Archbishop of Cologne

The "Seven Prince Electors" electing Henry, Count of Luxembourg asHenry VII, Holy Roman Emperorat Frankfurt on 27 November 1308. At far left isHeinrich II of Virneburg,Archbishop ofCologne.Codex Balduini Trevirorum,c. 1340)

Thearchbishop of Colognegoverns theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Colognein westernNorth Rhine-Westphalia.Historically the archbishop ruled astate of the Holy Roman Empireand wasex officioone of theprince-electors,theelector of Cologne,from 1356 to 1801.

Since the early days of theCatholic Church,there have been ninety-four bishops and archbishops ofCologne.Seven of these ninety-four retired by resignation, including four resignations which were in response to impeachment. Eight of the bishops and archbishops werecoadjutor bishopsbefore they took office. Seven individuals were appointed as coadjutors freely by thepope.One of the ninety-four moved to theCuria,where he became a cardinal. Additionally, six of the archbishops of Cologne were chairmen of theGerman Bishops' Conference.

CardinalRainer Woelkihas been the archbishop of Cologne since his 2014 transfer fromBerlin,where he was also cardinal archbishop.

Bishops and archbishops of Cologne

Bishops of Colonia Agrippina, 88–784

See also:Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium

All names beforeMaternus IIare to be approached with considerable skepticism, as little contemporary evidence is available. Maternus was present at a council inRomein 313. The bishops between Severinus and Charentius are alsoapocryphal.Domitianus was theBishop of Maastricht(Mosa Traiectum). The given dates of office beforeGuntherare also conjectural, at best.

• Maternus Ic. 88–128
• Paulinus
• Marcellinus
• Aquilinus
• Levoldusc. 248–285
• Maternus IIc. 285–315
• Euphratesc. 315–348
• Severinusc. 348–403
• Ebergisil I?c. 403–440
• Solatiusc. 440–470
• Sunnovaeusc. 470–500
• Domitianus fl.c. 535
• Charentinus fl.c. 570
• EberigisilII?c. 580–600?
• Remediusc. 600?–611?
• Solatiusc. 611?–622
• Cunibertc. 623–663
• Bodatusc. 663–674
• Stephen 674–680
• Adelwin 680–695
• Giso 695–708
• Anno I 708–710
• Faramund 710–713
• Agilolf713–717
• Reginfried 718–747
• Hildegar750–753
• Bertholm 753–763
• Rikulf763–784

Archbishops of Cologne, 784–1238

• Hildebold784–818
• Hadbold818–842
• Hildwin842–849
• Günther850–864
• Hugo Welf864
• Wilbert870–889
• Hermann I890–924
• Wigfried924–953
• Bruno I953–965
• Volkmar965–969
• Gero969–976
• Warin976–984
• Ebergar984–999
• Heribert999–1021
• Pilgrim1021–1036
• Hermann II1036–1056
• Anno II1056–1075
• Hildholf1076–1078
• Sigwin1078–1089
• Hermann III1089–1099
• Friedrich I1100–1131

Saint Engelbert II of Berg, Archbishop of Cologne

• Bruno II von Berg1131–1137
• Hugo von Sponheim1137
• Arnold I1138–1151
• Arnold II von Wied1152–1156
• Friedrich II von Berg1156–1158, nephew ofBruno II von Bergabove
• Rainald of Dassel1159–1167
• Philipp von Heinsberg1167–1191, he gained the title ofDuke of Westphalia and Angriain 1180, from then on held inpersonal unionby all incumbents of the Cologne see until 1803.
• Bruno III von Berg1191–1192, brother ofFriedrich IIabove
• Adolf I von Berg1192–1205, nephew ofBruno IIIabove
• Bruno IV von Sayn1205–1208 (in opposition)
• Dietrich I von Hengebach1208–1215 (in opposition)
• Engelbert II von Berg1216–1225, nephew ofBruno IIIabove
• Heinrich I von Mulnarken1225–1237

