Sauensiek belonged - as to its government - to the
Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, established in 1180. In religious respect, however, Sauensiek formed part of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Verden until after 1566 its incumbent bishops lost papal recognition, except of a last Catholic bishop from 1630 to 1631, respectively. In 1648 the Prince-Archbishopric was transformed into the
Duchy of Bremen, which was first ruled in
personal union by the Swedish Crown - interrupted by a Danish occupation (1712–1715) - and from 1715 on by the
Hanoverian Crown. The
Kingdom of Hanover incorporated the Duchy in a
real union and the Ducal territory became part of the new
Stade Region, established in 1823. ==References==