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 Brandenburg, and on the west by the duchy of Wolfenbuttle. The Saale circle, and that of Luxenwalde, are separated 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 Mansfeldt which is connected with it, is said to contain 29 cities, six towns, about 430 villages, and 330,000 inhabitants. The states of the country consist of the clergy, the nobility, and deputies 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 formerly. 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, together with the bishopric of Halberstadt, to the elector of Brandenburg, as an equivalent for the Hither Pomerania, granted by that treaty to the king of Sweden. Lutheranism is the predominant religion here; but Calvinists, Jews, and Roman Catholics, are tolerated. Of the last there are five convents, who never embraced the Reformation. All the Lutheran parishes, amounting to 314, are subject to 16 inspectors, under one general 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 manufactures of the duchy are cloth, stuffs, stockings, linen, oilskins, 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 between the elector of Bavaria, as duke of Bavaria, and the elector palatine, as pallgrave of Lautern. 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 Wetzel 343 florins and 40 krutzers. For the civil government of the duchy there is a council of regency, with a war and demesne chamber; and for the ecclesiastical 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 possesses. The principal places are Magdeburg, Halle, and Glauche.