The state founded by the Germans in the Baltic region has reached its natural limits: the sea to the north and west, strong peoples to the east and south, i.e. Rus' and Lithuania. It seemed that the time for peaceful internal development had come for him. But that wasn't really the case. External enemies threatened from all sides. The Danish king did not at all think of abandoning his claims to Estonia; Novgorod Rus' was only waiting for an opportunity to reverse its losses; Lithuanian power, dangerous for the Germans, arose in the south; the conquered tribes were restrained from uprising only by the fear of cruel retribution. Meanwhile, the tide of crusaders from Germany gradually decreased, and the Livonian Germans had to be content with almost their own means in the fight against the surrounding enemies. With the death of Bishop Albert, that mind and that iron will, which still held together the diverse composition of the new state, disappeared from the historical stage. After Albert, the Order of the Swordsmen clearly sought to become superior to their feudal master, the Bishop of Riga, and to turn the conquered region into their direct possession, i.e. put Livonia in the same relationship as Prussia was then in with the Order of the Teutonic Knights. Hence it is natural why the Livonian Order began to look for support from this side. Albert had barely time to pass into eternity when Master Volkvin sent envoys to the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Hermann Salza, proposing a close alliance and even a merger of two neighboring orders.
The conquest of Prussia by the Poles, once begun by Bolesław the Brave and some of his successors, was lost during the fragmentation of Poland into fiefs and internal turmoil. Moreover, the Polish regions themselves began to suffer from the invasions and robberies of the neighboring Prussians, and the Polish princes, who opposed the pagans, often suffered defeats from them. At the same time, for a long time the missionaries’ attempts to continue the work begun by Vojtech and Brun remained in vain; some of them also found a painful death in Prussia. Only two centuries after these two apostles, i.e. at the beginning of the 13th century, one monk from the Danzig Cistercian monastery, named Christian, managed to found a Christian community in Prussian Kulmia, which lay on the right side of the Vistula and jutted out like a wedge between the Slavs of Poland and Pomerania. This Christian, to some extent, was to Prussia what Albert Buxhoeveden was to Livonia. The famous Pope Innocent III elevated him to the dignity of Prussian bishop, entrusted him with the patronage of the Archbishop of Gniezno, as well as the princes of Poland and Pomerania, and generally gave him approval catholic church in Prussia there is the same active, skillful support as in Livonia.
Conrad then reigned in the neighboring Polish region of Mazovia, younger son Casimir the Just, who was not distinguished by any valor. Taking advantage of his weakness, the Prussians intensified their attack on his lands. Instead of a courageous defense, Conrad began to buy off their raids. They even tell the following story about this. One day, not having the means to satisfy the greed of the robbers, he invited his nobles with their wives and children to a feast, during the feast he ordered to secretly take the horses and outer clothing of the guests and send it all to the Prussians. Under such circumstances, the cowardly Conrad willingly followed the advice of Bishop Christian and voluntarily installed the worst enemies of the Slavs, the Germans, in his land. The idea of this was suggested by the successes of the Order of the Sword Bearers, which had just been founded in Livonia. First, Conrad and Christian, with the permission of the pope, tried to found their own order to fight the pagans. Their order received possession of the Dobryn castle on the Vistula and the right to half of all the lands that it would conquer in Prussia. But he turned out to be too weak for such a task and soon suffered such a strong defeat from the Prussians that he no longer dared to move beyond the walls of his castle. Then Conrad, on the advice of Christian and some of the Polish bishops and nobles, decided to call upon the Teutonic Order to tame the fierce neighbors.
History of the Teutonic Order before arrival in the Baltics
Hermann von Salza. Sculpture at Malbork Castle
This order was founded by the Germans shortly before that time in Palestine, in honor of the Mother of God, following the example of the Italian Johannites and the French Templars. He took monastic vows with the obligation to attend to the sick and fight the infidels. True, his exploits in Palestine did little to help the Kingdom of Jerusalem; but he was endowed with various possessions in Germany and Italy. Its importance rose a lot, thanks in particular to the grandmaster Hermann Salza, who knew how to gain equal respect from both Frederick II of Hohenstaufen and his opponents, that is, the popes. In 1225, the ambassadors of the Prince of Mazovia came to him in Southern Italy and invited the Order to move to the Kulm and Lubavsk regions under the condition of war with the Prussian pagans. Such a proposal, of course, could not but please the grandmaster; but he was in no hurry to agree, taught by experience. Around that time, the Ugric king Andrew II similarly called upon the Teutonic knights to fight the Polovtsians and gave the order possession of the Transylvania region; but then, noticing the danger that threatened from the installation of a military and power-hungry German squad, he hastened to remove the Teutons from his kingdom. Obviously, the Ugrians had a greater instinct for self-preservation than the Poles.
The Teutonic grandmaster was not so much concerned about the baptism of pagans as he had in mind to found his own independent principality. He began by asking the order from Emperor Frederick for a charter for complete possession of the Kulm land and all future conquests in Prussia; for according to the German concepts of that time, Poland itself was considered a fief of the German Empire. Zalza wanted to place the future principality under the direct supremacy of the empire, and not of Poland. Then he entered into lengthy negotiations with Konrad Mazowiecki about the conditions for transferring the order to the Kulm region. The fruit of these negotiations was a whole series of acts and charters, with which the short-sighted Polish prince granted the Teutons various rights and privileges. Only in 1228, for the first time, a significant detachment of Teutonic knights appeared on the borders of Poland and Prussia under the command of the provincial master Herman Balk to take the Kulm land into the possession of the order. Before starting the fight against the pagans, the Germans continued their negotiations with Conrad, until the treaty of 1230 received from him confirmation of eternal, unconditional ownership of this area. At the same time, they tried to protect themselves from the claims of the aforementioned Prussian Bishop Christian, who thought that the Teutonic Order would be in the same relationship with him as the Livonian Order was with the Bishop of Riga. At first, the order recognized the bishop's fief rights to the Kulm land and undertook to pay him a small tribute for it. A favorable case for the order soon helped him completely free himself from these feudal relationships. Bishop Christian with a small retinue carelessly delved into the land of the pagans to preach the Gospel and was captured, in which he languished for about nine years. The clever Herman Salza, who remained in Italy and from there managed the affairs of the order, persuaded Pope Gregory IX to recognize the Prussian possessions of the Teutons as the direct spiritual fief of the papal throne, which eliminated the claims of the Kulm bishop. In addition, with the consent of the pope, the remnants of the Dobrynka knights and their estates were included in the Teutonic Order. In this region, as well as in the land of the Baltic and Polabian Slavs, the Catholic Church was the main ally of Germanization.
Knights of the Teutonic Order in Prussia
The supreme patron of the order, the Pope, zealously called on the crusaders from neighboring countries, Poland, Pomerania, Holstein, Gotland, etc., to a common struggle against the Prussian pagans and granted these crusaders the same privileges and absolution as those who went to Palestine. His call did not go unanswered. In Western and Central Europe at that time there was still a strong belief that nothing pleases God more than the conversion of pagans to Christianity, at least through sword and fire, and that this is the surest way to wash away all past sins. The Teutonic Knights began the conquest and forced baptism of Prussia with the help of neighboring Catholic sovereigns who brought crusading squads, especially with the help of the Slavic princes of Poland and Pomerania, who, more than the Germans, worked in favor of Germanization. The knights secured every step they took by building stone castles and, first of all, of course, tried to take possession of the lower reaches of the Vistula. Here Toruń was the first stronghold of the order, followed by Helmno (Kulm), Marienwerder, Elbing, etc. The Prussians defended stubbornly, but could not resist the new force, which enjoyed superior military art, weapons, unity of action and was generally well organized. In order to further strengthen its rule, along with the construction of fortresses, the order actively introduced German colonization, calling for settlers to their cities, endowing them with trade and industrial benefits and, in addition, distributing plots of land on fief rights to settlers of the military class. To establish the new faith, the Germans paid special attention to the younger generation: they tried to capture children and sent them to Germany, where the latter received education in the hands of the clergy so that, upon returning to their homeland, they would be zealous missionaries of Catholicism and Germanization. During the conquest of Prussia, almost the same cruelties, devastation and enslavement of the natives were repeated as we saw during the conquest of Livonia and Estonia.
The Livonian master Volkvin approached this Teutonic, or Prussian, order with a proposal to join forces and sent ambassadors to Italy to the grandmaster for this purpose. But the first proposal was made at a time when the Teutonic Order had barely settled in the Kulm region and was just beginning its aggressive activities. Livonia was separated from it by still independent Lithuanian tribes; the union of two knightly orders could lead to the union of their enemies for a common resistance. Herman Salza wisely declined the offer for now, but did not give up hope. A few years later, negotiations on the union were resumed, and in Marburg, the main German refuge of the Teutons, a meeting of the order's chapter took place in the presence of Volkvin's ambassadors. Here the majority of the Teutons spoke out against the union. Their order consisted mainly of members of old noble families, seasoned, pious people, proud of their vows and strict discipline; while the ranks of the Sword Bearers were filled with the sons of Bremen and other Low German traders, various seekers of adventure and prey, people who were superfluous in their homeland. Rumors had already spread to Germany about their dissolute life and such despotic treatment of the natives, which made Christianity itself hateful to the latter and sometimes forced them to return to paganism. The Teutons looked down on the Sword Bearers and were afraid to humiliate their order with such comradeship. From Marburg the case was transferred again to Italy for consideration by the grandmaster. Herman Salza this time turned out to be more inclined towards the union and submitted the question of it to the permission of Pope Gregory IX.
Meanwhile, an event occurred that accelerated this matter. Master Volkvin with a strong army undertook a campaign into the wilderness of Lithuanian lands. The Lithuanians secretly gathered in the surrounding forests, from where they suddenly emerged and surrounded the Germans from all sides. A desperate battle took place on the day of Mauritius in September 1236. In vain the knights exclaimed: “Forward, with the help of St. Mauritius!” They were completely defeated. Master Volquin himself, forty-eight order knights and many free crusaders remained at the battle site. The Order was saved only by the fact that Lithuania did not take advantage of its victory and, instead of moving to Livonia, turned against Rus'. After that, the Sword Bearers intensified their requests for a union, which was finally accomplished by their ambassadors with the permission of Gregory IX at his residence of Viterbo, in May 1237. The Livonian knights accepted the charter of the Teutonic Order; they had to change their order cloak with a red sword to a Teutonic white mantle with a black cross on the left shoulder.
The governor of Salz in Prussia, Herman Balk, was appointed the first regional master (landmaster) in Livonia. One of his first acts here was to conclude an agreement with Voldemar II. In the dispute between the order and the Danish king for Estonia, the pope leaned towards the king, and the grandmaster conceded. According to the concluded agreement, the order returned to Denmark the coastal regions of the Gulf of Finland, Verria with the city of Wesenberg and Garria with Revel. In the latter city, Valdemar appointed a special bishop for his Estonian possessions. But he was no longer able to oust the German knights from here, who received lands and various privileges from the order. On the contrary, in order to attract this military class to his side, he tried to satisfy its greed and lust for power with new privileges and rights to enslave the natives. In general, Danish rule existed in that region for about another century, but did not take deep roots. German Balk restored the importance of the Sword Bearers with a successful war with neighboring Novgorod Rus. But soon both he and Grandmaster Salza himself died (1239).
Joint wars of the Teutonic and Livonian orders in the Baltic states
Things got worse for the united order. He had to fight at the same time with Russia, Lithuania and his former ally - the Pomeranian prince Svyatopolk. The new Livonian Landmaster Von Heimburg suffered especially sensitive defeats from the Russian hero Alexander Nevsky. These defeats were accompanied by a desperate uprising of the Kurons and Semigallians. Both tribes, as we have seen, submitted quite easily to German rule and accepted priests. But they soon became convinced that the missionaries' promises to leave their property and personal freedom alone were only empty words, that German rule and German Christianity meant all kinds of extortions and oppression. Taking advantage of the cramped position of the order, the Kurons rebelled; They killed their bishop and those priests whom they had managed to capture, drove out or killed the Germans who had settled among them, and entered into an alliance with the Lithuanian prince Mindaugas. The Semigallians also rebelled behind them.
Dietrich von Grüningen managed to suppress this uprising, whom the new Teutonic grandmaster Heinrich von Hohenlohe appointed Landmaster of Livonia and supplied with significant military funds. The stern, energetic Grüningen crossed the land of the Kurons with fire and sword and forced them to ask for peace with terrible devastation. They had already managed to return to their old gods, but now they were forced to hand over hostages and again perform the rite of baptism (1244). The following year, the war resumed when Mindovg came with the Lithuanian army to the aid of the oppressed. However, in a decisive battle on the heights of Amboten, he was defeated.
