MAGDEBURG, a duchy of Germany, in the
circle of Lower Saxony; bounded on the north by
the duchy of Mecklenburgh, on the south and south-
west by the principality of Anhalt and Halberstadt,
on the east by Upper Saxony with part of Branden-
burg, and on the west by the duchy of Wolfenbuttel.
The Saale circle, and that of Luxenwalde, are sepa-
rated from the rest, and surrounded on all sides by a
part of Upper Saxony. This country is for the most
part level; but sandy, marshy, or overgrown with
woods. There are salt springs in it, so rich that
they are sufficient to supply all Germany with that
commodity. The Holz circle is the most fruitful
part of it. In the Saale circle, where wood is scarce,
there is pit-coal: and at Rothenburg is a copper-mine
worked. The duchy is well watered, for the Elbe
passes through it; and the Saale, Havel, Aller, Ohre,
and Elster, either rise in, or wash some part of it in
their course. The whole duchy, exclusive of that part
of the county of Mansfeld, which is connected with it,
is said to contain 29 cities, six towns, about 430 vil-
lages, and 330,000 inhabitants. The states of the
country consist of the clergy, the nobility, and de-
puties of the cities. Before it became subject to the
electoral house of Brandenburg, frequent diets were
held in it; but at present no diets are held, nor
have the states the direction of the finances as for-
merly. Before the Reformation, it was an arch-
bishopric, subject in spirituals to the pope alone, and
its prelate was primate of all Germany; but embracing
the Reformation, it chose itself administrators, till the
treaty of Munster, in 1648, when it was given, to-
gether with the bishopric of Halberstadt, to the elector
of Brandenburg, as an equivalent for the Hither Po-
merania, granted by that treaty to the king of Sweden.
Lutheranism is the predominant religion here; but Cal-
vinists, Jews, and Roman Catholics, are tolerated. Of
the last there are five convents, who never embraced
the Reformation. All the Lutheran parishes, amount-
ing to 314, are subject to 16 inspectors, under one ge-
neral superintendent; only the clergy of the old town
of Magdeburg are under the direction of their senior.
The Jews have a synagogue at Halle. The manufac-
tures of the duchy are cloth, stuffs, stockings, linen, oil-
skins, leather, and parchment; of which, and grain
of all sorts, large quantities are exported. The arms
of it are, Party per pale, ruby, and pearl. The king
of Prussia, as duke of Magdeburg, sits and votes be-
tween the elector of Bavaria, as duke of Bavaria, and
the elector palatine, as palgrave of Hanover. Of the
states of the circle of Lower Saxony he is the first. His
matricular assessment for the duchy is 43 horse and 196
foot, or 1300 florins monthly; and to the chamber of
Wetzlar, 343 florins and 40 kruitzers. For the civil
government of the duchy there is a council of regency,
with a war and demesne chamber; and for the eccle-
siastical a consistory and general superintendent. The
revenues of the duchy, arising from the salt-works,
demesne, and taxes, some of which are very heavy and
oppressive, are said to amount to 800,000 rixdollars
annually. With respect to salt, every housekeeper in
the Prussian dominion is obliged to buy a certain
quantity for himself and wife; and also for every child
and servant, horse, cow, calf, and sheep, that he pos-
sesses. The principal places are Magdeburg, Halle,
and Glauche.