As a Prince-Bishopric of the Empire, the territory of the state was not identical with that of the bishopric, but was located within its boundaries and made up about a quarter of the diocesan area.

In 1143, the Duke of Saxony — Henry the Lion — mediated between the two counts, granting Wagria and Segeberg to Adolf.

The newly created County of Ratzenburg included Ratzeburg, Boitin, Gadebusch, Wittenburg, and Boizenburg.

The count pursued a policy of expelling the native Slavs and inviting Westphalians to settle in the conquered territory.

In 1236 the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II, created a new prince-bishopric with Imperial immediacy which had temporal jurisdiction over the land of Butin and a number of villages outside it.

They began to elect candidates who did not conform to canon law (i.e. they were not validly ordained or they failed to secure papal confirmation).

The capitulars deliberately ignored the ducal Saxe-Lauenburgian candidates, sons of the duke, fearing the prince-bishopric would then be incorporated into Saxe-Lauenburg.