List of prince-archbishops, archbishops, bishops and administrators of Bremen

This list records the bishops of the Roman Catholic diocese of Bremen (German: Bistum Bremen), supposedly a suffragan of the Archbishopric of Cologne, then of the bishops of Bremen, who were in personal union archbishops of Hamburg (simply titled Archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen), later simply titled archbishops of Bremen, since 1180 simultaneously officiating as rulers of princely rank (prince-archbishop) in the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen (German: Erzstift Bremen; est. 1180 and secularised in 1648), a state of imperial immediacy within the Holy Roman Empire. Bremen and Hamburg were the seats of the chapters at Bremen Cathedral and Hamburg Concathedral, while the incumbents used to reside in their castle in Vörde since 1219.

Coat-of-arms of the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen

Titles of the incumbents of the Bremian See

Not all incumbents of the Bremian See were imperially invested princely power as Prince-Archbishops and not all were papally confirmed as bishops. In 1180 part of the Bremian diocesan territory and small parts of the neighbouring Diocese of Verden were disentangled from the Duchy of Saxony and became an own territory of imperial immediacy called Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen (German: Erzstift Bremen), a vassal of the Holy Roman Empire. The prince-archbishopric was an elective monarchy, with the monarch being the respective archbishop usually elected by the Bremian Chapters at Bremen Cathedral and Hamburg Concathedral, with the latter enfranchised to three capitular votes, and confirmed by the Holy See, or exceptionally only appointed by the Holy See. Papally confirmed archbishops were then invested by the emperor with the princely regalia, thus the title prince-archbishop. 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 archbishop, 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 Bremen from 787 to 845
Archbishop of Hamburg and Bishop of Bremen in personal union (colloquially also Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen) from 848 to 1072
Archbishop of Bremen (colloquially also Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen) from 1072 to 1179
Prince-Archbishop of Bremen from 1180 to 1566, paralleled by the de facto rule of Catholic Administrators from 1316 to 1327 and again 1348 to 1360
Administrator of the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen 1316 to 1327, 1348 to 1360, and again 1568 to 1645. Either simply de facto replacing the Prince-Archbishop or lacking canon-law prerequisites, the incumbent of the see would officially only hold the title administrator (but nevertheless colloquially referred to as Prince-Archbishop). Between 1568 and 1645 all administrators were Lutherans, while else they were Roman Catholics.
The last, but only provisional incumbent of the See, Francis of Wartenberg, therefore bore the title Vicar Apostolic (1645–1648)

Catholic Bishops of Bremen till 845

Episcopate	Name	Birth and death with places	Reason for end of office	Notes
Roman Catholic Bishops of Bremen (787–845)
787–789	Willehad also Willehadus or Willihad	Northumbria ca. 745 – 8 November 789, Blexen, today a part of Nordenham	death	Saint
789–805	sede vacante
805–838	Willerich also Willeric, Wilrich, Wilderic	unknown – 4 May? 838	death
838–845	Leuderich also Leutrich in High German	unknown – 24 August 845	death
845–847	sede vacante

Catholic Archbishops of Hamburg in personal union Bishops of Bremen (848–1072)

Episcopate	Name	Birth and death with places	Reason for end of office	Notes
Roman Catholic Archbishops of Hamburg in personal union Bishops of Bremen (848–1072)
847–865	Ansgar also Anschar in Low Saxon, Oskar in Scandinavian languages	Corbie 796 or 8 September 801? – 3 February 865 Bremen	death	in personal union archbishop of Hamburg 831–865, Apostle of the North Saint
865–888	Rimbert of Turholt also Rembert or Rembart	near Turholt? in Flanders 830 – 11 June 888, Bremen	death	second Apostle of the North Saint
888–909	Adalgar also Adelger	unknown – 9 May 909 Bremen	death	Saint
*909–916	Hoger also Huggar	unknown – 20 December 916	death
917–918	Reginwart	unknown – 1 October 918	death
918–936	Unni	unknown – 17 September 936, Birka	death	third Apostle of the North Saint
936–988	Adaldag also Adelgis or Adelger	ca. 900 – 28 April 988	death
988–1013	Liawizo I also Libizo, Libentius I in Latin	Burgundy or Raetia unknown – 4 January 1013	death	Apostle of the Slavs uncle of Liawizo II Saint
1013–1029	Unwan, Count Palatine of Saxony also Unwin (House of Immeding)	unknown – 27 January 1029 Bremen	death
1029–1032	Liawizo II also Libentius II	unknown – 24 August 1032	death	nephew of Liawizo I
1032–1035	Hermann	unknown – 19 September 1035	death
1035–1043	Adalbrand of Bremen (in High German) also Alebrand in Low Saxon, or Bezelin, Becelin, Bencelin	*unknown – 15 April 1043	death
1043–1072	Adalbert, Count Palatine of Saxony as Albert I	Goseck ca. 1000 – 16/25 March 1072 Goslar	death