Conquests of the Teutonic Order in the Baltic States. Map
Having re-conquered Curonia and Zemgallia, the Germans established their dominion here by fortifying the old native cities and building new stone castles on the outskirts and inside the country at all the most important points. Thus, there arose: Vindava, at the mouth of the river of the same name, Pilten, higher on the right bank of the same river, even higher - Goldingen on its left bank, opposite the place where it forms a picturesque waterfall; then Dondangen and Angernminde on the northern edge of Curonia; Gazenpot, Grobin and the newly fortified Amboten in the south, on the borders with Lithuania, etc. Some of these castles became the residence of commanders and Vogts, i.e. order or episcopal governors, equipped with sufficient armed force to maintain obedience in their districts. In Zemgall around that time there were the German fortresses of Selburg on the left bank of the Dvina and Bauska - on the border with Lithuania, at the confluence of the Musa and Memel. This confluence forms the Aa River (Semigalskaya, or Kuronskaya), on the left bank of which, in the lowlands, the foundation of the Mitavsky Castle was soon laid. With the new conquest of the Kurons and Zemgales, they were already deprived of the rights that were promised to them by the original treaties. The Germans took advantage of the uprising to enslave them completely, i.e. convert into the same serfdom that had already been established in Livonia and Estonia. Thus, the Livonian Order, thanks to its union with the Teutonic Order, managed to strengthen the hitherto shaky German rule in the Baltic region, repel hostile neighbors and completely enslave the native peoples. With the help of the same connection, he almost achieved the goal of his other aspirations: he became more independent in his relationship to episcopal power and to the clergy in general, recognizing over himself only the supreme, very distant power of the emperor and the pope. But his struggle with the bishops, which had subsided during the external danger, was subsequently resumed due to disputed fiefs, income and various privileges.
The city of Riga took a very prominent place in this struggle. Thanks to its advantageous position on a large trade route, as well as close connections with Gotland and the Low German cities, Riga quickly began to grow and become rich. The bishops of Riga, who soon received the archbishop's title, awarded significant citizens for various services with fiefs, or plots of land, in the surrounding area, and endowed the city itself with such privileges that it received almost complete internal self-government. This city government of Riga was modeled after its metropolis, Bremen, and was concentrated in the hands of two guilds, the large or merchant guild and the small or craft guild. Next to them a third guild arose, under the name of the Blackheads; it initially admitted only unmarried citizens who had distinguished themselves in wars with native pagans, and this institution became the core of the city's own armed force. In addition to his civilian militia, he often kept mercenary troops. Having significant military resources, Riga was able to provide its archbishop with very effective assistance in his fight against the order and to some extent balance the forces of these two rivals. Its importance rose even more when it joined the famous Hanseatic League.
Visitors to northeastern Poland, formerly inhabited by warlike Prussian tribes, can see a large number of impressive Gothic-style castles or picturesque ruins. The power of their walls should make tourists wonder about the dark secrets and fascinating stories of this land, which witnessed the rise and fall of the Teutonic Order.
Full name of the order: Order of the Hospital of St. Mary of the German House in Jerusalem (Latin: Ordo domus fratrum Sanctae Mariae hospitalis Theutonicorum in Jerusalem). In Poland, because of the emblem - a black cross on a white background, they were simply and briefly called “people of the cross”. For their lawlessness, robberies and murders of innocent people, the Teutonic Knights are still remembered here in a negative light.
The Teutonic Order was created in Acre during the 3rd Crusade in order to care for the wounded crusaders. The official date of its creation is considered to be 1191 
od when Pope Clement III officially confirmed the existence of the Teutonic Order. Once the Order conquered vast territories around the city, the number of its members increased dramatically. In subsequent years, especially during the time of the Grand Master Hermann von Salza (in the illustration), The activities of the Order went far beyond medical care. The Order wanted to occupy the same economic and political positions as the Knights Templar, and von Salz even dreamed of creating a powerful and independent monastic state. For these purposes it was necessary to find a suitable place in Europe. At first, in the early years of the thirteenth century, the knights of the Order tried to settle in Transylvania, where they were invited by King Andras II of Hungary in order to protect the country from invaders. However, when it turned out that the lands leased to them were transferred by Order as a fief of the Pope, the wise king drove the Teutons out of the country in 1225.
Attacks on Prussia
Then, in 1226, they received another invitation - this time they were called by Conrad, the Polish prince of Mazovia, whose northern lands were constantly attacked by the Prussians, who lived between the lower Vistula and the lower Niemen (in the territory of modern Poland this place is known as Warmian-Masurian voivodeship). These were the warlike tribes of the Balts, who were culturally and linguistically related to the Lithuanians and Latvians.
Prussian tribes in the 13th century
Since neither the Polish princes nor the Cistercians could cope with them in their mission to Christianize the population, 
it seemed that the Knights of the Order were ideally suited to help them in this situation (unfortunately, Prince Conrad did not ask the King of Hungary for advice). The goal was the Christianization of Prussia (but in essence, it was its conquest), so this mission was approved by Emperor Frederick II and Pope Gregory IX. They allowed the Teutons to turn the captured lands into their state, which was to become part of the Roman Empire, and, at the same time, the fief of the Prince of Masovia. In reality, these plans were directed against the intentions of the deceived prince. In the illustration: Prussian soldiers.
The first representatives of the Teutonic Order - they were seven knights led by Herman von Balck - appeared on the territory of Poland in 1230. Having received a lease of land in Chełmno from Conrad, the Teutons founded their first fortified settlement there, which in 1233 received city rights and the name Toruń.
Teutonic castle in Toruń
Having settled in Torun, the knights of the Teutonic Order began the conquest of Prussia. Their plan was based on eliminating the enemy in scattered pockets of resistance, immediately building fortifications on acquired lands, and consolidating the reign of terror. Thanks to these tactics, a well-organized group of castles and fortresses with agricultural and forest estates around them was quickly founded, which were directly controlled by knights and a population of peasants from Masovia. The Czech and German Prussians managed to bravely defend themselves, so the period of conquest of their lands lasted until 1283, after which the tribes destroyed by the Teutons ceased to exist.
Knights of the Teutonic Order
The insatiable religious state, however, did not intend to stop at its conquests and sent an army against Lithuania (to the east) and ... Poland, which entailed far-reaching political consequences for both countries - very undesirable for the state of the Order. Lithuania provided the Order with an ideal justification against accepting Christianity, and in fact, increasing the borders of the Teutonic state. Realizing this danger, Lithuania decided to accept Baptistism from the hands of the Poles and create a Polish-Lithuanian union, which took place in 1385 in the city of Krevo. (As a result, the pagan ruler of Lithuania, Jogaila, married the Polish queen, Jadwiga of Anjou, taking the name Vladislav. He later laid the foundation for a new Polish royal dynasty). This act of the Lithuanians deprived the monastery of the official right to continue the conquest of Lithuania and expand its borders in the east.
State of the Teutonic Order from 1260 to 1410
Conflicts with the Poles
The economic growth policy directed against Poland led to numerous armed conflicts. When in 1308 King Władysław Loketek (Władysław the Short) asked the Knights of the Teutonic Order to help defend the city of Danzig from the Bradenburgers, they turned it - after massacres of the townspeople - into an illegal takeover of Danzig Pomerania (which separated Poland from the Baltic Sea). In 1309, the Teutonic Malbork Castle located there became the residence of the Grand Master.
Malbork Castle, view at the beginning of the 20th century
In 1327, the Order sacked the regions of Kuyavia and Greater Poland, killing women and children; in 1342 the Order's troops reached Poznań. No amount of peace negotiations could convince the Teutons (who had always received the support of the rulers of Western Europe) to return the captured lands, which ultimately led to the outbreak of war in 1409. This war finally destroyed the political and economic power of the Order. It was then that the famous Battle of Grunwald took place (July 14, 1410).
Battle of Grunwald, Jan Matejko
Battle of Grunwald in the film Knights of the Teutonic Order (1960
year)
The Polish-Lithuanian army, led by Vladislav Jagiello, defeated the knights of the Teutonic Order (their Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen was killed right during the battle), but the final collapse of the Order was still far away. In the years from 1414 to 1421 and from 1431 to 1435, other wars took place - as a result of the last war, Prussia was annexed to Poland. But the Order did not give up so easily. Attempts to restore sovereignty led to a new Polish-Teutonic War, which lasted from 1519 to 1521. Another defeat in 1525 forced Grand Master Albert of Hohenzoller to accept Lutheranism, turning the religious state into a secular duchy, and forced him to pay tribute to the Polish king Sigismund the Old.
You should know that since 1327, Livonia (currently Latvia and Estonia) was part of the Teutonic Order, based on the Order of the Brothers of the Sword, and enjoyed a certain autonomy. The alliance with Russia in 1554 led to Polish intervention and, consequently, from 1558 to 1570 the Lithuanian-Russian War. As a result of these events, the Livonian religious state was also secularized, South part became the secular duchy of Courland and Semigallia as a fief of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was led by the last Grand Master, Gotthard Ketler, who founded his own dynasty. The rest of the Order's lands were included in the common borders of Poland and Lithuania, some went to Denmark.
Recent history
“Knights of the Teutonic Order”, Alexander Ford, 1960
The negative stereotype towards the Teutons has persisted to this day. The best evidence is the controversy surrounding the project to reconstruct the statue of Hermann von Bulk in Elbląg, while he was the founder of the city. However, despite the crime, fraud and recklessness, there are also positive sides associated with the Teutonic Order. City layouts according to modern German principles became the model for many newly built Polish cities, such as Warsaw. And the influx of Western knights to fight the pagans introduced Poland to the knightly culture of Western Europe.
Attractions
The castles of the Teutonic Order that remain today, or their impressive ruins, attract large numbers of tourists to north-eastern Poland. They were built of brick (and later stone) in the Gothic style, combining monasteries and fortresses, making them unique in Europe. They are built on small hills, often next to rivers or lakes, usually in a quadrangle shape. The largest Polish, as well as European, medieval fortress is the castle of the Teutonic Order in the city of Malbork - fortified so much that it is impossible to get close to it (even King Jagiello could not capture it during the Battle of Grunwald). Other important fortresses are the castles in the towns of Gniew, Kwidzyn, Golub Dobrzyn, Bytów, Frombork, Lidzbark Warmiński, Pasłęk, Morag, Dzialdowo, Nidzica, Szczytno, Kętrzyn, Barcyany and Węgorzewo.
Castle in Kętrzyn / photorodzinna-turystyka.pl
Today, many of them are not only museums, but also modern hotels, places of concentration of Knightly Brotherhoods. In the summer, various historical events take place here, shows such as “Light and Sound”, tournaments, and in Malbork - a reconstruction of the siege of the city. Many castles are associated with interesting legends, and sometimes at midnight the frightening spirits of deceased knights of the Teutonic Order can appear here.
Medieval Festival of Masuria, 2010 – tournament of knights in the castle in the city of Ryn / photo:rodzinna-turystyka.pl
The most important outdoor event is the annual reenactment of the Battle of Grunwald/ grunwald1410.pl
Renata Glushek
Translation into Russian: Anna Dedyukhina
Warband was a German, knightly community with a spiritual ideology, which was formed at the end 12th century.
According to one version, the founder of the order was a noble duke Frederick of Swabia November 19, 1190. During this period, he captured Acre fortress V Israel, where hospital residents found a permanent home for him. According to another version, at the moment when the Teutons captured Acre, a hospital was organized. Ultimately, Frederick transformed it into a spiritual knightly order led by the clergyman Conrad. IN 1198 the community of knights was finally established under the name spiritual- knightly order. Many spiritual figures of the Templars and Hospitallers, as well as clergy from Jerusalem, arrived at the solemn event.
The main goal of the Teutonic Order was to protect local knights, heal the sick and fight heretics who, by their actions, contradicted the tenets of the Catholic Church. The most important leaders of the German community were Pope And Holy Roman Emperor.
IN 1212-1220. The Teutonic Order was moved from Israel to Germany
, in town Eschenbach, which belonged to the lands of Bavaria. Such an initiative came to the mind of Count Boppo von Wertheim and he turned his idea into reality with the permission of the church. Now the spiritual knightly order began to rightfully be considered German.
By this time, the success of the knightly order began to bring great enrichment and glory. Such a merit could not have been achieved without the Grand Master Hermann von Salza. In Western countries, many fans of the Teutons are beginning to appear, wanting to take advantage of the mighty strength and military power of the German knights. So, Hungarian King Andras II turned to the Teutonic Order for help in the fight against the Cumans. Thanks to this, German soldiers gained autonomy in the lands of Burzenland, southeastern Transylvania. Here the Teutons built 5 famous castles: Schwarzenburg, Marienburg, Kreuzburg, Kronstadt and Rosenau. With such protective support and support, the cleansing of the Polovtsians was carried out at an accelerated pace. In 1225, the Hungarian nobility and their king became very jealous of the Teutonic Order. This led to numerous evictions from Hungary, with only a small number of Germans remaining, joining the Saxons.
