Archbishopric · Eastern Germany, Bohemia and Austria · as at first light, 1 January 1200

Archbishopric of Magdeburg

The archbishopric is the strongest principality on the middle Elbe.

Archbishop Wichmann (1152-1192) turned it into a true territorial lordship: he broke the Welf town of Haldensleben in 1181, bought or inherited the Sommerschenburg and Seeburg lands, settled Flemings and Saxons east of the Elbe and gave Magdeburg its town law. His successor Ludolf, a Paris-trained schoolman of obscure birth, is Philip of Swabia's leading churchman in Saxony: he voted for Philip at Mühlhausen on 8 March 1198 and on Christmas Day 1199 he hosts Philip's crown-wearing in his own city, the most splendid court of the reign, with the Saxon princes, Duke Bernhard carrying the sword, and Walther von der Vogelweide among the guests. The archbishop also holds the fiefs of the Ascanian margraves: in 1195-96 Otto II of Brandenburg and his half-brother Albert surrendered their allods (the Altmark among them) to Magdeburg and took them back as fiefs.

Who rules

Name
Ludolf (of Kroppenstedt)
Title
Archbishop of Magdeburg
Since
1192 (successor of Wichmann, died 25 August 1192)
Born
not pinned; possibly of a peasant family of Kroppenstedt
Family
Origin unknown; schooled at Halberstadt and Paris; canon of Magdeburg by 27 September 1168, provost of St Wipert at Nienburg 1179-1187, cathedral dean from 26 December 1184
Confidence
high

de.wikipedia (Ludolf von Kroppenstedt); the Mühlhausen election and the Christmas court from de.wikipedia (Otto IV., Philipp von Schwaben) and the campaign notes.

Overlord

The king (the archbishop holds his temporal lordship from the crown). He recognises Philip.

What the realm holds

  • Magdeburg, the cathedral city, with the Sudenburg and the Neustadt
  • The Börde and the Ohre: Wolmirstedt, Wanzleben, and the site of Haldensleben (the Welf town Wichmann destroyed in 1181; how far it is rebuilt by 1200 is not pinned)
  • The Elbe and Saale lands: Calbe, Schönebeck and the salt of Gross Salze, Gommern
  • East of the Elbe: Burg (a Flemish settlement), Loburg, Möckern, and Jüterbog beyond the sheet's edge
  • Halle on the Saale with its salt springs and Giebichenstein castle
  • The Sommerschenburg inheritance and Wichmann's Seeburg allods (1192), the latter enfeoffed to the counts of Mansfeld
  • Feudal lordship over the Ascanian allods of the margraves of Brandenburg (1196)

Allies and rivals

Allies: Philip; Bernhard of Saxony; Margrave Otto II of Brandenburg (his vassal for the allods); Bishop Gardolf of Halberstadt; the Querfurts. Rivals: the Welfs of Brunswick, old enemies of the see since Wichmann's war with Henry the Lion (1179-1181).

The realm that morning

Ludolf is host to Philip's Christmas court; on 1 January 1200 the king and many Saxon princes are in or near his city. During the court Henry the count palatine raided the archbishopric and burned Calbe; Ludolf's and Philip's men struck back at Helmstedt and Warberg at the turn of the year. He backs Philip firmly (he cast the first vote for him at Mühlhausen). He is not under any sentence on 1 January 1200: the legate Guido of Praeneste excommunicated him only in August 1201 (lifted March 1202).

Across the Saale to the east lie the Wettin lands (egr sheet).

Wealth

The salt of Halle and of Gross Salze; the Elbe trade and the Magdeburg market, the most important on the middle Elbe; the Magdeburg and Halle mints (bracteates); tithes and rents of the Börde, the richest grain land of Saxony.

Military

The archbishop's ministeriales and vassals; Magdeburg's walls; Giebichenstein; the castles of Wolmirstedt and the Elbe crossings. Wichmann took Haldensleben in 1181 by damming the Ohre and flooding it. No figures.

Threats

  • Welf raids from Brunswick and the Welf claims to Haldensleben
  • Papal sentences for backing Philip
  • The cost of Philip's wars

Officers and vassals

The burgrave of Magdeburg, who holds the high court in the city for the archbishop, is Gebhard IV of Querfurt, brother of Bishop Conrad of Würzburg and Philip's man. The cathedral chapter under its provost and dean; the archbishop's ministeriales (names that winter not pinned). Vassals: the margraves of Brandenburg for the Altmark and other Ascanian allods (since 1196); the counts of Mansfeld for the Seeburg lands that fell to the see in 1192; the Querfurts.

Advocates of the see that winter: not pinned.

Chapter and church

The cathedral chapter of St Maurice; the collegiate churches of the city; the Premonstratensians of Our Lady. Ludolf founded the collegiate church of St Peter and Paul in the Sudenburg and gave land in western Halle for a hospital of the Teutonic Order in 1200 (dates within 1200 not pinned).

Relations with rome

Strained: Ludolf supports an excommunicated king (Philip) and the pope leans to Otto.

Coinage

Magdeburg and Halle bracteates.

What the year holds

What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.

In 1200

  1. Early January 1200The Christmas court disperses; where Philip goes next is not pinned.Depends on: Nothing in play. Stopped by: A player keeping the king in Saxony.
  2. 21 August 1200Magdeburg's men likely serve in Philip's attack on Brunswick, which fails.Depends on: Philip's campaign going ahead. Stopped by: A truce.

Later, on the likely course

  1. 1 March 1201 and August 1201 (not yet)The pope urges Ludolf to turn to Otto (1 March 1201); the legate Guido excommunicates him when he will not come to Corvey (August 1201; lifted March 1202).Depends on: Innocent's decision for Otto. Stopped by: A settlement between the kings.
  2. 17 August 1205 (not yet)Ludolf dies.Depends on: Natural death. Stopped by: Nothing likely.

Where the sources disagree

  • The NDB puts the Magdeburg Christmas court in 1198; the ADB (and the campaign notes) in 1199. 1199 is followed.

Evidence: The archbishop's side and the Christmas court are well attested; his officers, advocates and ministeriales that winter are not pinned in the sources reached.

On the map: The outline follows the archbishopric's later core (Holzkreis, Jerichow side, Saalkreis) cut back to what Wichmann's acquisitions support; detailed boundaries in 1200 are not known.

Primary sources for this realm

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

Sources and studies

  1. Ludolf, Erzbischof von Magdeburg: NDB and ADB, via Deutsche Biographie
  2. Ludolf von Kroppenstedt, de.wikipedia
  3. Erzstift Magdeburg, de.wikipedia
  4. Otto II. (Brandenburg), de.wikipedia
  5. Höfe und Residenzen im spätmittelalterlichen Reich: Philipp

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.