Bishopric of Dorpat
Encyclopedia
The Bishopric of Dorpat
was a medieval principality and a catholic
diocese
which existed from 1224 to 1558, generally encompassing what are now Tartu
, Põlva
, Võru
and Jõgeva
counties in Estonia
. The Bishopric was part of Livonian Confederation
. The first bishop of Dorpat (the current Tartu
) was Hermann von Buxhoeveden, the brother of Albert, bishop of Riga and leader of the Livonian Crusade
. The Estonian Diocese was established by the bishop of Riga in 1211 and its first nominal seat was Leal (Lihula)
in western Estonia. In 1224, Estonian bishop Hermann took possession of parts of what is today southeastern Estonia and chose Dorpat as his new seat, 6 November 1225 he was enfeoffed with his principality by Heinrich, King of the Romans
, and on 1 December created as a March
of the Holy Roman Empire
. The principality was founded mainly on territories of Ugaunia
n tribe of ancient Estonians
. In 1242, Bishop Hermann with his Ugaunian subjects was defeated by Novgorod
's prince Alexander Nevsky
in famous Battle on Lake Peipus.
During 1268, Fredrik, the then Bishop of Dorpat, is known to have called himself also as the "Bishop of Karelia
", the background of the short-lived title remaining open.
The Bishopric of Dorpat was an important Hanseatic
trade center.
In the end of 14th century, former Dietrich Damerow became the Bishop of Dorpat. He was the archenemy of the Livonian Order
and made a coalition against it with Lithuania
, Mecklenburg
and Victual Brothers
(notorious pirates of the Baltic Sea
). He even asked King Richard II of England
to take Dorpat under his protection. The Order invaded the bishopric in 1379 with no success. After settling the conflict the Livonian Order lost its right to demand vassals of bishoprics take part in military campaigns.
During its last years, the Bishopric of Dorpat had a dispute with Russia which became later the main pretext of the Livonian War
. Tsar Ivan the Terrible demanded that the bishopric pay huge tribute of 40,000 talers. Ivan insisted that the Dorpat was the ancient Russian fortress of Yuryev (referring to short term Ruthenian rule of the area after conquest by prince Yaroslav I the Wise
, 1030–61(?)). The rulers of Dorpat tried to negotiate a smaller amount in the interest of extending the truce, but Ivan dismissed the diplomats and started the war. In 1558 Tartu was conquered by Russian troops and the Bishopric of Dorpat ceased to exist.
Beside Dorpat (Tartu) there were five more stone castles in the Bishopric:
There was also an outstanding Cistercian monastery, Kärkna Abbey
(also Valkena or Falkenau) monastery near Dorpat/Tartu.
, was damaged during the Protestant Reformation
and has been in ruins since the 17th century.
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
was a medieval principality and a catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
which existed from 1224 to 1558, generally encompassing what are now Tartu
Tartu County
Tartu County , or Tartumaa , is one of 15 counties of Estonia.It is located in eastern Estonia bordering Põlva County, Valga County, Viljandi County and Jõgeva County....
, Põlva
Põlva County
Põlva County , or Põlvamaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in south-eastern part of the country and borders Tartu, Valga and Võru counties. The county also shares a common border with Russia...
, Võru
Võru County
Võrumaa or Võru maakond officially, is a county in Southern Estonia. It is bordered to the north by the Põlva County and the Lake Pihkva; to the west by Valga County; to the south by Latvia; and to the east by the Russian Federation....
and Jõgeva
Jõgeva County
Jõgeva County , or Jõgevamaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in eastern part of the country and borders Ida-Viru County to the north-east, Lake Peipus to the east, Tartu County to the south, Viljandi County to the south-west, Järva County to the north-west and Lääne-Viru County to...
counties in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. The Bishopric was part of Livonian Confederation
Livonian Confederation
Terra Mariana was the official name for Medieval Livonia or Old Livonia which was formed in the aftermath of the Livonian Crusade in the territories comprising present day Estonia and Latvia...
. The first bishop of Dorpat (the current Tartu
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
) was Hermann von Buxhoeveden, the brother of Albert, bishop of Riga and leader of the Livonian Crusade
Livonian Crusade
The Livonian Crusade refers to the German and Danish conquest and colonization of medieval Livonia, the territory constituting modern Latvia and Estonia, during the Northern Crusades...
. The Estonian Diocese was established by the bishop of Riga in 1211 and its first nominal seat was Leal (Lihula)
Lihula
Lihula is a town in Estonia with population of 1,614 . It is a centre of a rural municipality in Lääne County.The castle of Leal was first mentioned in 1211. It was the centre of Diocese Saare-Lääne...
in western Estonia. In 1224, Estonian bishop Hermann took possession of parts of what is today southeastern Estonia and chose Dorpat as his new seat, 6 November 1225 he was enfeoffed with his principality by Heinrich, King of the Romans
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
, and on 1 December created as a March
Marches
A march or mark refers to a border region similar to a frontier, such as the Welsh Marches, the borderland between England and Wales. During the Frankish Carolingian Dynasty, the word spread throughout Europe....
of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. The principality was founded mainly on territories of Ugaunia
Ugaunia
Ugandi was an independent country between the east coast of Lake Võrtsjärv and west coast of Lake Pskov, bordered by Vaiga, Mõhu, Nurmekund, Sakala, Tālava, and The Principality of Pskov. Ugandi had an area of approximately 3000 hides...
n tribe of ancient Estonians
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
. In 1242, Bishop Hermann with his Ugaunian subjects was defeated by Novgorod
Novgorod Republic
The Novgorod Republic was a large medieval Russian state which stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Ural Mountains between the 12th and 15th centuries, centred on the city of Novgorod...