The Teutonic Order was involved in the fight against the Prussian pagans in 1217 who began to seize Polish lands. Prince of Poland, Konrad Mazowiecki, asked for help from the Teutonic Knights, in return, promising the captured lands, as well as the cities of Kulm and Dobryn. Sphere of influence began in 1232
, when the first fortress was built near the Vistula River. This justification marked the beginning of the construction of the city of Thorn. Following this, numerous castles began to be erected in the northern regions of Poland. These included: Velun, Kandau, Durben, Velau, Tilsit, Ragnit, Georgenburg, Marienwerder, Barga and famous Koenigsberg. The Prussian army was larger than the Teutonic one, but the Germans cunningly entered into battles with small detachments and lured many to their side. Thus, the Teutonic Order was able to defeat them, even despite the assistance of the enemy from the Lithuanians and the Pomeranians.
The Teutons also invaded Russian lands, taking advantage of the moment of their weakening from the Mongol oppressors. Gathering a united army Baltic And Danish crusaders, and also inspired by the instructions of the Catholic Pope, the German order attacked Pskov possessions of Rus' and captured village Izborsk. Pskov was under siege for a long time, and later was finally captured. The reason for this was the betrayal of many Russian residents of this region. IN Novgorodskiy lands, the crusaders built a fortress Koporye
. Russian sovereign Alexander Nevskiy, during the battles liberated this fortress. And ultimately, united with Vladimir reinforcements, he returned Pskov to Rus' in a decisive Battle on the Ice April 5, 1242 on Lake Peipsi
. The Teutonic troops were defeated. The decisive defeat forced the order to leave the Russian lands.
Ultimately, the Teutonic Order began to weaken and significantly lose its power.
The constant influence of the German invaders, aggressive Lithuania And Poland against the order . Polish Army And Principality of Lithuania forced the Teutons to suffer defeat at the Battle of Grunwald July 15, 1410. Half of the army of the Teutonic Order was destroyed, captured, and the main commanders were killed.
Brief historical sketch
© Guy Stair Sainty
© Translation from English and additions by Yu.Veremeev
From the translator. For us in Russia, the Teutonic Order is clearly associated with German knights, crusaders, Germany, German expansion to the east, the battle of Prince Alexander Nevsky on Lake Peipsi with the dog knights, and the aggressive aspirations of the Prussians against Russia. The Teutonic Order is a kind of synonym for Germany for us. However, this is not entirely true. The Order and Germany are far from the same thing. The historical essay offered to the reader by Guy Steyr Santi, translated from English with additions made by the translator, traces the history of the Teutonic Order from its inception to the present day. Yes Yes! The order still exists today.
The translator in some places provides explanations about moments little known to the Russian reader, and has provided the text with illustrations, additions and corrections from other historical sources.
Some explanations and information are given before the text of the essay begins. In addition, the translator encountered certain difficulties in translating proper names, names of a number of places and settlements, locks. The fact is that these names are very different in English, German, Russian, Polish. Therefore, whenever possible, names and titles are given in translation and in the original language (English) or German, Polish.
First of all, about the name of this organization.
Official name in Latin (since this organization was created as a Catholic religious organization, and Latin is the official language of the Catholic Church) Fratrum Theutonicorum ecclesiae S. Mariae Hiersolymitanae.
Second official name in Latin Ordo domus Sanctae Mariae Teutonicorum in Jerusalem
In Russian -
Full name in German - Bruder und Schwestern vom Deutschen Haus Sankt Mariens in Jerusalem
-the first version of the abbreviated name in German - Der Teutschen Orden
- a common variant in German - Der Deutsche Orden.
In English - The Teutonuc Order of Holy Mary in Jerusalem.
In French - de L"Ordre Teutonique our de Sainte Marie de Jerusalem.
In Czech and Polish - Ordo Teutonicus.
The highest leaders in the Order in various circumstances and at various times bore the following names (titles):
Meister. It is translated into Russian as “master”, “leader”, “head”. In Russian historical literature the term "master" is usually used.
Gross Meister. It is translated into Russian as “great master”, “great master”, “supreme leader”, “supreme leader”. In Russian historical literature, the German word itself is usually used in Russian transcription “Grandmaster” or “Grand Master”.
Administratoren des Hochmeisteramptes in Preussen, Meister teutschen Ordens in teutschen und walschen Landen. This long title can be translated as "Administrator of the Chief Magistrate in Prussia, Master of the Teutonic Order in the Teutonic and controlled Lands (Regions)."
Hoch- und Deutschmeister. Can be translated as "High Master and Master of Germany"
Hochmeister. Can be translated into Russian as “Grand Master”, but is more often used in transcription as “Hochmeister”
Other senior leaders in the Order:
Commandeur. In Russian the term “commander” is used, although the essence of this word means “commander”, “commander”.
Capitularies. It is not translated into Russian, it is transcribed as “capitulier”. The essence of the title is the head of the chapter (meeting, conference, commission).
Rathsgebietiger. Can be translated as "member of the Council."
Deutschherrenmeister. It is not translated into Russian. Means roughly "Chief Master of Germany".
Balleimeister. It can be translated into Russian as “master of the estate (possession).”
Other titles in German:
Fuerst. Translated into Russian as "prince", but the word "duke" is often used to denote foreign titles of similar rank.
Kurfuerst. It is translated into Russian as “Grand Duke”, but also in Russian historical literature the words “Archduke”, “Elector” are used.
Koenig. King.
Herzog. Duke
Erzherzog. Archduke
Motto of the Teutonic Order: "Helfen - Wehren - Heilen"(Help-Protect-Treat)
The highest leaders of the Order (known to the author of the essay and the translator):
1. 19.2.1191-1200 Heinrich von Walpot (Rhineland)
2. 1200- 1208 Otto von Kerpen (Bremen)
3. 1208-1209 Herman Bart (Holstein)
4. 1209-1239 Herman von Salza (Meissen)
5. 1239- 9.4.1241 Conrad Landgraf von Thuringen
6. 1241 -1244 Gerhard von Mahlberg
7. 1244-1249 Heinrich von Hohenlohe
8. 1249-1253 Gunther von Wüllersleben
9. 1253-1257 Popon von Osterna
10. 1257-1274 Annon von Sangershausen
11. 1274-1283 Hartman von Heldrungen
12.1283-1290 Burchard von Schwanden
13. 1291 -1297 Conrad von Feuchtwangen
14. 1297 - 1303 Godfrey von Hohenlohe
15. 1303-1311 Siegfried von Feuchtwangen
16. 1311-1324 Card von Trier
17. 1324-1331 Werner von Orslen
18. 1331-1335 Luther von Brunswick
19. 1335-1341 Dietrich von Altenburg
20. 1341-1345 Ludolf König
21. 1345 -1351 Heinrich Duesemer
22. 1351-1382 Winrich von Kniprode
23. 1382-1390 Konrad Zollner von Rothenstein.
24. 1391-1393 Conrad von Wallenrod
25. 1393-1407 Conrad von Jungingen
26. 1407 -15.7.1410 Ulrich von Jungingen
27. 1410 - 1413 Heinrich (Reuss) von Plauen
28. 1413-1422 Michel Küchmeister
29. 1422- 1441 Paul von Russdorff
30. 1441- 1449 Konrad von Erlichshausegn
31. 1450-1467 Ludwig von Erlichshausen
32. 1469-1470 Heinrich Reus von Plauen
33. 1470-1477 Heinrich von Richtenberg (Heinrich von Richtenberg)
34. 1477-1489 Martin Truchsez von Wetzhausen
35. 1489- 1497 Johann von Tiefen
36. 1498 -1510 Furst Friedrich Sachsisch (Prince Friedrich of Saxony)
37. 13.2.1511- 1525 Markgraf Albrecht von Hohenzollern (Brandenburg)
38. 1525 -16.12.1526 Walther von Plettenberg
39. 12/16/1526 -? Walther von Cronberg
40. ? - 1559 von Furstenberg
41. 1559 -5.3.1562 Gothard Kettler
42. 1572-1589 Heinrich von Bobenhausen
43. 1589- 1619 Ezherzog Maximilian Habsburg (Archduke Maximilian)
44. 1619- ? Erzherzog Karl Habsburg (Archduke Karl Habsburg)
?. ?-? ?
?. 1802 - 1804 Erzherzog Carl-Ludwig Habsburg (Archduke Karl-Ludwig)
?. 30.6.1804 -3.4.1835 Erzgerzog Anton Habsburg (Archduke Anton Habsburg)
?. 1835-1863 Erzperzog Maximilian Austria-Este (Habsburg)
?. 1863-1894 Erzherzog Wilhelm (Habsburg)
?. ? -1923 Erzherzog Eugen (Habsburg)
?. 1923 - ? Monsignor Norbert Klein
? ?- 1985 Ildefons Pauler
? 1985 - Arnold Wieland
Part I
Forerunner of the Order was a hospital founded by German pilgrims and crusader knights between 1120 and 1128, but destroyed after the fall of Jerusalem in 1187 during the Second Crusade.
With the arrival two years later of the knights of the Third Crusade (1190-1193), many of whom were Germans, a new hospital was formed near the Syrian fortress of Saint Jean d'Acre for the soldiers who were wounded during the siege. the fortress in Russian historical literature is called Acre, Acre, in English Acre. It was taken by the knights in 1191. The hospital was built on the land of St. Nicholas from planks and sails of ships that transported participants in the campaign to the Holy Land. (The creators of the hospital were chaplain Conrad and Canon Voorchard. Translator's Note) Although this hospital had no connection with the earlier hospital, its example may have inspired them to restore Christian rule in Jerusalem. They adopted the name of the city as part of their name, along with Our Lady Mary, whom they considered The Knights later proclaimed Saint Elizabeth of Hungary as their patron after her canonization in 1235, and, as was the custom of many knights, also proclaimed Saint John as their patron, as the patron of nobility and chivalry.
The new institution with the status of a spiritual order was approved by one of the German knightly leaders, Prince Frederick of Swabia (Furst Frederick von Swabia) November 19, 1190, and after the capture of the Acre fortress, the founders of the hospital found a permanent place for it in the city.
According to another version, during the 3rd Crusade, when Acre was besieged by the knights, merchants from Lübeck and Bremen founded a field hospital. Duke Frederick of Swabia transformed the hospital into a spiritual Order, headed by Chaplain Conrad. The order was subordinate to the local bishop and was a branch of the Johannite Order.
Pope Clement III established the Order as "fratrum Theutonicorum ecclesiae S. Mariae Hiersolymitanae" by a papal bull of February 6, 1191.
5 March 1196 In the temple of Acre, a ceremony was held to reorganize the Order into a spiritual-knightly Order.
The ceremony was attended by the Masters of the Hospitallers and Templars, as well as secular and clergy of Jerusalem. Pope Innocent III confirmed this event with a bull dated February 19, 1199, and defined the tasks of the Order: protecting the German knights, treating the sick, fighting the enemies of the Catholic Church. The Order was subject to the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor.
Over the course of several years, the Order developed into a Religious Armed Forces comparable to the Order of Hospitallers and the Order of the Templars, although initially it was subordinate to the Master of the Hospital (Der Meister des Lazarettes). This submission was confirmed by a bull of Pope Gregory IX dated January 12, 1240, entitled "fratres hospitalis S. Mariae Theutonicorum in Accon." The Germanic character of this new hospital Order and its protection by the German Emperor and the German Dukes gave it the opportunity to gradually assert its actual independence from the Order of the Johannites (translator's note - also known as the Hospitallers). The first imperial decree came from the German king Otto IV, who took the Order under his protection on May 10, 1213, and this was followed almost immediately by further confirmation by King Frederick II of Jerusalem on September 5, 1214. These imperial confirmations strengthened the independence of the Teutonic Knights from the Hospitallers. In the mid-fourteenth century this independence was confirmed by the Papal See.
