The German Mediatisation is the name of the process of secularisation and mediatisation which occurred in Germany during and after the Napoleonic Wars. "Secularisation" is the process of removing temporal authority from spiritual leaders, such as Bishops, Abbots, and Abbesses. "Mediatisation" is the process of annexing one states' territory but leaving the annexed states' rulers with specific rights and privileges. The secularisation of the states in Germany was complete in 1803. The mediatisation occurred from 1806 - 1815. The states mediatised before the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine (July 12, 1806), or those ruled by states which did not have a seat in the College of Princes or one of the four Benches of Counts, are not considered amongst the "Mediatised Houses".