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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 (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 Ugaunian 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.^[1]
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:

★ Odenpäh () as the ancient centre of Ugandi and the first stone stronghold of bishopric;

★ Kirrumpäh (Kirumpää) and Neuhausen (Vastseliina) by the important ancient Dorpat-Pleskau (Tartu-Pihkva) road;

★ Oldentorn (Vana-Kastre) and Warbeke or Caster (Uue-Kastre) by the Emajõgi/Embach river which is joining the Dorpat/Tartu and the Peipus/Peipsi Lake.
There was also an outstanding Valkena (Falkenau, Kärkna) monastery near Dorpat/Tartu, belonging to Ciscercians.

Contents

The Bishopric today

The Bishops of Dorpat

References

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) in the same place was erected the observatory (known as old observatory). The bishopric's cathedral was damaged during Reformation 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

References