Approximately forty knights were accepted into the new Order at its founding by King Frederick of Swabia of Jerusalem (Frederick von Swabia), who chose their first Master on behalf of the Pope and Emperor. (From the translator. The picture shows the coat of arms of the Master of the Order). Knights of the new brotherhood were required to be of German blood (although this rule was not always observed), which was unusual for the Crusader Orders based in the Holy Land. They were chosen from among the noble class, although this latter obligation was not formally included in the rule initially. Their uniform was a blue mantle (cloak), with a black Latin cross, worn over a white tunic, recognized by the Patriarch of Jerusalem and confirmed by the Pope in 1211. (From the translator. - In the picture there is a Latin cross worn by the knights of the Teutonic Order on their cloaks)
The waves of German knights and pilgrims who participated in the Third Crusade brought significant wealth to the new German Hospital as newcomers. This enabled the knights to acquire the Joscelin estate and soon build the fortress of Montfort (lost in 1271), a rival to the great fortress of Krak des Chevaliers. Not so numerous in the Holy Land compared to the Templars, the Teutonic Knights nevertheless possessed enormous power.
First Master of the Order Heinrich von Walpot (died 1200), was from the Rhineland. He drew up the first statutes of the Order in 1199, which were approved by Pope Innocent III in the bull "Sacrosancta romana" of February 19, 1199. They divided the members into two classes: knights and priests, who were required to take three monastic vows - poverty, celibacy and obedience - as well as promise to help the sick and fight unbelievers. Unlike knights, who from the beginning of the thirteenth century had to prove "ancient nobility", priests were exempt from this obligation. Their function was to celebrate Holy Mass and other religious services, to give communion to knights and the sick in hospitals and to follow them as doctors to war. Priests of the Order could not become masters, commanders or vice-commanders in Lithuania or Prussia (i.e. where the fighting took place. Translator's note), but could become commanders in Germany. Later, a third class was added to these two ranks - service staff(Sergeants, or Graumantler), who wore similar clothing, but in a grayer shade than pure blue and had only three parts of the cross on their clothing to indicate that they were not actual members of the fraternity.
The knights lived together in bedrooms on simple beds, ate together in the dining room, and had no more than enough money. Their clothing and armor were similarly simple but practical, and they worked daily to train for battle, maintain their equipment, and work with their horses. The Master - the title of Grand Master appeared later - was elected, as in the Order of the Johannites, and as in other Orders his rights were limited to the knights. The master's representative, the (chief) commander, to whom the priests were subordinate, governed the Order in his absence. The marshal (chief), also subordinate to the master, was the superior officer in command of the knights and regular troops, and was responsible for ensuring that they were properly equipped. The hospitalier (chief) was responsible for the sick and wounded, the drapier was responsible for construction and clothing, the treasurer managed property and finances. Each of these latter leaders was elected for a short term, changing annually. As the Order spread throughout Europe, it became necessary to appoint provincial masters for Germany, Prussia and later Livonia with corresponding chief leaders.
Walpot was succeeded by Otto von Kerpen from Bremen and the third was Herman Bart from Holstein, which suggests that the knights of the Order came from all over Germany. The most prominent early master was the fourth, Herman von Salza (1209-1239) from near Meissen, who greatly strengthened the prestige of the Order with his diplomatic measures. His mediation in conflicts between the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor ensured the Order the patronage of both, increasing the number of knights, giving it wealth and property. During his administration the Order received no less than thirty-two Papal confirmations or grants of privileges and no less than thirteen Imperial confirmations. Master Salz's influence extended from Slovenia (then Styria), through Saxony (Thuringia), Hesse, Franconia, Bavaria and Tyrol, with castles in Prague and Vienna. There were also possessions on the borders of the Byzantine Empire, in Greece and in present-day Romania. By the time of his death, the Order's influence extended from the Netherlands in the north to the west of the Holy Roman Empire, southwest to France, Switzerland, further south to Spain and Sicily, and east to Prussia. Salz received a golden cross from the King of Jerusalem as a sign of his supremacy, following the outstanding conduct of the knights at the siege of Damietta in 1219.
By imperial decree of January 23, 1214, the grandmaster and his representatives were given the rights of the Imperial Court; as owners of direct fiefs, they enjoyed a seat on the Imperial Council with princely rank from 1226/27. The princely rank was subsequently awarded to the Master of Germany and, after the loss of Prussia, to the Master of Livonia.
The presence of the Order in medieval Europe enabled it to play a significant role in local political events. Despite the restriction of affiliation with the German aristocracy, German rule extended into Italy, and especially into Sicily under the German kings Henry VI and Frederick II Barbarossa, who established convents of the Order in places distant from Germany. Sicily was ruled by the Saracens until its conquest by the Norman Hauteville dynasty, but with the collapse of that dynasty it came under the rule of the German dukes.
The first Teutonic hospital of St. Thomas in Sicily was confirmed by the German Emperor Henry VI in 1197, and in the same year the Emperor and Empress granted the knights' request for possession of the Church of Santa Trinita in Palermo.
The Teutonic Knights initially established themselves in Eastern Europe in 1211 after King Andrew of Hungary invited the knights to settle on the border of Transylvania. The warlike Huns (Pechenegs), who also plagued the Byzantine Empire in the south, were a constant threat, and the Hungarians hoped that the knights would provide support against them. King Andrew granted them significant autonomy in the lands for Christian missionary work, but considered their excessive demands for greater independence unacceptable, and in 1225 he demanded that the knights leave his lands.
In 1217, Pope Honorius III declared a crusade against the Prussian pagans. The lands of the Polish prince Conrad of Masovia were overrun by these barbarians and in 1225, desperate for help, he asked the Teutonic Knights to come to his aid. He promised the master the possession of the cities of Culm and Dobrzin, which the master of Salza accepted on the condition that the knights could retain any Prussian territories captured by the Order.
Granted by the Holy Roman Emperor to the masters of the order, the Royal Rank in 1226/27 in the Golden Bull gave the knights sovereignty over any lands they captured and fixed as direct fiefs of the empire.
In 1230, the Order built Neshava Castle on Kulm land, where 100 knights were stationed, who began to attack the Prussian tribes. Between 1231 and 1242, 40 stone castles were built. Near the castles (Elbing, Königsberg, Kulm, Thorn) German cities - members of the Hansa - were formed. Until 1283, the Order, with the help of German, Polish and other feudal lords, captured the lands of the Prussians, Yotvings, and Western Lithuanians and occupied territories as far as the Neman. The war to drive out the pagan tribes from Prussia alone continued for fifty years. The war was started by a detachment of crusaders, led by Landmaster Hermann von Balck. In 1230 the detachment settled in the Masurian castle of Nieszawa and its surroundings. In 1231, the knights crossed to the right bank of the Vistula and broke the resistance of the Prussian Pemeden tribe, built the castles of Thorn (Torun) (1231) and Kulm (Chelmen, Kholm, Chelmno) (1232) and until 1234 fortified themselves on the Kulm land. From there, the Order began to attack neighboring Prussian lands. In the summer, the crusaders tried to devastate the captured area, defeat the Prussians in the open field, occupy and destroy their castles, and also build their own in strategically important places. When winter approached, the knights returned home and left their garrisons in the built castles. The Prussian tribes defended themselves individually, sometimes united (during the uprisings of 1242 - 1249 and 1260 - 1274), but they never managed to free themselves from the rule of the Order. In 1233 - 1237 the crusaders conquered the lands of the Pamedens, in 1237 - the Pagudens. In 1238 they occupied the Prussian stronghold of Honeda and built Balgu Castle in its place. Near it, in 1240, the united army of the Warm, Notang and Bart Prussians was defeated. In 1241, the Prussians of these lands recognized the power of the Teutonic Order.
The new campaign of the knights was caused by the Prussian uprising of 1242 - 1249. The uprising occurred due to violations by the Order of the treaty, according to which representatives of the Prussians had the right to take part in managing the affairs of the lands. The rebels entered into an alliance with the East Pomeranian prince Świętopelk. The allies liberated part of Bartia, Notangia, Pagudia, devastated the Kulm land, but were unable to take the castles of Thorn, Kulm, and Reden. Having been defeated several times, Świętopelk concluded a truce with the Order. On June 15, 1243, the rebels defeated the crusaders at the Osa (a tributary of the Vistula). About 400 soldiers died, including the marshal. At the Council of 1245 in Lyon, representatives of the rebels demanded that the Catholic Church stop supporting the Order. However, the church did not listen to them, and already in 1247 a huge army of knights of various Orders arrived in Prussia. At the request of the Pope, Świętopelk concluded peace with the Order on November 24, 1248.
On February 7, 1249, the Order (represented by assistant grandmaster Heinrich von Wiede) and the Prussian rebels entered into an agreement at Christburg Castle. The mediator was the Archdeacon of Lezh, Jacob, with the approval of the Pope. The agreement stated that the Pope would grant freedom and the right to become priests to the Prussians who had converted to Christianity. Baptized Prussian feudal lords could become knights. Baptized Prussians were given the right to inherit, acquire, change and bequeath their movable and immovable property. Real estate could only be sold to peers - Prussians, Germans, Pomeranians, but it was necessary to leave a deposit for the Order so that the seller would not run away to the pagans or other enemies of the Order. If a Prussian had no heirs, his land became the property of the Order or the feudal lord on whose land he lived. The Prussians received the right to sue and be defendants. Only a church marriage was considered a legal marriage, and only one born from this marriage could become an heir. The Pamedens promised in 1249 to build 13 Catholic churches, the Varmas - 6, the Notangs - 3. They also pledged to provide each church with 8 ubes of land, pay tithes, and baptize their compatriots within a month. Parents who did not baptize their child should have their property confiscated, and unbaptized adults should be expelled from places where Christians live. The Prussians promised not to conclude treaties against the Order and to participate in all its campaigns. The rights and freedoms of the Prussians were to last until the Prussians violated their obligations.
After the suppression of the uprising, the crusaders continued to attack the Prussians. The Prussian uprising of 1260 - 1274 was also suppressed. Although on November 30 at Kryukai the Prussians defeated the crusaders (54 knights died), until 1252 - 1253 the resistance of the Warm, Notang and Bart Prussians was broken. In 1252 - 1253 the crusaders began to attack the Sembians.
The largest campaign against them under the command of Přemysl II Otakar took place in 1255. During the campaign, on the site of the Semb town of Tvankste (Tvangeste), the knights built the Königsberg fortress, around which the city soon grew.
Until 1257, all the lands of the Sembians were captured, and ten years later - the whole of Prussia. Soon the Great Prussian Uprising broke out, and wars with Western Lithuanians continued. The strengthening of the Order's power in northeastern Europe continued for one hundred and sixty years before the start of the Polish-Lithuanian intervention. This crusade was very costly for the peoples and took the lives of thousands of knights and soldiers.
The merger of the Teutonic Order with the Knights of the Sword (or Knights of Christ as they were sometimes called) in 1237 was of great significance. The Knights of the Sword were smaller in number, but they were more of a military brotherhood, founded in Livonia in 1202. The founder of the Order of the Swordsmen is Bishop Albert von Appeldern of Riga. The official name of the Order is "Brothers of Christ's Knighthood" (Fratres militiae Christi). The Order was guided by the laws of the Templar Order. Members of the Order were divided into knights, priests and servants. Knights most often came from families of small feudal lords (most of them were from Saxony). Their uniform is a white cloak with a red cross and sword. Servants (squires, artisans, servants, messengers) were from free people and townspeople. The head of the order was the master; the most important affairs of the order were decided by the chapter. The first master of the order was Winno von Rohrbach (1202 - 1208), the second and last was Folkwin von Winterstatten (1208 - 1236). The Swordsmen built castles in the occupied territories. The castle was the center of an administrative division - castelatury. According to the agreement of 1207, 2/3 of the captured lands remained under the rule of the Order, the rest was transferred to the bishops of Riga, Ezel, Dorpat and Courland.
They were initially subordinate to the Archbishop of Riga, but, with the unification of Livonia and Estonia, which they ruled as sovereign states, they became quite independent. The disastrous defeat they suffered at the Battle of Sauler on 22 September 1236, when they lost about a third of their knights, including their master, left them in an uncertain position.
The remnants of the Swordsmen were annexed to the Teutonic Order in 1237, and its branch in Livonia was called the Livonian Order. The official name is the Order of St. Mary of the German House in Livonia (Ordo domus sanctae Mariae Teutonicorum in Livonia). Sometimes the knights of the Livonian Order are called Livonian crusaders. At first, the Livonian Order was closely connected with the center in Prussia. Union with the Teutonic Order ensured their survival, and henceforth they had the status of a semi-autonomous region. The new Master of Livonia now became the Provincial Master of the Teutonic Order, and the united knights adopted the Teutonic insignia.
