Prince-bishop

Not to be confused with Prince of the Church.

Johann Otto von Gemmingen was the Prince-Bishop of Augsburg

A prince-bishop is a type of monarch who reigns over a principality and is also a bishop or other high-ranking clergy member.

They were very common in medieval Europe, especially in the Holy Roman Empire. From the 4th century onward, many bishops took control of cities and the surrounding areas.

A prince-bishop was initially considered to be an elected monarch because the position was not hereditary and the successors of prince-bishops were chosen in the same way as an ordinary bishop.

The Holy Roman Empire had many prince-bishops, who controlled areas called "Prince-Bishoprics". After the fall of the Holy Roman Empire, the title began to fall out of use and it was officially abolished by the Pope in 1951.

The last prince-bishop in the world is currently Joan Enric Vives Sicília, who is one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra.