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The Archbishops of Riga (1202) 1255-1561 were the secular rulers of Riga, the capital of Livonia (now known as Latvia). They were innovators in the field of minting currency, reviving techniques abandoned since the collapse of Rome.
The names of individual archbishops, as well as the years of their respective reigns, are stamped on Livonian pennies excavated at archaeological sites; in many cases, this is the only biographical data available.
The Archbishops of Riga and their coinage.
1229-1418: no Livonian pennies from this era have been found.
- Johannes VI Ambundi, 1418-1424
- Henning Scharpenberg, 1424-1448
- Silvester Stodewescher, 1448-1479
- Sede Vacante (empty seat), 1479-1484
- Michael Hildebrand, 1484-1509
- Jasper Linde, 1509-1524 (due to deflation, no coins were minted during the reign of Jasper Linde; biographical data exists in alternate formats)
- Johannes VII Blankenfeld, 1524-1527 (due to deflation, no coins were minted during the reign of Johannes VII Blankenfeld; biographical data exists in alternate formats)
- Thomas Schoning, 1528-1539
- Wilhelm of Brandenburg, 1539-1563
More information about the role of the Archbishopric of Riga in the history of coinage is available at http://department.monm.edu/history/urban/articles/COINS.htm
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