The modern generic concept of principalities describes the area in which a prince (Principes) rules. Since the early Middle Age it has been common to call not only the king or Emperor himself princely but all the higher royals including the dukes.
The society of princes was established in the holy Roman Empire by 1180 AC. It included the aforementioned princes who were joined after the Investiturstreit by represents of the clergy (archbishops and archabbots). Areas in fief were granted to these princes of the realm (Principes Sancti Romani Imperii) directly by the emperor himself (Reichsunmittelbarkeit). They had seat and vote in the Reichstag and ruled over their territory in the name of the emperor.
Almost every ecclesiastical principality and many of the other principalities dissolved because of the "Reichsdeputationshauptschluss" in 1803. Those which did not were united to the Deutscher Bund in 1815.
It is said that Bishop Ulrich was the first prince of the realm in Passau, king Friedrich II. granted him Ilzgau in fief in 1217. Nevertheless his territory has never been very big and was much smaller than his diocese
worked out by: Dietlind von der
Mühlen
translation by: Moritz Klötzner
(2004/19.8.2005)