The earliest Livonian knights came mainly from the south of Germany. But, after joining with the Teutonic Order, the Livonian knights increasingly came from areas in which the Teutonic knights had a significant presence, mainly from Westphalia. There were virtually no knights from local families, and most of the knights served in the East, spending several years there before returning to the Order's castles in Germany, Prussia, or before the loss of Acre in Palestine. It was only from the mid-fourteenth century that it became generally accepted to appoint a Master of Livonia when the rule of the Teutonic Order was more settled and service there became less onerous. However, by the middle of the 15th century, a struggle began within the Livonian Order between supporters of the Teutonic Order (the so-called Rhine Party) and supporters of independence (the Westphalian Party). When the Westphalian Party won, the Livonian Order practically became independent of the Teutonic Order.
Master Salza died after these campaigns and was buried at Barletta, in Apulia; and his short-lived successor Conrad Landgraf von Thuringen commanded the knights in Prussia and died three months later after receiving terrible wounds at the battle of Whalstadt (April 9, 1241) after only one year as master.
The reign of the fifth Master was short-lived, but his successor Heinrich von Hohenlohe (1244-1253) ruled the Order very successfully, receiving confirmation from the Holy Roman Emperor in 1245 of the possession of Livonia, Courland and Samogitia. Under Master Hohenlohe, the knights received a number of privileges regulating the rule and exclusive use of possessions in Prussia.
He also built the Order's castle Marienburg (Malbork, Mergentheim, Marienthal) the order's capital in West Prussia, which he and his colleague conquered for the Order in 1219. In accordance with the grant of August 20, 1250, Saint Louis IX of France granted four gold "fleurs lys" to be placed at each extreme point of the Master's Cross.
Under the eighth Master Popon von Osterna (1253-1262), the Order significantly strengthened its rule in Prussia, establishing rule over Sambia. The process of resettlement of peasants from Germany to Prussia accelerated after the Order created a more orderly administrative division of its lands and appointed feudal stewards from among the knights for each administrative unit.
Under the next master Annon von Sangershausen (1262-1274), the privileges of the Order were confirmed by Emperor Rudolf Habsburg, and in addition, the knights were allowed by the Pope to retain their possessions and property after the end of their service. This was an important privilege because it ensured that the lands were replenished by sedentary knights, who had previously been unable to alienate property due to their vows. They were also allowed to engage directly in trade, previously prohibited by their vow of poverty. Another privilege of 1263 secured them a valuable monopoly of the grain trade in Prussia.
The Order did not adhere to the Peace of Christburg with the Prussians. This provoked an uprising that began on September 20, 1260. It quickly spread to all Prussian lands except Pamedia. The uprising was led by local leaders: in Bartia - Divonis Lokis, in Pagudia - Auktuma, in Sembia - Glandas, in Warmia - Glapas, the most prominent was the leader of Notangia Hercus Mantas. In 1260 - 1264 the initiative was in the hands of the rebels: they set fire to German estates, churches, and castles of the Order. On January 22, 1261, the troops of Hercus Mantas defeated the army of the Order near Königsberg. The rebels occupied a number of small castles, but were unable to capture the strategically important Thorn, Königsberg, Kulm, Balga, and Elbing. In the summer of 1262, the Lithuanian troops of Treneta and Šwarnas attacked Mazovia, an ally of the Order, and the land of Kulma and Pamedia that remained under the rule of the Order. In the spring of 1262, near Lyubava, Herkus Mantas defeated the crusaders. Since 1263, the rebels no longer received help from Lithuania, since internecine wars began there. But from 1265 the Order began to receive help from Germany - many knights rode to protect the crusaders. Before 1270, the Order suppressed the uprising in Sembia, where some of the Prussian feudal lords went over to the side of the crusaders. In 1271, the Barts and Pageduns defeated the army of the Order at the Zirguny River (12 knights and 500 warriors were killed). In 1272 - 1273 the Yotvings under the command of Skomantas plundered the Kulm land. Exhausted by the long uprising, the Prussians could no longer resist the soldiers of the Order, which were replenished every day. The uprising lasted the longest, until 1274, in Pagudiya.
By the end of the thirteenth century, with the capture of a compactly located large territory of Prussia, the Teutonic Order actually became a state, although its vast possessions were also found throughout Europe.
After the death of the tenth Master Hartman von Heldrungen in 1283, the Order was firmly entrenched in Prussia, having great amount subjects from among the newly converted Christians. Moving eastward, the knights built many castles and fortresses, which required good garrisons and maintenance. This became an increasingly burdensome burden on the civilian population (mostly peasants) who needed men to work their fields and farms. Numerous duties (construction and maintenance of castles) distracted young people from working on the land. Their participation as foot soldiers in numerous campaigns of knights led to catastrophic losses among the common population. This led to frequent uprisings against the rule of the knights. For the uprisings, the knights turned the Lithuanians into slaves or subjected them to terrible executions. The enslavement of pagan prisoners by knights was considered completely acceptable, because... non-Christians were not seen as people with rights. These slaves were then used to supplement the local labor force, and often, instead of paying for work, soldiering, or providing land, German peasants were settled with prisoners. By enslaving Lithuanian prisoners, they received many of the necessary physical laborers, but with their adoption of Christianity, this opportunity to replenish free labor was lost, and the Order could no longer pay the soldiers for their service and the peasants for their supplies of food.
While the Teutonic Knights fulfilled their main role in the Christianization of northeastern Europe, they began to pay little attention to its southeastern borders. In the second quarter of the thirteenth century, Europe faced the horror of the threat of Mongol invasion. Their spread westward from their barren homeland between China and Russia was terrible for those caught in their path. They had no respect for the civilians, who suffered terribly from them. They destroyed cities, stole livestock, killed men, and raped or killed women. In 1240 they besieged and destroyed the magnificent city of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and from there they moved towards Poland and Hungary. The Teutonic Knights could not pay due attention to this struggle even when in 1260, in alliance with the Russian Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, the Order decided to defeat the Mongol hordes. Unfortunately, throughout Eastern Europe their rule meant that the knights were often forced to deal with revolts in their lands, especially in Prussia. Each time a crusade was declared against the Mongols, the knights had to return to defend their own territories from internal rebellion or Lithuanian persecution.
Together with other crusaders and Christian kingdoms during the next crusade in the Holy Land, the knights of the Order suffered huge losses at the battle of Sephet in 1265, defending the monastery of Montfort. Even after making peace with the Templars and Hospitallers - with whom they had often quarreled during the previous half century - the Order's position did not improve.
In 1291, after the loss of the fortress of Acre, which until then could be considered the capital of the Order, the knights retreated first to the island of Cyprus and then to Venice, where they recruited a small group of Italian knights in their commandery of Santa Trinita, which temporarily until 1309 year became the main capital of the Order. Then the residence of the Grand Master moves to Marienburg Castle (Malbork, Mergentheim, Marienthal, Marienburg) in West Prussia, built back in 1219. 2/3 of the lands were divided into komturias, 1/3 were under the authority of the bishops of Kulm, Pamed, Semb and Varm. Their master, Conrad von Feuchtwangen, who had previously been a provincial master in Prussia and Livonia, was fortunately in Acre when he was elected and was able to demonstrate his general abilities to his fellow knights by fighting the barbarians of Prussia. These efforts proved insufficient. He combined them with his wanderings and spent his last years trying to extinguish the discord between the provincial owners, which determined the partitions of later years.
After his death in 1297, the Order was led by Godfrey von Hohenlohe, whose reign was marred by quarrels among his subordinates, while the struggle against the pagans extended into Lithuania.
From 1283, to spread Christianity, the Order began to attack Lithuania. He sought to capture Samogitia and lands from the Neman in order to unite Prussia and Livonia. The strongholds of the Order were the castles of Ragnit, Christmemel, Bayerburg, Marienburg and Jurgenburg located near the Neman. Until the beginning of the 14th century. both sides staged small attacks on each other. The largest battles were the Battle of Medininka (1320) and the defense of the city of Pilenai (1336).
The Battle of Medinik took place on July 27, 1320. The Order's army consisted of 40 knights, the Memel garrison and the conquered Prussians. The army was commanded by Marshal Heinrich Plock. The army attacked the Medinin lands and some of the crusaders went to plunder the surrounding area. At this time, the Samogitians unexpectedly struck the main forces of the enemy. The marshal, 29 knights, and many Prussians died. The Order did not attack the Medinin lands until the truce with Gediminas was concluded in 1324 - 1328.
Defense of the city of Pilenai. In February 1336, the Lithuanians defended themselves against the crusaders and their allies at Pilenai Castle. Pilenai is often identified with the Puna settlement, but most likely it was in the lower reaches of the Neman. On February 24, the crusaders and their allies surrounded Pilenai. The army was commanded by Grandmaster Dietrich von Altenburg. According to the chronicle of the crusaders, there were 4,000 people in the castle, led by Prince Margiris. A fire started. After a few days, the defenders of the castle were no longer able to defend themselves. They made a fire, threw all their property there, then killed the children, the sick and wounded, threw them into the fire and died themselves. Margiris stabbed himself in the basement, after stabbing his wife. The castle burned down. The crusaders and their allies returned to Prussia.
The Order also attacked Poland. In 1308 - 1309, Eastern Pomerania with Danzig was captured, 1329 - Dobrzyn lands, 1332 - Kuyavia. In 1328, the Livonian Order handed over Memel and its surroundings to the Teutons. The crusade to Christianize Eastern Europe was complicated by some of the local rulers, especially the kings of Poland, who feared the power of the Order, and in 1325 Poland entered into an alliance directly with the pagan Grand Duke of Lithuania, Gediminas.
In 1343, according to the Treaty of Kalisz, the Order returned the occupied lands to Poland (except for Pomerania) and concentrated all its forces on the fight against Lithuania. In 1346, the Order acquired Northern Estonia from Denmark and transferred it to the Livonian Order. Fortunately, in 1343 Poland and the Order were in equal strength and while the Lithuanians resumed the fight against the Order with all the forces at their disposal, the knights were ready.
On February 2, 1348, a battle took place near the Streva River between the crusaders and Lithuanians. The army of the Order (the number of warriors, according to various sources, ranges from 800 to 40,000 people) under the command of Grand Marshal Siegfried von Dachenfeld invaded Aukštaitija on January 24 and plundered it. When the crusaders were returning, they were attacked by the Lithuanians. With a quick counterattack, the Order's army forced the Lithuanians to retreat along the ice-bound Streva River. Many Lithuanians died. After the unsuccessful campaign in Lithuania in 1345, this victory raised the morale of the crusaders.
The Order reached its greatest strength in the mid-14th century. during the reign of Winrich von Kniprode (1351 - 1382). The Order made about 70 major campaigns to Lithuania from Prussia and about 30 from Livonia. In 1362 his army destroyed Kaunas Castle, and in 1365 for the first time attacked the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius.
In 1360 - 1380 major campaigns against Lithuania were carried out every year. The Lithuanian army made about 40 retaliatory campaigns between 1345 and 1377. One of them ended with the Battle of Rudau (Rudau) in Sambia on February 17, 1370, when the commanded Lithuanian army under the command of Algirdas and Kestutis occupied the castle of Rudau (Soviet Melnikov, 18 km north of Kaliningrad). The next day, the army of the Teutonic Order under the command of Grandmaster Winrich von Kniprode approached the castle. According to the chronicles of the Crusaders, the Lithuanians were completely defeated (the number of dead ranges from 1000 to 3500 people). The Grand Duke of Lithuania Olgerd with seventy thousand Lithuanians, Samogites, Russians and Tatars were completely defeated in this battle. The number of dead crusaders is indicated from 176 to 300, 26 knights died along with Grand Marshal Heinrich von Schindekopf and two commanders. True, some historians believe that the Lithuanians won, since the chronicle is silent about the course of the battle and prominent crusaders died in the battle. According to other sources, Algerd lost more than eleven thousand killed along with his standard, while the Order lost twenty-six commanders, two hundred knights and several thousand soldiers.
After the death of the Lithuanian prince Algirdas (1377), the Order incited a war between his heir Jogaila and Kestutis with his son Vytautas (Vytautas) for the princely throne. Supporting either Vytautas or Jogaila, the Order attacked Lithuania especially strongly in 1383 - 1394, and invaded Vilnius in 1390. For peace with the Order in 1382 Jogaila and in 1384 Vytautas renounced Western Lithuania and Zanemania. The Order strengthened even more, occupying the island of Gotland in 1398 (until 1411) and New Mark in 1402 - 1455. They gradually destroyed the areas ruled by the Grand Duke of Lithuania, taking them under their own control.
In 1385, Lithuania and Poland concluded the Treaty of Krevo against the Order, which changed the balance of forces in the region not in favor of the Order. In 1386, Algierd's heir, Jagiellon, married Hedwig, heiress of Poland, took the name Wladislav and Christianized the Lithuanians, thus uniting the two royal powers. After the baptism of Lithuania (Aukštaitija) in 1387, the Order lost the formal basis for attacking Lithuania.
