen Ermengarde, Archbishop Burchard of Lyon (the king's brother), Bishop Hugues of Geneva, and Bishop Anselme of Aosta, the county of Vaud with all its rights and privileges was granted to Bishop Henri of Lausanne and his successors by King Rudolphe III of Burgundy.Schmitt (1858), Mémoires historiques sur le Diocèse de Lausanne, I pp. 327-329. Lullin & Le Fort (1866), Régeste genevois, p. 43, no. 153.Gingins-La Serra & Forel, pp. 1-3.: "...comitatum VValdensem sicut ab antiquis terminationibus est de terminatus cum omnibus pertinenciis instophariis in exactionibus in omnibus usibus et utilitatibus legaliter et firmiter ad tenendum lausonneque perpetualiter permanendum...."

It is claimed that the bishops of LausanneThe grant specifically mentions the recipient, Bishop Jean de Cossonay, who died on 18 June 1273. Eubel I, p. 296. were granted the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire in 1270.Gregor Reinhold, "Lausanne and Geneva," in: The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. Retrieved: 25 January 2024. The deed of grant is published by Jean Joseph Hisely in his work on the comtes de Genevois, but it bears the date 28 September 1273, not 1270. It states that the grant was requested by Pope Gregory X in person, on the very day on which he presided at the consecration of the cathedral of Lausanne.Jean-Joseph Hisely, Les comtes de Genevois dans leurs rapports avec la maison de Savoie jusqu'à l'établissement définitif de la domination savoisienne dans la Comté de Vaud: soit jusqu'à la fin du treizième siècle, (Lausanne: Institut national genevois, 1854), p. 98: "Notum sit, quod ad instantiam Ss. D. Gregorii Papæ X, ipsa die Consecrationis ecclesiæ beatæ Mariæ Lausannensis ab ipso nobis adstantibus factæ, speciali affectu in reverendos devotos Episcopos dictæ ecclesiæ propensi, utpote de Romano Imperio semper bene meritos, dilectum nobis reverendum devotum Ioannem de Cossonay, Episcopum et Comitem Lausannensem, eiusque successores in perpetuum creavimus et stabilivimus Principem Romani Imperii nostri, posterorumque successorum nostrorum." On 28 September 1273, however, Pope Gregory was in Reggio Emiliana, on his way to France for the Second Council of Lyon.August Potthast, Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, , Vol. 2 (Berlin: R. De Decker 1875), p. 1672. The cathedral of Lausanne was consecrated by Gregory X in 1275, not 1273, and on 20 October, not 28 September.Nicolas (Rädle), Notice sur la date exacte de la consécration de la cathédrale de Lausanne (Fribourg: Imprimerie catholique Suisse 1885), p. 18. The deed of grant has been labelled a forgery.Hisely, pp. 98-99, citing others who consider the grant a forgery, and those who consider it authentic, and summarizing the conclusions of Fontaine, Dissertation historique et critique pour fixer l'époque de l'entrevue du pape Grégoire X & de l'empereur Rodolphe de Habsbourg à Lausanne.

In the 15th century, the bishops of Lausanne still styled themselves episcopus et comes.Gingins-La Serra & Forel, pp. 3, 538.

The Sovereign Council of Bern secularized the bishopric in 1536.Schmitt II, pp. 343-373. Bishop Sébastien de Montfalcon fled into exile, first in Évian-les-Bains, and then in Burgundy.

Since 1924, the dioceses have been combined as the Catholic of Fribourg, Lausanne, and Geneva,Pius XI, apostolic constitution "Sollicitudo omnium", 17 October 1924, in: Acta Apostolicae Sedis Vol. 30 (Romae: Typis polyglottis Vaticanis 1925), pp. 57-61. which has its episcopal seat in Fribourg.

