Roman Catholic Diocese of Basel

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Map of the modern diocese of Basel within Switzerland
Map of the modern diocese of Basel within Switzerland

Bishopric of Basel may refer to either the Roman Catholic diocese in Switzerland (German: Bistum Basel, Latin: Dioecesis Basileensis) or to the historic prince-bishopric (German: Fürstbistum Basel), a secular state in which the bishop governed parts of Switzerland and France until late in the 1700s. The bishop of Basel has not resided in the city of Basel since 1528.

Today the diocese of Basel includes the Swiss cantons of Aargau, Basel-Country, Basel-City, Berne, Jura, Lucerne, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, and Zug.

[edit] History

Map of the Bishopric of Basel in the 16th century
Map of the Bishopric of Basel in the 16th century

Basel itself became episcopal seat in ca. 740, continuing the 4th century diocese of Augusta Raurica.

Prior to the Reformation, the bishop resided in Basel, from 1528 in Porrentruy, and since 1828 in Solothurn.

From 999 to 1802, the Bishop was not only diocesan Ordinary but also a Prince-Bishop, ranking as an ecclesiastical Reichsfurst of the Holy Roman Empire. Following the Imperial Reform of 1495, the prince-bishopric was part of the Upper Rhenish Circle of the Imperial Circle Estates.

By the 16th century, the Prince-Bishopric of Basel comprised:

The Prince-Bishopric also held the following territories, which were lost before 1527:

[edit] Ordinaries

Haller House in Solothurn, residence of the Bishop of Basel.
Haller House in Solothurn, residence of the Bishop of Basel.
  • Jakob Christoph Blarer von Wartensee (1576 - 1608)
  • Wilhelm Rinck von Balderstein (1609 - 1628)
  • Johann Heinrich von Ostein (1629 - 1646)
  • Beat Albrecht von Ramstein (1646 - 1651)
  • Johann Franz Reichsritter von Schönau (1651 - 1656)
  • Johann Konrad von Roggenbach (1657- 1693)
  • Wilhelm Jakob Rinck von Balderstein (1693 - 1705)
  • Johann Konrad Reichsfreiherr von Reinach-Hirzbach (1705 - 1737)
  • Jakob Sigismund von Reinach-Steinbrunn (1737 - 1743)
  • Joseph Wilhelm Rinck von Balderstein (1744 - 1762)
  • Simon Nikolaus Euseb Reichsgraf von Montjoye-Hirsingen (1762 - 1775)
  • Friedrich Ludwig Franz Reichsfreiherr von Wangen zu Geroldseck (1775 - 1782)
  • Franz Joseph Sigismund von Roggenbach (1782 - 1792)
  • Franz Xaver Freiherr von Neveu (1792 - 1828)
  • Josef Anton Salzmann (1828 - 1854)
  • Karl Arnold-Obrist (1854 - 1862)
  • Eugène Lachat C.Pp.S. (1863 - 1884)
  • Friedrich Xaver Odo Fiala (1885 - 1888)
  • Leonhard Haas (1888 - 1906)
  • Jakobus von Stammler (1906 - 1925)
  • Joseph Ambühl (1925 - 1936)
  • Franz von Streng (1936 - 1967)
  • Anton Hänggi (1967 - 1982)
  • Otto Wüst (1982 - 1993)
  • Hansjörg Vogel (1994 - 1995)
  • Kurt Koch (1995 - )

For a list of bishops prior to 1583, see: List of Bishops of Basel

[edit] External links


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