Hochstift

thumb|upright|300px|Hochstifte and dioceses in the late 18th century

In the Holy Roman Empire, the German term (plural: ) referred to the territory ruled by a bishop as a prince (i.e. prince-bishop), as opposed to his diocese, generally much larger and over which he exercised only spiritual authority. The terms prince-bishopric (, or simply ) and ecclesiastical principality are synonymous with . and referred respectively to the territory (prince-archbishopric) ruled by a prince-archbishop and an elector-archbishop while referred to the territory ruled by an imperial abbot or abbess, or a princely abbot or abbess. was also often used to refer to any type of ecclesiastical principality.