Bishops

Bishops of Avenches Bubulcus (517-535)Bishop Bubulcus, episcopus civitatis Vindoninsis, participated in the synod of Epaone in 517. Duchesne III, p. 219, no. 1. De Clercq, Concilia Galliae, A. 511 – A. 695 (Turnhout: Brepols 1963), p. 36. Grammatius (535-549)Bishop Grammaticus participated in the council of the Auvergne (Clermont) on 8 November 535. Duchesne III, p. 219, no. 2. De Clercq, Concilia Galliae, A. 511 – A. 695 (Turnhout: Brepols 1963), p. 111.

Bishops of Lausanne 574-1814

To 1200

Marius Aventicensis (574-594)Marius was a continuator of the "Chronicle of Prosper of Aquitaine". He became bishop in 574, and served for 21 years. He participated in the Council of Maçon in 585. He died on 31 December 594. De Clercq, p. 248: "Marius episcopus ecclesiae Auentice subscripsi." Duchesne III, p. 219, no. 3. Justin Favrod La Chronique de Marius d'Avenches, Cahiers Lausannois d'Histoire Médiévale, vol. 4, Lausanne, 1991 Protasius (attested 652)Protasius: Duchesne III, p. 220. no. 4. Arricus (attested 650)Bishop Arricus attended the Council of Chalon-sur-Saône (Cabilonense) in 650. De Clercq, p. 309: "Arricus episcopus ecclesie Lausonicensis subscripsi." Duchesne III, p. 220, no. 5. Hauréau, Gallia christiana XV, p. 329. ? Chilmegesilus ( 670 ?)The only reference to Chilmegesilus is in the "Annales Flaviniacenses et Lausanenses," in: Monumenta Germaniae Historica. Scriptorum Tomus III, p. 150, under the date 533, Year 15 of Chlothar I. Duchesne III, p. 220, no. 6. Reymond, Les dignitaires de l'Église Nôtre-Dame de Lausanne (1912), states that Chilmégésile ou Chamnégésile participated in the Council of Paris on 10 October 614; he places the foundation of the Priory of Baulmes, in connection with the founding of which Chilmegesilus is mentioned, in 627, not around 668, as Duchesne wishes, or 533 as the Annales Lausanenses states. Cf. De Clercq, p. 281: "Ex ciuitate Loxouia Chamnegisilus episcopus;" he places Loxovia in the province of Rouen. Udalricus (690 ?)Nothing is known about Udalricus. His ancestry is disputed, as is his date. Hauréau, Gallia christiana XV, pp. 329-330. Duchesne, p. 220, no. 7. Fredarius (attested 814-825)Fredarius received a donation of Louis the Pious on 28 July 814. According to the "Annals of Lausanne", he died in 825. Schmitt, pp. 242-251. Duchesne, p. 220, no. 8. David (827-850)Bishop David was present at the synod of Mainz in 829, held by five archbishops (including Besançcon) and their suffragans. He was killed in armed conflict with one of his vassals, the lord of Tegerfeld. He had been bishop for 24 years. Schmitt, pp. 252-256. Duchesne, p. 221, no. 9. Hartmannus (852-878)Hartmann was consecrated a bishop on 28 March of 851 or 852. The sources and the scholars disagree. He died on 14 April 878. Schmitt, pp. 257-263. Duchesne, p. 221-222, no. 10. Hieronymus (878-892)On the death of Bishop Hartmann, a struggle took place between Count Boso, who was trying to separate the territories of the Jura from imperial allegiance and become king of Burgundy, and the Emperor Charles the Fat. Under pressure from Boso, the clergy and people chose Hieronymus. Pope John VIII ordered the archbishop of Besançon that no bishop was to be consecrated for Lausanne on order of the king or at the demand of the people; he confirmed the election of Hieronymus. Duchesne III, p. 222. Reymond, pp. 10-11. Boso (892-927)Boso: Schmitt, pp. 