Bishopric of Dorpat was a medieval principality 1234-1558 in what are now Tartu, Põlva, Võru and Jõgeva counties in Estonia. It was part of Livonian Confederation. The first bishop of Tartu was Hermann von Buxhoeveden, the brother of Albert, bishop of Riga and leader of the Livonian Crusade . The Estonian Diocese was established by the bishop of Riga in 1211 and its first nominal seat was Leal in Western Estonia. In 1224 Estonian bishop Hermann took possessions of Southern Estonia prince-bishop of the Holy Roman Empire and chose Dorpat as his new seat. The principality was founded mainly on territories of Ugaunian tribe of ancient Estonians. In 1242 Bishop Hermann with his Ugaunian subjects was defeated by Russian prince Alexander Nevski in famous Battle on the Ice. The defeat did not prevent the bishop from founding a successful principality. The seat of Bishop developed into a important Hanseatic trade center.

In the end of 14th century former Dietrich Damerow became the Bishop of Dorpat. He was the archenemy of the Livonian Order and made a coalition against it with Lithuania,Mecklenburg and notorious pirates of the Baltic Sea called Vital Brothers . He even asked King Richard II of England to take Dorpat under his protection. The Order invaded the bishopric in 1379 with no success. After settling the conflict the Livonian Order lost its right to demand vassals of bishoprics take part in military campains.

During its last years, the Bishopric of Dorpat had a dispute with Russia which became later the main pretext of the Livonian War. Tsar Ivan the Terrible demanded that the bishopric pay huge tribute of 40,000 talers. Ivan insisted that the Dorpat was the ancient Russian fortress of Yuriev (referring to short time Ruthenian rule of the area under the prince Yaroslav I the Wise in 1030). The rulers of Dorpat tried to negotiate smaller amount in extrance of extending the truce, but Ivan dismissed the diplomats and started the war. 1558 Tartu was conquered by Russian troops. The Bishopric of Dorpat ceased to exist.

The Bishops of Dorpat

• Hermann I von Buxhövden 1224-1248
• Alexander 1263-1268
• Friedrich von Haseldorf 1268-1288
• Bernhard I 1289-1302
• Dietrich Vyshusen 1302-1312
• Nikolaus 1312-1323
• Engelbert von Dolen 1323-1341
• Johannes Viffhusen 1346-1373
• Heinrich Velde 1373-1378
• Dietrich III Damerow 1378-1400
• Heinrich Wrangel 1400-1410
• Bernhard Bülow 1410-1413
• Dietrich IV Resler 1413-1441
• Bartholomäus Savijerwe 1441-1459
• Helmich von Mallinkrodt 1459-1468
• Andreas Pepler 1468-1473
• Johannes II Bertkow 1473-1485
• Dietrich Hake 1485-1498
• Johannes III von der Rope 1499-1505
• Gerhard Schrove 1505-1513
• Johannes Duesborg 1513-1514
• Christian Bomchower 1514-1518
• Johann Blankenfeld 1518-1527
• Johannes Bey 1528-1543
• Jost von der Recke 1544-1551
• Hermann II Wesel 1552-1560