List of Clerical Titles & Annual Incomes

Within Prussia, and the modern German Empire, the Clergy comprised the second-wealthiest Estate within the realm. The Church was the largest non-aristocratic and non-royal landowner in Prussia, owning upward of 8% of Prussian territorial land, held in Monasteries, Cathedrals, Abbeys, Convents and other such religious buildings, as well as owning numerous Provostries and local Marches. Many Clerical posts became hereditary during the 17th century and onward, and such clerical families derived great incomes from their beneficiaries.

Unlike the Catholic states of Austria and France, it was quite common for even members of the nobility who did not take the Robes of the Lord, to own the rights to the income from Abbeys, Monasteries and Provostries. However, it was due that Bishoprics and Archbishoprics would require a Bishop or such to own the land. Some Bishops held multiple diocese's (known as absenteeism) and many of them rarely saw these places, leaving the running to an Auxiliary Bishop.

It should be noted, however, that the income noted below is not always the income extracted, some individuals may find themselves extracting more using manipulative measures to avoid maintenance of buildings they are put in charge of, and so forth.

It shall also be noted that clerics from noble descent frequently hold many beneficiaries, but that more often than not, the income from these beneficiaries is subject to the whim of the head of their house, however in the case of electorates, the entirety of the income both land and clerical goes towards the holder of the office. In many other cases, the house will gain a considerable share, all, or either the income from land or the beneficiary.

**For modern conversions of currencies, do take note of the following:**

* **1 Friedrich d'Or** = £837.80 / $1,180 USD / €1,067 EUR
* **1 Prussian Thaler** = £30.90 / $39.86 USD / €36 EUR

## **Prince-Archbishop-Electors**

 Kurfürstentum Köln
 Kurfürstentum Trier

## **Benches of Prelates: *Matrikel***

The religious houses listed here as are those named in the *Matrikel.* The Matrikel, or *lists of those eligible to vote at the Estates-General*, includes those Order's whose votes were collective rather than individual. Amongst these were the *Principalities*, the *Imperial, Princely* and normal *Abbeys*, *Colleges* and the *Provostries*. The following list includes the abbeys and monasteries which had seat and voice at the Estates.

* **Swabian Bench of Prelates**
	+ Salem
	+ Weingarten
	+ Ochsenhausen
	+ Elchingen
	+ Irsee
	+ Urspring
	+ Kaisheim
	+ Roggenburg
	+ Roth
	+ Weissenau
	+ Schussenried
	+ Marchthal
	+ Petershausen
	+ Wettenhausen
	+ Zwifalten
	+ Gengenbach
	+ Neresheim
	+ Hegbach
	+ Gutenzell
	+ Rottenmünster
	+ Baindt
	+ Söflingen
	+ St. George's at Isny

* **Rhenish Bench of Prelates**
	+ Kaisheim *(Swabian Bench after 1756)*
	+ Commandery Koblenz *(Teutonic Order)*
	+ Commanderies Alsace and Burgundy *(Teutonic Order)*
	+ Odenheim and Bruchsal
	+ Werden
	+ St. Ulrich's and St Afra's
	+ St. George's at Isny *(Swabian Bench after 1782)*
	+ St. Kornelimünster
	+ St. Emmeram's
	+ Essen
	+ Buchau
	+ Quedlinburg *(Teutonic Order)*
	+ Herford
	+ Gernrode
	+ Niedermünster
	+ Obermünster
	+ Burscheid
	+ Gandersheim
	+ Thorn

## **Abbeys, Convents, and Monasteries**

As expected with any Religion, these such faiths have their own Orders, each of which extends a belief. These Orders are communities, often found in isolation, to practice their doctrines and beliefs. The following list includes the (Princely) abbeys which had seat and voice at the Prussian Estates.

### ***Religious Orders***

* **Teutonic Order (T)**
	+ *Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem*
	+ *Orden der Brüder vom Deutschen Haus der Heiligen Maria in Jerusalem*
	+ *Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Hierosolymitanorum*
	+ *Headquartered in Königsberg c. 1466-1525, under Hohenzollern patriarchy and patronage. Later Headquartered in Mergentheim c. 1525-Present.*
* **Order of Saint Benedict (B)**
	+ *Order of Saint Benedict*
	+ *Orden des Heiligen Benedikt*
	+ *Ordo Sancti Benedicti*
	+ *Headquartered in **Saint Blaise Abbey** (German: Kloster Sankt Blasien) of the Black Forest [in Germany]. c 10th Century AD-Present.*
* **Order of Saint Augustine (A)**
	+ *Order of Saint Augustine*
	+ *Orden des Heiligen Augustinus*
	+ *Ordo Sancti Augustini*
	+ *Headquartered in Rome c. 1215-Present*
* **Order of Cistercians (C)**
	+ *Order of Cistercians*
	+ *Orden der Zisterzienser*
	+ *Ordo Sancti Cisterciensis*
	+ *Headquartered in **Cîteaux Abbey** (French: Abbaye de Cîteaux) of Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, France. c. 1098-Present.*