English: Map showing the limits of the Prince-Bishopric and the Diocese of Augsburg. In the Holy Roman Empire, the secular domain of a bishop, his prince-bishopric (Hochstift in German), was always smaller than his diocese, where his authority was limited to traditional church matters.

In the course of the Reformation, some of the territories covered by the Diocese of Augsburg – starting with the city of Augsburg itself – became Protestant, and Roman Catholic parishes and other institutions were abolished. Therefore, while the Diocese maintained its traditional boundaries, as shown on this map, it no longer reflected reality on the ground.

Frequently in conflict with the increasingly independent Free Imperial City of Augsburg, the bishop transfered the bishopric's seat to Dillingen on the Danube during the second half of the 15th century. However, the cathedral church and some surrounding buildings remained under the jurisdiction of the bishop. Dillingen was the residenz of the bishops until the secularization of the Prince-Bishopric in 1803.