Archbishop-electors of Cologne, 1238–1803

Further information:Electorate of Cologne

Image	Name	From	To	Notes
	Konrad von Hochstaden	1238	1261
	Engelbert II von Falkenburg	1261	1274
	Siegfried II of Westerburg	1274	1297
	Wikbold I von Holte	1297	1304
	Heinrich II von Virneburg	1304	1332
	Walram von Jülich	1332	1349
	Wilhelm von Gennep	1349	1362	First Elector of Cologne under theGolden Bull of 1356
	Adolf II von der Marck	1363	1363
	Engelbert III von der Marck	1364	1369
	Kuno von Falkenstein	1370	1371
	Friedrich III von Saarwerden	1372	1414
	Dietrich II von Moers	1414	1463
	Ruprecht of the Palatinate	1463	1480
	Hermann IV of Hesse	1480	1508
	Philip II of Daun-Oberstein	1508	1515
	Hermann V von Wied	1515	1546	Sought to reform religious practice in the Electorate; converted toProtestantism;deposed and excommunicated.
	Adolf III of Schauenburg	1546	1556
	Anton of Schauenburg	1556	1558
	Gebhard I von Mansfeld-Vorderort	1558	1562	A founding member of theSchmalkaldic League
	Friedrich IV of Wied	1562	1567
	Salentin von Isenburg-Grenzau	1567	1577	Upon the deaths of his younger and older brothers, there were no more brothers to carry on the family name; he left Church administration in 1577, married, had two sons and conducted a successful military career. He died in 1610.
	Gebhard II Truchsess von Waldburg	1577	1583	Converted to Calvinism in 1582; marriedAgnes von Mansfeld-Eisleben(cousin once removed of the archbishop and Prince-ElectorGebhard I von Mansfeld-Vorderort); Competing archbishop elected;Cologne Wardecides the outcome.
	Ernest of Bavaria	1583	1612	Brother ofWilliam V, Duke of Bavaria;Papal Nunciatureestablished permanently in Cologne.
	Ferdinand of Bavaria	1612	1650	Brother ofMaximilian I, Elector of Bavaria,nephew ofErnest of Bavaria.Principle of Secundogeniture.
	Maximilian Henry of Bavaria	1650	1688	First cousin ofFerdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria
	Joseph Clemens of Bavaria	1688	1723	Brother ofMaximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria.Put underImperial banfor siding with France in theWar of the Spanish Succession.
	Clemens Augustus I of Bavaria	1723	1761	Brother ofCharles, Elector of Bavariaand Emperor. LastWittelsbachto hold the office.
	Maximilian Frederick of Königsegg-Rothenfels	1761	1784
	Maximilian Franz of Austria	1784	1801	The electorate's left-bank territories were seized and annexed by France in 1795
	Anton Viktor of Austria	1801	1803	The electorate's remaining territories were secularized and given to the Landgrave ofHesse-Darmstadtin 1803.

Modern archbishops of Cologne: 1824 to date

• Ferdinand August von Spiegel1824–1835
• Clemens August II Droste zu Fischering1835–1845
• CardinalJohannes von Geissel1845–1864
• CardinalPaul Melchers1866–1885
• CardinalPhilipp Krementz1885–1899
• Hubert Theophil Simar1899-1902
• CardinalAnton Hubert Fischer1902–1912
• CardinalFelix von Hartmann1912–1919
• CardinalKarl Joseph Schulte1920–1941
• CardinalJosef Frings1942–1969
• CardinalJoseph Höffner1969–1987
• CardinalJoachim Meisner1988–2014
• CardinalRainer Maria Woelkisince 2014

Auxiliary bishops

• Johannes Schleeter,O.F.M.(1434–1457)
• Hilger de Burgis,O. Carm.(1446–1452)
• Heinrich Unkel,O.F.M.(1481–1482)
• Johann Spenner(Spender),O.F.M.(1482–1503)
• Théodore Wichwael,O.S.A.(1504–1519)
• Jean Bourgeois(1506–?)
• Arnald de Arceto,O.S.A.(1517–?)
• Quirin Op dem Veld von Willich(1521–1537)
• Johann Nopel der Ältere(1539–1556)
• Johann Pennarius,O.F.M.(1557–1563)
• Theobald Craschel(1574–1587)
• Laurentius Fabritius(1588–1600)
• Johann Nopel der Jüngere(1601–1605)
• Theodor Riphaen(1606–1616)
• Gereon Otto von Gutmann zu Sobernheim(1616–1638)
• Georgius Pauli-Stravius(1640–1661)
• Richard Paul Stravius(1641–1654)
• Adrian Walenburch(1661–1669)
• Peter Walenburch(1670–1675)
• Paul Aussem(1676–1679)
• Johann Heinrich von Anethan(1680–1693)
• Johann Peter Burmann(1694–1696)
• Godefroid-Udalric de La Margelle(1696–1703)
• Johannes Werner von Veyder(1703–1723)
• Franz Kaspar von Franken-Siersdorf (1724–1770)
• Karl Aloys von Königsegg und Rothenfels (1770–1796)
• Klemens August Maria von Merle (1797–1810)
• Karl Adalbert von Beyer,O. Praem.(1826–1842)
• Anton Gottfried Claessen (1844–1847)
• Johann Anton Friedrich Baudri (1849–1893)
• Hermann Joseph Schmitz (1893–1899)
• Anton Hubert Fischer(1889–1903, Appointed Archbishop of Cologne)
• Joseph Müller (1903–1921)
• Peter Joseph Lausberg (1914–1922)
• Franz Rudolf Bornewasser (1921–1922)
• Josef Stoffels (1922–1923)
• Hermann Joseph Sträter (1922–1931)
• Josef Hammels (1924–1944)
• Wilhelm Stockums (1932–1956)
• Wilhelm Cleven (1950–1983)
• Joseph Ferche (1947–1965)
• Augustinus Frotz (1962–1983)
• Hubert Luthe(1969–1991)
• Peter Nettekoven (1975–1975)
• Josef Plöger (1975–1991)
• Klaus Dick (1975–2003)
• Rainer Maria Woelki(2003–2011; AppointedArchbishop of Berlin)
• Walter Theodor Jansen (1983–1994)
• Norbert Trelle(1992–2005)
• Friedhelm Hofmann (1992–2004)
• Manfred Melzer (1995–2015)
• Heiner Koch(2006–2013)
• Dominik Schwaderlapp (2012–)
• Ansgar Puff (2013–)
• Rolf Steinhäuser (2015–)

See also

• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne
• Cologne Cathedral

External links

• (in German)List of Bishops and Archbishops of CologneArchdiocese of Cologne (Erzbistum Köln)
• (in English)List of Bishops and Archbishops of CologneCologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom)