Obsada biskupstw inflanckich w latach 1385–1466

Appointments to the Inflanty (Livonia) Bishoprics in the years 1385–1466Contrary to Prussia, the mediaeval Livonia was not a state belonging to the Teutonic Order but it constituted a certain kind of political community consisting of territorial communities ruled by the Order, the archbishops of Riga and the bishops of Dorpat, Ozyl and Kurland (the bishops of Rewl had no lay authority). Following the Prussian model, the bishops tried to retain their independence. From the perspective of this competition within Livonia, the issue of appointments of bishops to bishopric sees, seems tremendously important, as exerting an influence on the above appointments constituted one of the tools used by the Order in its attempt to subjugate the whole of Livonia. In the period 1385–1466, we are dealing with the pontificates of as many as thirty bishops in the five Livonia bishoprics. Half of them belonged to the Teutonic Order. The Order carefully watched over the appointments to the Livonia bishoprics soliciting the popes to support its candidates, rather than those elected by the Livonia bishopric chapters. The Teutonic Order exerted the greatest influence on the appointments of bishops in the Kurland and Rewal dioceses. In the remaining three dioceses, and above all in the Riga one, there were frequent disputes over the appointments involving the Order and the bishopric chapters. The majority of the Livonia bishops in the period under discussion came from Livonia and Prussia (from the local towns and knighthood); far fewer of them came from the territories of the German Reich. In respect of their earlier functions, many of them had held the posts of canons in the Livonia and Prussia dioceses or else were associated with the authorities of the Teutonic Order through earlier cooperation or even family ties. In most cases, promotion to bishopric sees was the effect of papal provision, rather than election carried out by bishopric chapter. Several factors exerted an influence on the appointments of bishops to bishopric sees. Apart from the Teutonic Order, it was the popes as well as the Livonia social classes that had the greatest say in this matter.