277-291. Duchesne III, pp. 222-223. Reymond, pp. 11-14. Libo (927-932)Libo: Schmitt, pp. 292-296. Bero ( 932-947)Bero (Berodus, Beronus) had been a canon and sacristan of the cathedral Chapter of Lausanne. He was consecrated bishop by Archbishop Gerfroi (Gesfroi) of Besançon. Hauréau (1860), Gallia christiana XV, pp. 335-336. Schmitt, pp. 297-302. Magnerius (947-968)The notion that Magnerius was in Rome on 2 February 962 for the coronation of the Emperor Otto I (Schmitt I, p. 312) is based on a forged charter: Mpnumenta Germaniae Historica. Diplomatum Regum et Imperatorum Germaniae, Tomus I: Conradi I., Heinrici I. et Ottonis I. diplomata, , (Hannover: Hahn 1884), p. 619, no. 457. Eginolfus (968-985) Henri of Bourgogne (985-1018)Bishop Henri Aguricus was present at the election of Odilo as abbot of Cluny in 994. Luc d' Achery, Spicilegium Volume 3 (Paris: Montalant 1723), p. 379. Hauréau, Gallia christiana XV, pp. 337-339. Schmitt (1858), Mémoires historiques sur le Diocèse de Lausanne. pp. 322-324. Hugh of Burgundy (1018-1037)Hugues was the son of King Rudolphe III of Burgundy (993–1032). He gave three villas in the diocese of Geneva to the Chapter of the cathedral of Lausanne. He died on 31 August 1037. Lullin & Le Fort, Régeste genevois, p. 54, no. 187. Hauréau, Gallia christiana XV, pp. 339-340. Schmitt, Mémoires historiques sur le Diocèse de Lausanne, vol. 1, pp. 334-342. Henri de Lenzbourg (1039-1051/56) Burchard de Oltingen (1056-1089) Lambert de Grandson (1089-1090) Conon de Fenis (1090-1103/07)Conon is last heard of in 1103, but his successor took his oath of obedience to the metropolitan archbishop in 1107; this suggests that he died in 1106 or 1107. Schmitt, vol. 1, pp. 375-378. Hauréau, Gallia christiana XV, pp. 343-344. Giroldus or Gerold of Faucigny (1105-1126/34) Guy de Maligny or of Marlaniaco (1134-1143) Amedeus of Clermont call of Lausanne (1145-1159) Landri of Durnes (1160-1177)Landri (of Durnec, Durnac, Durnay, or Durnes) had been Dean of the cathedral of S. Jean de Besançon. He was consecrated perhaps in 1160. At Lausanne, he built the castles of Lucens and Poedour, and a wall and tower at the castle of Curtilia, as well as fortifications for Lausanne itself. He governed the church of Lausanne for 19 years, according to Conon, but was denounced to the pope on grounds of inconentia et insuffiencia, and resigned in the second half of 1177. Conon d'Estavayer, Cartulaire du Chapitre de Notre-Dame de Lausanne, pp. 44-45. Schmitt, pp. 421-430. Roger of Vico-Pisano (1178-1212)Roger was already bishop in February 1178 (Schmitt, p. 430). He attended the Second Lateran Council of Pope Alexander III in March 1179. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, , editio novissima, Vol. 22 (Venice: A. Zatta 1778), p. 466. Bishop Roger resigned on 8 January 1212. He died on 5 March 1220. Schmitt (1858), Mémoires historiques sur le Diocèse de Lausanne. pp. 431-451. Maxime Reymond, "Un conflit ecclésiastique à Lausanne à la fin du XIIe siècle," , in: –Revue d'histoire ecclésiastique Suisse 1 (Stans 1907), pp. 98-111. Eubel I, p. 296.

From 1200 to 1400

Berthold of Neuchâtel (1212-1220)Berthold died on 13 July 1220, as he was about to set out on crusade. Schmitt, vol. I, pp. 452-461. Gérard of Rougemont (1220-1221)Gérard: Schmitt, vol. 1, pp. 462-463. Guillaume of Ecublens (1221-1229)Guillaume died on 23 March 1229. Schmitt, vol. 1, pp. 464-473.