Catholic Archbishops of Bremen (1072–1179)

Episcopate	Name	Birth and death with places	Reason for end of office	Notes
Roman Catholic Archbishops of Bremen (1072–1179)
1072–1101	Liemar	unknown – 16 May 1101 Bremen	death
1101–1104	Humbert, Archbishop of Bremen	unknown – 10 November 1104	death	During his term, the whole of Scandinavia was removed from the archdiocese of Bremen to form its own archdiocese, seated in Lund
1104–1123	Frederick I	unknown – 29 January 1123	death
1123–1148	Adalbero, Archbishop of Bremen as Adalbert II	unknown – 5 August 1148	death
1148–1168	Hartwig, Count of Stade as Hartwig I (House of Udonids)	before 1124 – 11 October 1168 Bremen	death	brother of Liutgard of Stade, Queen consort of Denmark
1168, episcopate claimed	Siegfried of Anhalt (House of Ascania)	ca. 1132 – 24 October 1184	inhibited by Guelphic partisans	Archbishop Elect of Bremen, elected by the Chapter and preferred by his father Albert the Bear, Bishop of Brandenburg 1173–1179, became Prince-Archbishop of Bremen in 1180
1168–1178	Baldwin I also Balduin	unknown – 18 June 1178 Bremen	dismissed by Pope Alexander III, ensued by Baldwin's death	preferred candidate of Guelphic Henry III, the Lion, imposed by Frederick I Barbarossa against the Chapter's candidate Siegfried
1178–1179	Bert(h)old also Bertram	unknown – 6 April 1212	dismissal	never papally confirmed, Prince-Bishop of Metz 1180–1212

Catholic Prince-Archbishops of Bremen (1180–1316)

Reign and episcopate	Name	Birth and death with places	Reason for end of office	Notes
Roman Catholic Prince-Archbishops of Bremen (1180–1316)
1180–1184	Siegfried of Anhalt (House of Ascania)	ca. 1132 – 24 October 1184	death	before bishop of Brandenburg 1173–1180
1184–1185	rule by the Chapter due to sede vacante
1185–1190	Hartwig of Uthlede as Hartwig II, also Wilrich	unknown – 3 November 1207	dismissal	deposed as prince by Henry VI, never papally dismissed as archbishop
1190–1192	rule by the Chapter due to sede vacante			Chapter disregarded Hartwig II's persisting papal acceptance as archbishop
1192	Valdemar of Denmark also Waldemar (House of Estridsen)	1157/1158 – April 1235 or 1236 Cîteaux	held in Danish captivity 1193–1206	imprisoned by Canute VI of Denmark, also bishop of Schleswig 1182–1208
1192–1207	Hartwig of Uthlede as Hartwig II, also Wilrich	unknown – 3 November 1207	death	de facto reaccepted by the Chapter, since Valdemar stayed imprisoned
1207–1210	Burchard, Count of Stumpenhusen as Burchard I		resignation	temporarily accepted as anti-archbishop only in Hamburg, nephew of Gerard I
1208–1217	Valdemar of Denmark (House of Estridsen)	1157/1158 – April 1235 or 1236 Cîteaux	dismissal	only in Bremen accepted as imperially invested prince, papally dismissed and banned
1210–1219	Gerard of Oldenburg-Wildeshausen as Gerard I (House of Oldenburg)	unknown – 14 August 1219	death	uncle of Burchard of Stumpenhusen, also prince-bishop of Osnabrück 1190–1216
1219–1258	Gerhard of Lippe also Gerard II (House of Lippe)	ca. 1190 – 27 July or 28 August 1258 Vörde	death	son of Bernard II, Lord of Lippe, titled Bishop of Hamburg in the diocesan territory right of the Elbe, and Archbishop of Bremen left of the Elbe
1258–1273	Hildebold, Count of Wunstorf	unknown – 11 October 1273	death	temporarily rivalled by anti-archbishop Gerhard of Lippe, accepted only in Hamburg, a grandnephew of Gerard II and supported by his uncle Simon, Gerard II's coadjutor
1273–1274	rule by the Chapter due to sede vacante
1274–1306	Gilbert of Brunckhorst also Gis(el)bert of Bronchorst (House of Bronckhorst)	unknown – 18 November 1306 Vörde	death
1306–1307	Henry of Goltern also of Golthorn, as Henry I	unknown – 9 April 1307	death	died before papal confirmation
1307, only elect	Florence, Count of Brunckhorst also Florentius, Floris, also of Bronchorst (House of Bronckhorst)	unknown – 1308 Avignon	death	died before papal confirmation, counter-candidate to the next
1307, only elect	Bernard of Wölpe (Counts of Wölpe)	ca. 1230/1240 – 17 September 1310	death	never papally confirmed, counter-candidate to the former
1307–1310	rule by the Chapter due to sede vacante
1310–1316 (1327)	Jens Grand the Firebug as John I, (House of Hvide)	ca. 1260 – 30 May 1327 Avignon	declared mentally insane by the Chapter on 19 May 1316 and dismissed, however, in 1318 papally recognised again till his death	lacking the capitular elective mandate, only papally appointed, before Archbishop of Lund 1289–1302, Prince-Archbishop of Riga 1304–1310