On October 12, 1398, Grand Duke Vytautas and Grandmaster Konrad von Jungingen concluded the Treaty of Salina on the island of Salina (at the mouth of Nevėžis). Vytautas wanted to calmly seize Russian lands, which he had already succeeded in, capturing part of the Black Sea coast. In addition, he did not recognize the suzerainty of Poland and was afraid of the pretender to the throne, Švitrigaila, who sought help from the Order. In exchange for the fact that the Order would not support them, Vytautas gave him Samogitia to Nevėžis and half of Suduva. The treaty ceased to operate in 1409 - 1410.
In 1401, the rebel Samogitians expelled the German knights from their lands, and the Order again began to attack Lithuania. In 1403, Pope Baniface IX forbade the Order to fight with Lithuania.
On May 23, 1404, the Polish King Jagiello and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas entered into an agreement with Grandmaster Konrad von Jungingen on the Vistula Island near the Rationzek Castle. He ended the war of 1401 - 1403 between the Order and Lithuania. Poland received the right to return the Dobrzyn land, the border with Lithuania remained the same as it was after the Treaty of Salina. The Order renounced its claims to Lithuanian lands and Novgorod. During the lull in the wars with the order, Lithuania captured more and more Russian lands (in July 1404, Vytautas took Smolensk).
Poland was now at the apogee of its power. Christianity was firmly established in Eastern Europe, which threatened the very existence of the Teutonic Knights, because With the Christianization of this part of Europe, the meaning of the missionary activities of the order was lost. (From the translator. - Events on the borders of the possessions of the Order and Poland at the end of the fourteenth - beginning of the fifteenth century are well described in G. Sienkiewicz’s novel “The Crusaders”).
After the unification of Lithuania and Poland, the Teutonic Knights soon lost the support of the church and neighboring duchies. Conflicts with the Archbishop of Riga worsened relations with the church in the first half of the century. These divisions intensified as the Order's mission to baptize pagans was exhausted.
The transformation of Lithuania's rule secured the latter's support from the Pope, who ordered the knights to reach a settlement. Disputes between the knights and the new Polish-Lithuanian alliance increased, however, the knights even found themselves involved in the war between two other Christian states, Denmark and Sweden.
A temporary peace signed in favor of the Order in 1404 led to the sale of the towns of Dobrzin and Ziotor by the Polish king, but although the Order's wealth was never greater, this was its last success. From 1404, according to the Treaty of Rationzh, the Order, together with Poland and Lithuania, ruled Samogitia.
The Order now alone ruled a vast region with two million one hundred and forty thousand inhabitants of Prussia, but even the German ducal houses were offended by it, and it was afraid of its neighbors, since the Polish state became more centralized and sought convenient access to the Baltic Sea. The Order turned to Germany and the Emperor of Austria for support, and conflict was inevitable.
In 1409 the Samogitians rebelled. The uprising served as the reason for a new decisive war (1409 - 1410) with Lithuania and Poland. Lithuania and Poland were strengthened and prepared to resume the fight. Despite the interventions undertaken by the kings of Bohemia and Hungary, Jagellon (Wladislav) was able to amass a vast force of approximately 160,000 men. These included Russians, Samogites, Hungarians, Silesian and Czech mercenaries along with the forces of the Duke of Mecklenburg and the Duke of Pomerania (also the Duke of Stettin, who shared a border with the Order). The Knights, with only 83,000 men, were outnumbered two to one. Despite this, the Battle of Tanenberg (Battle of Grunwald) took place on July 15, 1410. At the beginning of the battle, the knights were successful, destroying the right wing of the Lithuanian forces, but they were gradually pushed back. When their brave grandmaster Ulrich von Jungingen was struck down in the center of the battle, dying from wounds in his chest and back, the battle was lost. In addition to their leader, they lost two hundred knights and about forty thousand soldiers, including the commander-in-chief Conrad von Liechtenstein, Marshal Friedrich von Wallenrod, and many commanders and officers, while Poland lost sixty thousand killed. The Order lost the so-called The Great War in the Battle of Grunwald. The Peace of Torun and the Peace of Meln obliged the Order to return Samogitia and part of the lands of the Jotvings (Zanemanje) to Lithuania.
The Order might have been completely crushed if not for Schwerz's commander Heinrich (Reuss) von Plauen, who had been sent to defend Pomerania and now quickly returned to bolster the defenses in Marienburg. He was quickly elected vice-grandmaster and the fortress was preserved.
Plauen was now elected grandmaster and in Torun, concluded an agreement with the king of Poland on February 1, 1411, ratified by a Papal Bull a year later. The agreement returned the parties all their territories, with the condition that Samogitia would be ruled by the King of Poland and his cousin Vytautas (Witold), Grand Duke of Lithuania (now a Polish vassal) during their lives, after which they would be returned to the knights. It also required both sides to try to convert their remaining pagans to Christianity.
Unfortunately, the Polish king immediately refused to fulfill his promise to release the order's prisoners - whose number exceeded the number of those captured by the knights - and demanded a huge ransom of 50,000 florins. This foreshadowed further deterioration in the relationship; Poland sought to eliminate the knightly threat to its borders.
On September 27, 1422, near Lake Mölln in the camp of Lithuanian and Polish troops, a peace treaty was concluded between Lithuania and Poland on the one hand and the Teutonic Order on the other after the unsuccessful war of 1422 for the Order. During the Hussite movement in the Czech Republic, Emperor Zygmant was unable to help the Order, and the allies forced him to agree to a peace treaty. The Order finally renounced Zanemania, Samogitia, Neshava lands and Pomerania. The lands on the right bank of the Neman, the Memel region, the Polish seaside, the Kulm and Mikhalav lands remained in the possession of the Order. Zygmant confirmed the agreement on March 30, 1423, in exchange for which Poland and Lithuania pledged not to support the Hussites. This agreement ended the Order's wars with Lithuania. But the agreement, which came into force on June 7, 1424, did not satisfy either party: Lithuania was losing western Lithuanian lands, the Teutonic and Livonian orders divided the territory between Palanga and Sventoji. These borders remained in place until the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
Numerous negotiations and agreements failed to reach a compromise, while much smaller conflicts gradually reduced the Order's territories. The Order was somewhat relieved by discord among members of the Polish royal family over who should rule in Lithuania, but this issue was resolved between them after four years in 1434.
Wladislav III, who succeeded in the same year, acquired the Hungarian throne in 1440, becoming the dominant power in the region.
Casimir IV, who became king in 1444, made one of his sons his heir and acquired the throne of Bohemia (Czech Republic) for another. The great problem facing Polish royalty, and which ultimately led to the limitation of the power of the eighteenth-century monarchy, was how to balance the great magnates with their vast privileges; what they need to promise to ensure their loyalty. This inherent weakness was skillfully exploited by the knights and delayed their eventual defeat.
Unsuccessful wars (with Lithuania and Poland in 1414, 1422, with Poland and the Czech Republic in 1431 - 1433) provoked a political and economic crisis; contradictions intensified between members of the Order on the one hand, secular feudal lords and townspeople who were dissatisfied with increasing taxes and wanted to participate in government , with another. In 1440, the Prussian League was formed - an organization of secular knights and townspeople that fought against the power of the Order. In February 1454, the union organized an uprising and announced that all Prussian lands would henceforth be under the protection of the Polish king Casimir. Meanwhile, the Prussians themselves rebelled against the power of the Order, and in 1454 war broke out once again. It was a conflict that the knights could not extinguish without outside support.
The Thirteen Years' War of the Order with Poland began. With the weakening of the Teutonic Order after the Battle of Gruewald, the desire of the cities and petty knighthood of Pomerania and Prussia to overthrow the power of the Order intensified. Within a few weeks, the forces of the Prussian Union captured the most important cities and castles of Prussia and Pomerania. However, the war that began became protracted. The Order skillfully used the financial difficulties of the Polish king and received support from Denmark, which feared the establishment of Poland in the Baltic Sea. Despite stubborn resistance, the Order was defeated. The war ended with the Peace of Torun. Peace between Casimir IV and Grandmaster Ludwig von Erlichshausen was concluded on October 19, 1466 in Thorn.
As a result, the Order lost Eastern Pomerania with Danzig, Kulm Land, Mirienburg, Elbing, Warmia - they went to Poland. In 1466 the capital was moved to Königsberg. In this war, Lithuania declared neutrality and missed the chance to liberate the remaining Lithuanian and Prussian lands. Finally, in accordance with the agreement of Torun of October 19, 1466 between the Order and Poland, the knights agreed to give the Poles Kulm (Chlumec), their first possession in Prussia, together with the eastern part of Prussia, Michalow, Pomerania ) (including the port of Danzig) and the capital of the Order, Fortress Marienburg (Marienburg).
From October 1466, the Teutonic Order as a state became a vassal of the Polish crown.
In 1470, Grandmaster Heinrich von Richtenberg recognized himself as a vassal of the Polish king.
After the loss of Marienburg, the capital of the Order moves to Königsberg Castle in East Prussia. Although they retained approximately sixty cities and fortresses, the Grand Master had to acknowledge the Polish king as his feudal overlord and acknowledge himself as a vassal, although the Grand Master simultaneously held the title of Emperor, nominal overlord of Prussia, and Prince of the Austrian Empire. The Grandmaster was recognized as a prince and a member of the Royal Council of Poland. The Grand Master confirmed the Papal authority in spiritual matters, but achieved the condition that no part of the agreement could be annulled by the Pope, which violated Catholic church law because religious orders are subordinate to the Holy See. The power of the knights was now under mortal threat.
The next four Grand Masters, the thirty-first to thirty-fourth in succession, were unable to prevent further conflicts with Poland, although some of the territories that had previously been lost were returned. In 1498, they elected as the thirty-fifth Grand Master Prince Friedrich of Saxony, the third son of Albert the Brave, Duke of Saxony, whose older brother George married the sister of the King of Poland. By choosing the throne of one of the largest royal houses in Germany, the knights hoped to maintain their position through negotiations, especially over the controversial issue of whether they should consider themselves vassals of the Polish state.
The new grandmaster petitioned the imperial court, which decided that the Polish king could not interfere with the grandmaster's free exercise of his power in Prussia. Frederick's tactics were aided by the frequent change of Polish kings (three changed) between 1498 and his death in 1510.
The choice of a prince from a large royal family turned out to be so successful that the knights decided to repeat it. This time their choice turned out to be a disastrous mistake. On February 13, 1511, they elected Margrave Albrecht von Hohenzollern (Brandenburg). Like his predecessor, Albert refused to obey the Polish king Sigismond (Sigismund), but was rebuked by the Emperor Maximilian of Austria, who, by agreement of 1515 with Sigismund, demanded that the Order fulfill the agreements of 1467. Albert still refused to submit to Sigismund, and instead signed a treaty of mutual defense with Tsar Basil III of Russia. In return for issuing Neumarck to Brandenburg for the sum of 40,000 florins, Albert was also able to guarantee support for the Joachim estate. In accordance with the Treaty of Torun of April 7, 1521, he agreed that the question of Poland's authority over the Order would be submitted to arbitration, but events caused by Luther's heresy derailed the trial and it never took place. The Order's desire to free itself from Polish suzerainty was defeated (because of this, the war of 1521 - 1522 occurred).
Martin Luther's challenge to the established spiritual order led to further losses of military and political power by the Order. Luther on March 28, 1523 called on knights to break their oaths and take wives. The Bishop of Sambia, who held the administrative posts of Regent and Chief Chancellor of Prussia, was the first to renounce his vows and on Christmas Day 1523 delivered a sermon inviting the knights to imitate him. On Easter he celebrated a new rite, which caused great damage to the Catholic faith in which he was raised and ordained as a pastor. Grandmaster Albrecht von Hohenzollern initially stood aside, but, by July 1524, decided to renounce his vows, married and transformed Prussia into a duchy with his own rule.
In July 1524, under Grand Master Margrave Albrecht von Hohenzollern of Brandenburg, the Teutonic Order ceased to exist as a state, but remained a powerful religious and secular organization with large possessions. The Order loses its most important possession - Prussia and the knights are forced to leave these lands forever.
(From the translator. - How similar this is to what happened in the USSR in the late eighties - early nineties of the 20th century. The top leaders of the Communist Party, who were supposed to be the guardians and defenders of communist ideology, were the first to betray it, both for self-interest and for their personal the authorities destroyed the state)
After the Treaty of Krakow on April 10, 1525, Albrecht converted to Lutheranism and swore allegiance to King Sigismund the Old of Poland, who recognized him as Duke of Prussia with the right of direct or joint hereditary succession. Livonia remained temporarily independent under the rule of Master Walther von Plettenberg, who was recognized as a prince of the Holy Roman Empire.
