The Prince-Bishopric of Eichstätt (German: Hochstift Eichstätt, Fürtsbistum Eichstätt, Bistum Eichstätt) was a small ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Centered on the town of Eichstätt, it was located in the present-day state of Bavaria, somewhat to the west of Regensburg, to the north of Neuburg an der Donau and Ingolstadt, to the south of Nuremberg, and to the southeast of Ansbach.
Geographically, the territory of the Prince-Bishopric was very fragmented and, as of 1789, consisted of one main part to the east that was bordered by Bavaria in the north, east, and south, and by Pappenheim and Brandenburg-Ansbach in the west. The rest of the principality was located to the west and consisted of several fragments of various sizes enclaved mostly within Brandenburg-Ansbach. The total area was about 1100 km2, with a population of 58,000 (as of 1855).
^From 1532 to 1723 at least 249 people (219 women, 30 men) were accused of being witches and 224 of them were executed. For the others their execution is either not yet proven (12) or they died in prison (4) or were released (8) or expelled from the diocese (1). The majority of witch trails was driven between 1613 and 1630 under the Prince-bishopJohann Christoph von Westerstetten. During these 18 years at least 199 trails and 176 executions of 150 women and 26 men can be shown today.
Sources
(in German)Eichstätt in Meyers Konversationslexikon, 1888
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