Prince-Archbishopric of Salzburg in the context of "Electorate of Trier"

Salzburg is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Alps mountains.

The town occupies the site of the Roman settlement of Iuvavum. Founded as an episcopal see in 696, it became a seat of the archbishop in 798. Its main sources of income were salt extraction, trade, as well as gold mining. The fortress of Hohensalzburg, one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe, dates from the 11th century. In the 17th century, Salzburg became a centre of the Counter-Reformation, with monasteries and numerous Baroque churches built. Salzburg has an extensive cultural and educational history, being the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and being home to three universities and a large student population. Today, along with Vienna and the Tyrol, Salzburg is one of Austria's most popular tourist destinations.

The Mozart family grand tour was a journey through western Europe, undertaken by Leopold Mozart, his wife Anna Maria, and their children Maria Anna (Nannerl) and Wolfgang Theophilus (Wolferl) from 1763 to 1766. At the start of the tour the children were aged eleven and seven respectively. Their extraordinary skills had been demonstrated during a visit to Vienna in 1762, when they had played before the Empress Maria Theresa at the Imperial Court. Sensing the social and pecuniary opportunities that might accrue from a prolonged trip embracing the capitals and main cultural centres of Europe, Leopold obtained an extended leave of absence from his post as deputy Kapellmeister to the Prince-Archbishopric of Salzburg. Throughout the subsequent tour, the children's Wunderkind status was confirmed as their precocious performances consistently amazed and gratified their audiences.

The first stage of the tour's itinerary took the family, via Munich and Frankfurt, to Brussels and then on to Paris where they stayed for five months. They then departed for London, where during a stay of more than a year Wolfgang made the acquaintance of some of the leading musicians of the day, heard much music, and composed his first symphonies. The family then moved on to the Netherlands, where the schedule of performances was interrupted by the illnesses of both children, although Wolfgang continued to compose prolifically. The homeward phase incorporated a second stop in Paris and a trip through Switzerland, before the family's return to Salzburg in November 1766.

Between 1769 and 1773, the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his father, Leopold Mozart made three Italian journeys. The first, an extended tour of 15 months, was financed by performances for the nobility and by public concerts, and took in the most important Italian cities. The second and third journeys were to Milan, for Wolfgang to complete operas that had been commissioned there on the first visit. From the perspective of Wolfgang's musical development, the journeys were a considerable success, and his talents were recognised by honours which included a papal knighthood and memberships in leading philharmonic societies.

Leopold Mozart had been employed since 1747 as a musician in the Archbishop of Salzburg's court, becoming deputy Kapellmeister in 1763, but he had also devoted much time to Wolfgang's and his sister Nannerl's musical education. He took them on a European tour between 1763 and 1766, and spent some of 1767 and most of 1768 with them in the imperial capital, Vienna. The children's performances had captivated audiences, and the pair had made a considerable impression on European society. By 1769, Nannerl had reached adulthood, but Leopold was anxious to continue 13-year-old Wolfgang's education in Italy, a crucially important destination for any rising composer of the 18th century.

Salzburg (Austrian German: [ˈsaltsbʊrɡ], Northern German: [ˈzaltsbʊʁk] ; Bavarian: Soizbuag, also known as Salzburgerland; Italian: Salisburghese) is an Austrian state (Land) bordering Germany and Italy. In German, its official name is Land Salzburg, to distinguish it from its eponymous capital Salzburg.

The state of Salzburg is closely tied to the former Prince-Archbishopric of Salzburg, an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire that existed for centuries until its secularization in 1803. After the Napoleonic Wars, the territory changed hands several times, becoming part of Austria, then briefly Bavaria, before being permanently incorporated into the Austrian Empire in 1816. In the 20th century, the region became a federated state of Austria and is today known for its Alpine landscapes, cultural heritage, and the annual Salzburg Festival.

Hohensalzburg Fortress (German: Festung Hohensalzburg, lit. 'High Salzburg Fortress') is a large medieval fortress in the city of Salzburg, Austria. It sits atop the Festungsberg mountain at an altitude of 506 m. It was erected at the behest of the prince-archbishops of Salzburg. The fortress is 250 m (820 ft) long and 150 m (490 ft) wide making it one of the largest medieval castles in Europe.

The Archdiocese of Salzburg (Latin: Archidioecesis Salisburgensis) is a Latin rite archdiocese of the Catholic Church, based in Salzburg, Austria. It serves as the leading diocese of the ecclesiastical province of Salzburg and is one of two Austrian archdioceses, alongside the Archdiocese of Vienna.

During the late medieval and early modern periods, the Archbishops of Salzburg held the title of prince-archbishops within the Holy Roman Empire, governing the Prince-Archbishopric of Salzburg—a distinct polity that lasted until 1803. That year, it was secularized and became the Electorate of Salzburg, ending the archbishops' temporal authority.

Primas Germaniae is a historical title of honor for the most important Catholic bishop (the Primate) in the German lands. Throughout the history of the Holy Roman Empire, it was claimed by the Archbishops of Mainz, Trier, Magdeburg and Salzburg alike. Actual prerogatives, however, were exercised by bishops holding the rank of an Apostolic legatus natus. While Mainz, Trier and Magdeburg lost the primatial dignity upon the 1648 Peace of Westphalia and the Napoleonic Secularisation in 1802, the Salzburg archbishops bear the title up to today.