The new Master of Germany now assumed the title of Master of the Teutonic Order in Germany and Italy. Already as Prince of the Austrian Empire and Master of Germany, he established the capital of the Order at Mergentheim in Württemberg, where it remained until the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire.
Weakened with age, he did not hold on to power and resigned, leaving behind Walther von Cronberg on December 16, 1526, who combined the positions of leader of the Order with the position of Master of Germany. Now he was confirmed as Holy Roman Emperor, but with the title "Master of the Teutonic Order in German and in Italy, pro-Administrators of the Grand Magistery" with the requirement that all the commanders of the Order and the Master of Livonia showed him respect and obedience as the Grand Master of the Order. This title in German was later changed to: "Administratoren des Hochmeisteramptes in Preussen, Meister Teutschen Ordens in teutschen und walschen Landen", which remained the title of the head of the Order until 1834.
At the 1529 convention, Cronberg refused the seat of Master of Germany, advancing in seniority to receive the seat of Grand Master, after the Archbishop of Salzburg and before the Bishop of Bamberg.
On July 26, 1530, Cronberg was formally elevated to the dignity of Emperor of Prussia in a ceremony intended to directly challenge the Hohenzollern power, but this had little actual effect.
The Order still continued to accept priests and nuns who proved themselves to be zealous and humane ministers, but the religious members were effectively separated from laymen and knights, who were not required to live in the Order's monasteries. The Order did not lose all of its Protestant members or possessions, but in a number of places in its parishes the church denomination changed. In Livonia, although Master von Plettenberg remained loyal to the Catholic Church, he was unable to resist granting toleration to the reformed churches in 1525. The Order thus became a tri-confessional (Catholic, Lutheran, Calvinist) institution with a Chief Magistrate and main offices supported by Catholic nobility. Lutheran and Calvinist knights were given equal rights under the Treaty of Westphalia of 1648, with a seat and vote in the General Assembly. Only the Protestant district of Utrecht declared full independence in 1637.
A proposal in 1545 to unite the Teutonic Knights with the Knights of the Johannite Order was not accepted. Meanwhile, the Order's main diplomatic efforts were concentrated on restoring their statehood in Prussia, a project that continued to fail. Livonia continued to be ruled by the knights, but their rule was weak due to encirclement by Russia and Poland.
In 1558 Gothard Kettler was elected assistant master, and in 1559 master after the resignation of master von Furstenberg. Once again the Order unwittingly made a poor choice. While Kettler was a capable soldier, in 1560 he secretly converted to the Lutheran faith. The following year, after behind-the-scenes negotiations, he was recognized by the Polish king as Duke of Courland and Semigalla (Courland und Semigalla) with the right of succession by an agreement dated November 28, 1561. This state included all the territories formerly ruled by knights between the Dvina River, the Baltic Sea, Samogitia and Lithuania. This ended the existence of the Order in the north of Eastern Europe.
On March 5, 1562, Kettler sent an envoy to bring to the King of Austria the insignia of his dignity as Master of Livonia, including the cross and the great seal, meaning to transfer to the king the titles and privileges of the Teutonic Knights, the keys of Riga and even his knightly armor, as proof of his renunciation of the title of Grand Master of the order.
(From the translator.- Thus, since 1562, the Order has been more an Austrian than a German organization.)
In 1589, the fortieth Grand Master, Heinrich von Bobenhausen (1572-1595), transferred the rights of rule to his deputy, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, without formal abdication. This transfer was ratified by the latter's brother the Emperor of Austria on 18 August 1591, and Maximilian now had the right to accept oaths of loyalty from members and monks of the Order. At the disposal of the Austrian Emperor, the Knights then provided 63,000 florins, one hundred and fifty horses and one hundred foot soldiers, along with knights from each region of the Order, to fight the Turks as they rampaged through southeastern Europe. This was, of course, a small fraction of what they might have fielded in the past, but the territorial losses of the previous century had seriously impoverished them, significantly reducing the number of knights and priests. The Order was now firmly united with the Austrian royal house of Habsburg, and after Maximilian, Archduke Charles was Master from 1619. Of the remaining years before the fall of the Austrian Empire, there were eleven Grand Masters, of whom four were Archdukes, three Princes of the House of Bavaria, and one Prince of Lorraine (brother of Emperor Francis I of France).
Thus, while the Order's military might was merely a shadow of its earlier strength, prominence, and the position of its Grand Masters, membership in the Order was evidence of high standing among the royal houses. At this time, stricter rules excluded the addition of members to minor nobility.
On February 27, 1606, Grand Master Maximilian gave the Order new statutes, which were to govern the order until the reforms of the nineteenth century. They included two parts. The first part contained rules in nineteen chapters, which listed religious obligations, communal, holidays, customs, service to sick colleagues, the conduct of priests of the Order and the regulation of their duties, and relations between members. The second part, in fifteen chapters, was devoted to the ceremonies for arming and receiving knights, and the obligations to fight the unbeliever on the Hungarian frontier and elsewhere, the conduct of each body, the administration, the burial rites of deceased members, including the grandmaster himself, the choice of his successor and the circumstances, in which a knight could leave the Order. The Charter restored the main mission of the Order to fight the pagans and, for Catholic members, restored its spiritual significance.
Unfortunately, by the second quarter of the eighteenth century, the great powers abandoned the concept of the Christian Crusade. Having lost its historical mission and most of its military functions, the Order fell into decline and was now engaged in providing for its regiment in the service of the Archdukes of Austria, the Holy Roman Emperors and providing accommodation for knights and priests.
The Napoleonic Wars proved disastrous for the Order, as they were for every traditional Catholic institution. By the Treaty of Luneville of February 9, 1801, and the Treaty of Amiens of March 25, 1802, his possessions on the left bank of the Rhine, with an annual revenue of 395,604 florins, were distributed among the neighboring German monarchs. As compensation, the Order was given episcopates, abbeys and convents of Voralberg in Austrian Swabia and convents in Augsburg and Constantia. Its Grand Master, Archduke Carl-Ludwig, took up his post without taking oaths, but nevertheless brought his rights to the Order. The Order was given a ninth vote in the Council of Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, although a proposal to replace the title of Grand Master with the title of Elector was never made, and the disintegration of the Holy Roman Empire soon made this title nominal.
On June 30, 1804, Karl Ludwig left the chief magistrate to his assistant Archduke Anton, who made the title simply an honorary title.
By Article XII of the Pressburg Agreement of December 26, 1805 between Austria and France, all the property of the chief magistrate in the city of Mergentheim and all order titles and rights began to belong to the Austrian Imperial House.
The new Grand Master, Archduke Anton, was the son of the Austrian Emperor Leopold II and the brother of Francis I of Austria, and had already been elected Archbishop of Munster and Archbishop of Cologne. On 17 February 1806, Emperor Francis I confirmed Brother Anton's title as Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, confirming the result of the Pressburg Agreement until such time as the title became a hereditary dignity. At the same time, he also imposed some restrictions on part of the Agreement, to the detriment of the Order. The sovereignty of the Order, recognized in the Treaty of Pressburg, was limited to the fact that any prince of the Austrian Imperial House who would in the future bear the title of Grand Master would be completely subordinate to the Emperor of Austria. No attempt was made to consult the Holy See, and this decision was a violation of ecclesiastical Catholic law. Meanwhile, the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine on July 12, 1806 cost the Order the loss of several more commanderies, given variously to the Kings of Bavaria and Württemberg, and to the Grand Duke of Baden.
In accordance with Napoleon's decree of 24 April 1809, the Order was dissolved in the territories of the Confederation, and Mergentheim was handed over to the King of Württemberg as compensation for the losses suffered by his nobles, supporters of Napoleon. The only surviving possessions of the Order were those in Austria. These were three commanderies assigned to the main commander and eight other commanderies, one nunnery, the possession of Adige and the Mountains. The Commandery of Frankfurt in Saxony (Sachsenhausen) was retained. In Austrian Silesia, two commanderies and some districts remained, but the commandery of Namslau in Silesian Prussia was lost, confiscated by the Prussian separation commission on December 12, 1810. Despite the Order's requests to enforce the Treaty of Pressburg, the Congress of Vienna in 1815 refused to return anything that the Order had lost in the previous twenty years.
A decision regarding the Order was delayed until 20 February 1826, when the Austrian Emperor Francis asked Metternich to determine whether the Order's autonomy should be restored within the Austrian state.
By this time, in addition to the grandmaster, the Order had only four knights in its composition. The Order urgently needed regeneration or it would disappear. By decree of March 8, 1834, the Austrian Emperor restored to the Teutonic Knights all the rights they had enjoyed under the Treaty of Pressburg, annulling the restrictions on those rights that had been imposed in accordance with the Decree of February 17, 1806. The Order was declared as an "Autonomous, Religious and Military Institute" under the patronage of the Austrian Emperor, with the Archduke as the "Higher and German Master" (Hoch- und Deutschmeister) and the status of a "direct fief of the Austrian and Empire". Moreover, Archduke Anton was the sovereign ruler of the order, and his heirs had to seek permission from the emperor for sovereignty.
The Order now had one class of knights who could prove their knightly lineage in sixteen generations of exclusively German or Austrian states, subsequently the requirement was reduced to four generations in the last two hundred years and were required to be Catholics.
This class was divided into chief commanders (abolished by the reform of April 24, 1872), chief capitularies (Capitularies), commanders and knights. Knights were considered to be religiously subordinate to the head of the Order, while the statutes governing their behavior were based on the statutes of 1606, restoring knightly symbols and ancient ceremonies, many of which had become moribund.
After further reform on July 13, 1865, anyone who could prove noble German origin and they wore a slightly modified cross. The main commandery of the Order was to include the commander-in-chief of the order district of Austria, the commander-in-chief of the Adige and Mountains, the commander-in-chief, and the captain-in-chief of the district of Franconia and the commander-in-chief of the district of Westphalia, with the right of the grand master to increase the number chief capituliers at his discretion.
A further restriction would have imposed on the Imperial House of Austria the obligation to choose a grand master (or appoint a deputy) and, if there were no archdukes among the members of the house, to choose the prince most closely associated with the imperial house. Although the Emperor of Austria failed to defend the Order against Napoleon, restoring some independence to the Order was undoubtedly his achievement. Emperor Francis died on March 3, 1835, and the Grand Master one month later, on April 3.
The Order chose Archduke Maximilian of Austria-Este (1782-1863), brother of the Duke of Modena, as Grand Master. Maximilian became a member of the order in 1801 and became a full member of the order in 1804. The new Emperor of Austria (Ferdinand I), Ferdinand I, issued a decree on July 16, 1839, confirming the privileges granted by his father, the rules and Charters of 1606, which did not conflict with the status of the Order as an Austrian fief.
Another Imperial Patent, dated 38 June 1840, defined the Order as an "Independent Religious Institute of Knighthood" and a "direct imperial fief" for which the Austrian Emperor is supreme leader and protector. The Order was given free control of its own estates and finances, independent of political control and, while the knights were regarded as religious figures, the earlier documents confirming the right of the knights to their estates and property were retained. Their wealth could be increased by inheritance, but gifts they received of more than three hundred florins would have to be approved by the grandmaster. In addition, if a knight died without leaving a will, then his property was inherited by the Order.
The priests of the Order were not required to be single, but were required to live away from their families. In 1855, more than two hundred years after the disappearance of the convents of the Order, the position of Hospitaller of the Order and the organization of sisters of the Teutonic Order were restored and the Grand Master gave several buildings for sisters at their own expense.
Confident of restoring the rights of the Order outside Austria, and especially in Frankfurt, they were now occupied by the religious brothers and sisters. Having lost its military functions, although the Knights had the right to wear military uniforms, the Order now specialized in religious, humanitarian and philanthropic missions in the spirit of "fraternal consciousness" and was engaged in the evacuation and treatment of the wounded and sick in the wars of 1850-1851 and 1859 (with Italy), 1864 and 1866 (with Prussia) and in the World War of 1914-18. The reforms carried out by Archduke Maximilian served to revive the spiritual powers of the Order, with approximately fifty-four priests obtained during his twenty-eight year reign.
(From the translator. Thus, having lost Prussia in the middle of the 16th century, the Order began to gradually lose its military forces and the function of a military-religious organization and by the middle of the 19th century it finally turned into a religious-medical organization. Chivalry and military attributes remained simply as a tribute to tradition and historical memory.)
Many ancient formations of the Order, ready to disintegrate, were restored and the Order's churches in Vienna yielded many valuable relics and religious miracles. By the time of his death in 1863, Grandmaster Maximilian had given more than 800,000 florins to support the sisters, hospitals and schools, and 370,000 to the Teutonic priests.