's prince Alexander Nevsky
Alexander Nevsky
Alexander Nevsky was the Prince of Novgorod and Grand Prince of Vladimir during some of the most trying times in the city's history. Commonly regarded as the key figure of medieval Rus, Alexander was the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest and rose to legendary status on account of his military...
in famous Battle on Lake Peipus.
During 1268, Fredrik, the then Bishop of Dorpat, is known to have called himself also as the "Bishop of Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
", the background of the short-lived title remaining open.
The Bishopric of Dorpat was an important Hanseatic
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
trade center.
In the end of 14th century, former Dietrich Damerow became the Bishop of Dorpat. He was the archenemy of the Livonian Order
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
and made a coalition against it with Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
, Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
and Victual Brothers
Victual Brothers
The Victual Brothers were a companionship of privateers who later turned to piracy. They were hired in 1392 by the Dukes of Mecklenburg to fight against Denmark, because the Danish Queen Margaret I had imprisoned Albrecht of Mecklenburg and his son in order to subdue the kingdom of Sweden...
(notorious pirates of the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
). He even asked King Richard II of England
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
to take Dorpat under his protection. The Order invaded the bishopric in 1379 with no success. After settling the conflict the Livonian Order lost its right to demand vassals of bishoprics take part in military campaigns.
During its last years, the Bishopric of Dorpat had a dispute with Russia which became later the main pretext of the Livonian War
Livonian War
The Livonian War was fought for control of Old Livonia in the territory of present-day Estonia and Latvia when the Tsardom of Russia faced a varying coalition of Denmark–Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Union of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland.During the period 1558–1578,...
. Tsar Ivan the Terrible demanded that the bishopric pay huge tribute of 40,000 talers. Ivan insisted that the Dorpat was the ancient Russian fortress of Yuryev (referring to short term Ruthenian rule of the area after conquest by prince Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise (Old Norse: Jarizleifr; ; Old East Slavic and Russian: Ярослав Мудрый; Ukrainian: Ярослав Мудрий; c...
, 1030–61(?)). The rulers of Dorpat tried to negotiate a smaller amount in the interest of extending the truce, but Ivan dismissed the diplomats and started the war. In 1558 Tartu was conquered by Russian troops and the Bishopric of Dorpat ceased to exist.
Beside Dorpat (Tartu) there were five more stone castles in the Bishopric:
- OdenpähOtepääOtepää is a town in Valga County, southern Estonia, it's the administrative centre of Otepää Parish. Town has a population of 2,189 . Otepää is a popular skiing resort, popularly known as the "winter capital" of Estonia...
as the ancient centre of Ugandi and the first stone stronghold of bishopric; - Kirrumpäh (Kirumpää) and NeuhausenVastseliinaVastseliina is a small borough in Vastseliina Parish, Võru County in southeastern Estonia.Vastseliina is the birthplace of wrestler and 1924 Olympic Gold Medalist Eduard Pütsep....
(Vastseliina) by the important ancient Dorpat–Pleskau (Tartu–Pihkva) road; - Oldentorn (Vana-Kastre) and Warbeke or Caster (Uue-Kastre) by the EmajõgiEmajõgiThe Emajõgi is a river in Estonia which flows from Lake Võrtsjärv through Tartu County into Lake Peipus, crossing the city of Tartu for 10 km. It has a length of 100 km...
river which is joining the Dorpat/Tartu and the Lake PeipusLake PeipusLake Peipus, ) is the biggest transboundary lake in Europe on the border between Estonia and Russia.The lake is the fifth largest in Europe after Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in Russia north of St...
.
There was also an outstanding Cistercian monastery, Kärkna Abbey
Kärkna Abbey
Kärkna Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery in Estonia.- Situation :The monastery lies about 8 km north of Tartu in the village of Lammiku near the point where the Amme River flows into the Emajõgi River.- History :...
(also Valkena or Falkenau) monastery near Dorpat/Tartu.
The Bishopric today
The centre of the bishopric was the Tartu (Dorpat) castle . The castle was damaged during the Northern War and was dismantled during the 18th century, later (at the beginning of 19th century) an observatory was built on the site. The seat of the bishopric, Dorpat Cathedral or Tartu CathedralTartu Cathedral
Tartu Cathedral , earlier also known as Dorpat Cathedral is one of the landmarks of the Estonian city of Tartu . The building is now an imposing ruin overlooking the lower town...
, was damaged during the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
and has been in ruins since the 17th century.
The Bishops of Dorpat
- Hermann von Buxhöwden 1224–48
- Alexander 1263–68
- Friedrich von Haseldorf 1268–88
- Bernhard I 1289–1302
- Dietrich II Vyshusen 1302–12
- Nikolaus 1312–23
- Engelbert von Dolen 1323–41
- Wescelus 1342–1344
- Johannes I Viffhusen 1346–73
- Heinrich I von Velde 1373–78
- Dietrich III Damerow 1378–1400
- Heinrich II Wrangel 1400–10
- Bernhard II Bülow 1410–13
- Dietrich IV Resler 1413–41
- Bartholomäus Savijerwe 1441–59
- Helmich von Mallinkrodt 1459–68
- Andreas Pepler 1468–73
- Johannes II Bertkow 1473–85
- Dietrich V Hake 1485–98
- Johannes III von der Rope 1499–1505
- Gerhard Schrove 1505–13
- Johannes IV Duesborg 1513–14
- Christian Bomhower 1514–18
- Johannes V Blankenfeld 1518–27
- Johannes VI Bey 1528–43
- Jodokus von der Recke 1544–51
- Hermann II Wesel 1552–60