Catholic Administrators (1316–1327; 1345–1362) and Prince-Archbishops of Bremen (1327–1348)

Reign	Name	Birth and death with places	Reason for end of office	Notes
Roman Catholic Administrators of Bremen (1316–1327)
1316–1324	John of Brunswick and Lunenburg (Celle line) (House of Welf)	before 1296 – 1324	deposed by the chapter in 1322, but in the same year papally recognised till his death	son of Otto the Strict, appointed administrator by the chapter, replacing Grand declared mentally insane
1324–1327	Nicolaus Ketelhot also Kettelhodt or Kesselhut	unknown – 11 February 1332	ascension of Burchard II	also Prince-Bishop of Verden 1312–31 serving as administrator and vicar general (this as of 1322), supported by Vicar General Dietrich von Xanthen
Roman Catholic Prince-Archbishops of Bremen (1327–1348)
1327–1344	Burchard Grelle as Burchard II	unknown – 13 August 1344	death
1344–1348	Otto of Oldenburg as Otto I (House of Oldenburg)	unknown – before 14 March 1348	death	uncle of the next
Roman Catholic Administrator of Bremen (1345–1360)
1345–1360/62	Maurice of Oldenburg (House of Oldenburg)	unknown – 24 July 1364 or 1368 killed in action near Blexen	dismissal	nephew of the former, son of John II elected prince-archbishop by the chapters in 1348, but never papally confirmed, appointed administrator by his uncle and again by Godfrey, who appointed him also coadjutor, forced to resign in 1362 by Albert II

Catholic Prince-Archbishops and Administrator of Bremen (1348–1496)

Reign and episcopate	Name	Birth and death with places	Reason for end of office	Notes
Roman Catholic Prince-Archbishops and Administrator of Bremen (1348–1496)
de jure 1348–1360, de facto never	Godfrey, Count of Arnsberg also Godfried in Low Saxon	ca. 1285 – 4 December 1363	resignation	lacking the capitular elective mandate, only papally confirmed as archbishop, never gained power, de facto wielded by Administrator Maurice, also Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück 1321–1349
1360–1395	Albert of Brunswick and Lunenburg (Wolfenbüttel) as Albert II (House of Welf)	unknown – 14 April 1395	death	lacking the capitular elective mandate, brother of Magnus II Torquatus
1395–1406	Otto of Brunswick and Lunenburg (Wolfenbüttel line) as Otto II (House of Welf)	*ca. 1364 – 30 June 1406	death	Prince-Bishop of Verden 1388–1395, son of Magnus Torquatus
1406–1421	Johann Slamstorp also Slamestorpe, or Schlamsdorf in High German, as John II	*ca. 1350/60 – 20 December 1421	death
1422–1435	Nicholas of Oldenburg-Delmenhorst (House of Oldenburg)	unknown – 8 December 1447	resignation
1435–1441	Baldwin of Wenden also Boldewin of Dahlen or Balduin, as Baldwin II	unknown – 8 July 1441	death
1442–1463	Gerard of Hoya also Gerhard von der Hoye as Gerard III (Counts of Hoya)	unknown – 1463	death
Roman Catholic Administrator of Bremen (1463–1496)
1463–1496	Henry XXVII of Schwarzburg as Henry II (House of Schwarzburg)	13 November 1440 – 24 December 1496 underways to East Frisia	death	Archbishop elect, due to minority only appointed administrator, having come of age and after election and investiture as Prince-Bishop of Münster (1466–1496), where he preferently resided, he never pursued his papal appointment as archbishop any more

Catholic Prince-Archbishops of Bremen (1497–1568)

Reign and episcopate	Name	Birth and death with places	Reason for end of office	Notes
Roman Catholic Prince-Archbishops of Bremen (1497–1568)
1497–1511	Johann Rode von Wale also Johann Roden Bok, or Rhode or Rufus as John III	ca. 1445 – 4 December 1511, Vörde	death
1511–1542/1547	Christopher the Spendthrift of Brunswick and Lunenburg (Wolfenbüttel) (House of Welf)	1487 – 22 January 1558, Tangermünde	de facto dismissal as prince by Chapter and Estates	son of Henry IV, also Prince-Bishop of Verden 1502–1558, where he usually resided, dismissed for his prodigality by Chapter and Estates of the Prince-Archbishopric
1542/1547–1549	rule by the Chapter and the Prince-Archbishopric's Estates		Emperor Charles V's threat to impose an administrator	Chapter and Estates dismissed the prince-archbishop due to his prodigality
1549–1558	Christopher the Spendthrift (House of Welf)	1487 – 22 January 1558, Tangermünde	death	also Prince-Bishop of Verden 1502–1558, where he usually resided, reaccepted as prince by Chapter and Estates after Charles V threatened to install an administrator of his choice, brother of the next
1558–1566	George of Brunswick and Lunenburg (Wolfenbüttel line) (House of Welf)	22 November 1494 – 4 December 1566	death	brother of the former, also Prince-Bishop of Verden 1558–1566
1566–1568	rule by Chapter and Estates		majority of Administrator Henry III	sede vacante (1566–1567), then custodianship for the minor administrator

Lutheran Administrators of the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen (1568–1645)

Reign	Name	Birth and death with places	Reason for end of office	Notes
Lutheran Administrators of the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen (1568–1645)
1568–1585	Henry of Saxe-Lauenburg as Henry III (House of Ascania)	1 November 1550 – 22 April 1585 Vörde	death	elected by the Chapter, dominated by Lutheran capitulars, imperially invested as prince, but never papally confirmed, also administrator of the prince-bishoprics of Osnabrück (1574–1585) and Paderborn (1577–1585)
1585–1589	rule by Chapter and Estates		majority of Administrator John Adolphus	custodianship for the minor administrator
1589–1596	John Adolphus of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp (House of Holstein-Gottorp)	* 27 February 1575 – 31 March 1616* Gottorp	resignation	also 1st Lutheran administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Lübeck 1586–1607, after succeeding in 1590 his father as Duke regnant the Bremian Chapter enforced his resignation in favour of his brother
1596–1634	John Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp (House of Holstein-Gottorp)	Gottorp, 1 September 1579 – 3 September 1634, Altkloster	death	also administrator of the Prince-Bishoprics of Lübeck (1607–1634) and Verden (1631–1634).
1634–1635	rule by Chapter and Estates due to sede vacante
1635–1645	Frederick of Denmark as Frederick II (House of Oldenburg)	Haderslev, 18 March 1609 – 9 February 1670, Copenhagen	resignation by Second Peace of Brömsebro	also administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Verden 1623–1629 and again 1634–1644, expelled from both sees by the Swedes

Roman Catholic Administrators and Vicars Apostolic, 1635/1645–Secularisation

Reign or vicariate	Name	Birth and death with places	Reason for end of office	Notes
Roman Catholic Administrators and Vicars Apostolic, 1635/1645-Secularisation
1635, papal appointment, imperial investiture, lacking the capitular elective mandate	Leopold William of Austria as Administrator Leopold William (House of Habsburg)	Wiener Neustadt, 5 January 1614 – 20 November 1662, Vienna	due to the Swedish occupation of the Prince-Archbishopric he never gained de facto power	Pope Urban VIII provided him as administrator (he lacked any clerical qualification to be bishop) of Bremen, his father Emperor Ferdinand II invested him with the princely regalia also administrator of the prince-bishoprics of Halberstadt (1628–48), Olomouc (1637–62), Passau (1625–62), Strasbourg (1626–62), and Wrocław (1656–62), as well as of the Prince-Archbishopric of Magdeburg (1631–38).
1645, papal appointment, lacking the capitular elective mandate	Francis of Wartenberg Vicar Apostolic Franz Wilhelm	Munich, 1 March 1593 – 1 December 1661, Ratisbon	he never gained pastoral influence, let alone power as prince-archbishop due to the Swedish occupation of the prince-archbishopric	Pope Innocent X appointed him vicar apostolic, i.e. provisional head of see, also prince-bishop of Osnabrück (1625–1634 and again 1648–1661), of Ratisbon (1649–1661) and of Verden (1630–1631)
1645–1648	rule by the Swedish occupants due to sede vacante
After 15 May 1648	The Prince-Archbishopric was converted into a heritable monarchy, the Duchy of Bremen, first ruled in personal union by the Swedish crown. See List of Dukes of Bremen (1648–1823).

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