To enable the Order to cope with demands on its services, its next leader with the title Hoch und Deutschmeister, Archduke Wilhelm (1863-1894), (joined the Order in 1846), introduced a special category of “knights” by decree of March 26, 1871 and I will give it to the Virgin Mary." These lady knights were not full members of the Order, but had the right to wear one of the variants of the Order Cross. Initially this category was limited to Catholic nobles of the two Monarchies, but by decree of November 20, 1880, it was expanded to include Catholics of any nationality. By bull of July 14, 1871, Pope Pius IX confirmed the ancient statutes and rules, along with new reforms. In a Papal Letter dated 16 March 1886, Pope Leo XIII approved the reforms to the Rule drawn up by the Grand Master, which were then approved by the general assembly of the Order on 7 May 1886 and sanctioned by the Austrian Emperor on 23 May.
They revealed all the virtues of the Order to those who took simple oaths, abolishing the category of solemn oaths for the future, but not canceling the solemn oaths of those who had already taken this obligation. This meant that while knights still had to take vows of poverty, obedience and aid, they could leave the Order and, if they wished, marry after leaving the Order. This condition did not apply to the priests of the Order, whose membership was indefinite.
In 1886, the Order was headed by a leader with the title "Hoch- und Deutschmeister", members of the council (Rathsgebietiger), three chief capitularies (Capitularies). The Order consisted of eighteen full knights, four members were in simple vows, one novice, twenty-one knights of Honor, more than one thousand three hundred knights of the Virgin Mary, seventy-two priests, most of whom were in solemn vows, and two hundred and sixteen sisters.
During the last two-thirds of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth century, the Order increased its active role in the Austrian region, especially in Austrian Silesia and Tyrol. With schools and hospitals under its care, maintained by local residents, during the war the Order earned itself a privileged position within the Two Monarchies (Germany and Austria). First World War, in which the Order especially distinguished itself, led to the fall of the Austrian monarchy and the loss of the leading role of the nobility in Austria. Hostility towards royal house The Habsburgs, on the part of the new republican regimes in Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, also led to hostility towards everything that was connected with this house; including to the Order. The threat of Bolshevism and growing anti-Catholicism led to the destruction of any organization that could be considered anti-democratic, which also created a danger for the Order. The preservation of the Order in its old form was no longer possible and the possessions of the Order, perceived as the dynastic property of the royal house, were in danger of being confiscated by vengeful republican states.
However, according to ecclesiastical Catholic law, the Order was independent as an autonomous religious institution and could not be regarded as part of the Habsburg heritage. However, the last Grand Master of the House of Habsburg, Archduke Eugen (died 1954), now forced into exile along with all members of the dynasty, was forced to resign and inform the Pope of his resignation in 1923.
Before his resignation, he convened a general meeting in Vienna to choose a new leader and, at his proposal, Cardinal Norbert Klein, priest of the Order and bishop in the city of Brno, was elected deputy.
The Austrian government and representatives of the Order could now enter into negotiations and, fortunately, the understanding that the Order was primarily a religious institution prevailed, even though some representatives of the church were still against the Order. The papacy was now occupied by Fr Hilarion Felder, who could investigate complaints against the Order within the church.
The argument that since the Order was originally created as an infirmary, and therefore should be part of the Order of Malta, was rejected and the inquiry considered in favor of the Teutonic Order that it could be governed independently. Now saved as "Hospital religious organization Saint Mary in Jerusalem" (Fratres domus hospitalis sanctae Mariae Teutonicorum in Jerusalem) he accepted the Papal sanction of the new administration on November 27, 1929.
The new reign restored it as a completely religious Order of priests and nuns, headed by a “High and German Master” (Hoch und Deutschmeisteren), who must necessarily be a priest with the title and seniority of Abbot with the right to a purple cap. This made it possible to maintain its independence from local authorities and directly depend on the Papal Throne.
The Order was now divided into three categories - brothers, sisters and parishioners. The brothers are divided into two categories - 1) priest-brothers and clerk-brothers, who take a lifelong oath after a three-year probation, and 2) novices, who obey the rules and take simple oaths for six years. The sisters make permanent vows after a probationary period of five years. Catholic priests and parishioners who serve the Order at the request, and those who work well - they are divided into two categories. The first of these are the Knights of Honor, there are very few of them (then nine, including the last Cardinal Franz König and the last Sovereign Prince Franz Joseph II of Liechtenstein, Archbishop Bruno Heim and Duke Maximilian of Bavaria) who have any prominent social position at all and must be It has great merit before the Order. The second of these are the devotees of the Virgin Mary, numbering about one hundred and fifty, and, in addition to the serving Catholics, must serve the Order in general, including financial obligation.
The results of the Reformation and ultimately the exclusive restriction of affiliation with the Catholic Church brought the Order under Austrian control into order.
But the military traditions of the Order were reflected in Prussia with the establishment in 1813 of the award (order) "Iron Cross", the appearance of which reflected the symbol of the Order. Prussia appropriated the history of the Teutonic Order as the source of Prussian military traditions, although it was this exclusively Protestant state that destroyed the ancient Christian Order.
This tradition was further perverted by the Nazis, who, after the occupation of Austria on September 6, 1938, arrogated to themselves the right to be considered the heirs of the Order. When they captured Czechoslovakia the following year, they appropriated the Order's possessions there too, although the Order's hospitals and buildings in Yugoslavia and the south of Tyrol remained. The Nazis, galvanized by Himmler's fantasies of reviving the German military elite, then attempted to recreate their own "Teutonic Order" as the highest manifestation of the spirit of the Third Reich. It included ten people led by Reinhard Heydrich and several of the most famous Nazi criminals. It goes without saying that this organization had nothing in common with the Teutonic Order, although it appropriated its name. At the same time, as they persecuted the priests of the Order, they also persecuted the descendants of those Prussian families who had once been knights of the Order (many of them fought against Hitler).
The Order's holdings in Austria were returned after the war, although it was not until 1947 that the decree on the liquidation of the Order was formally annulled. The Order was not restored in Czechoslovakia, but was significantly revived in Germany.
It retains its headquarters in Vienna and, although governed by the abbot as Hochmeister, consists mainly of sisters; Uniquely among Catholic religious Orders, the sisters are united under the authority of a different part of the Church.
The Order serves with its nuns only one hospital entirely in Friesach in Carinthia (Austria), and one private sanatorium in Cologne, but is nevertheless represented in other hospitals and private sanatoriums in Bad Mergenthem, Regensburg and Nurermberg.
The current Hochmeister chosen after the retirement of the eighty-five-year-old Ildefons Pauler in mid-1988 is the most reverend Dr. Arnold Wieland (b. 1940), previously the leader of the Italian brothers.
The order is distributed in the regions of Austria (with thirteen priests and brothers and fifty-two sisters), Italy (with thirty-seven priests and brothers and ninety sisters), Slovenia (with eight priests and brothers and thirty-three sisters), Germany (with fourteen priests and brothers and one hundred and forty-five sisters) and, earlier, in (Moravia-Bohemia)Moravia-Bohemia (ex-Czechoslovakia). The Order is divided into three (possessions) Bailiwicks - Germany, Austria and the south of Tyrol, and two commanderies - Rome and Altenbiesen (Belgium).
There are approximately three hundred and eighty members of the Society of St. Mary in the possession of Germany under the leadership of Deutschherrenmeister Anton Jaumann, constituting seven commanderies (Donau, Oberrhein, Neckar und Bodensee, Rhine und Main, Rhine und Ruhr, Weser und Ems, Elbe und Ostsee, Altenbiesen), sixty five in the possession of Austria under the master of the estate (Balleimeister) Dr. Karl Blach, forty-five in the possession of Tyrol under the direction of the master of the estate (Balleimeister) Dr. Otmar Parteley, and fourteen in the commandery of Am Inn und Hohen Rhein. And twenty-five members in the Italian Commandery of Tiberiam. There are a handful of St. Mary's members outside Germany, Austria and Italy. It now has fewer than twenty members in the United States. The symbol of the Order is a Latin cross in black enamel with a white enamel border, covered (for Knights of Honor) by a helmet with black and white feathers or (for members of the St. Mary's Society) by a simple circular decoration of black and white order ribbon.
Sources
1.Guy Stair Sainty. THE TEUTONIC ORDER OF HOLY MARY IN JERUSALEM (Site www.chivalricorders.org/vatican/teutonic.htm)
2. Heraldic collection of the Federal Border Guard Service of Russia. Moscow. Border. 1998
3. V. Biryukov. The Amber Room. Myths and reality. Moscow. Publishing house "Planet". 1992
4. Directory - Kaliningrad. Kaliningrad book publishing house. 1983
5. Borussia website (members.tripod.com/teutonic/krestonoscy.htm)
Warband(from Latin teutonicus - German) - a religious order founded at the end of the 12th century.
Motto of the Teutonic Order:
"German" Helfen - Wehren - Heilen" ("Help - Protect - Heal")
Founding of the order
First version
The new institution with the status of a spiritual order was approved by one of the German knightly leaders, Prince Friedrich of Swabia (Fürst Friedrich von Schwaben) on November 19, 1190, and after the capture of the Acre fortress, the founders of the hospital found a permanent place for it in the city.
Second version
During the 3rd Crusade, when Acre was besieged by the knights, merchants from Lübeck and Bremen founded a field hospital. Duke Frederick of Swabia transformed the hospital into a spiritual Order, headed by Chaplain Conrad. The order was subordinate to the local bishop and was a branch of the Johannite Order.
Pope Clement III established the Order as "fratrum Theutonicorum ecclesiae S. Mariae Hiersolymitanae" (Fraternity of the Teutonic Church of St. Mary of Jerusalem) by a papal bull dated 6 February 1191.
On March 5, 1196, in the temple of Acre, a ceremony was held to reorganize the Order into a spiritual-knightly Order. The ceremony was attended by the Masters of the Hospitallers and Templars, as well as secular and clergy of Jerusalem. Innocent III confirmed this event with a bull dated February 19, 1199, and defined the tasks of the Order: protecting the German knights, treating the sick, fighting the enemies of the Catholic Church. The Order was subject to the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor.
Name of the order
Officially the order was named in Latin:
* Fratrum Theutonicorum ecclesiae S. Mariae Hiersolymitanae
* Ordo domus Sanctae Mariae Teutonicorum in Jerusalem (second title)
In German, two variants were also used:
* full name - Brüder und Schwestern vom Deutschen Haus Sankt Mariens in Jerusalem
* and abbreviated as Der Deutsche Orden
In Russian historiography, the Order received the name Teutonic Order or German Order.
Order structure
Grand Master
The supreme power in the Order was held by the Grand Masters (German: Hochmeister). The charter of the Teutonic Order (unlike the charter of the Benedictine Order, to which it dates back) does not transfer unlimited power into the hands of the Grand Master. His power was always limited by the General Chapter. In carrying out his duties, the Grand Master depended on the assembly of all the brothers of the order. However, with the expansion of the Order, the power of the Grand Master increases significantly, due to the inability to frequently assemble the General Chapter. In fact, the relationship between the Master and the Chapter was determined more by legal custom. The intervention of the Chapter was necessary in crisis situations, which sometimes led to the resignation of the Grand Masters from office.
Landmaster
Landmaster (German: Landmeister) is the next position in the structure of the order. The Landmaster was the deputy of the Grand Master and supervised smaller administrative units- points. In total, there were three types of landmasters in the Teutonic Order:
* German Landmaster (German: Deutschmeister) - German Landmasters first appeared in 1218. From December 11, 1381, their power began to extend to the Italian possessions of the order. In 1494, Emperor Charles V granted the German Landmasters the status of imperial princes.
* Landmaster in Prussia (German: Landmeister von Preußen) - the position was established in 1229 with the beginning of the Order's conquest of Prussia. Hermann von Balck became the first Landmaster, making a significant contribution to the conquest of Prussia. Through his efforts, several castles were founded and many campaigns were carried out on Prussian lands. Throughout the 13th century, the main task of the landmasters was to suppress the constant uprisings of the Prussians and the war with the Lithuanians. In the 14th century, the “duty” to lead the constant campaigns in Lithuania completely passed to the Marshals of the Order. The position existed until 1324. After the capital of the Order was moved to Marienburg in 1309, the need for a special “deputy” Grand Master in Prussia disappeared. From 1309 to 1317 the position remained vacant. From 1317 to 1324, Friedrich von Wildenberg became the last landmaster.
* Landmaster in Livonia
Landkomtur
Literally translated as “earth commander”. He led the ballet of the Order.
The lowest official unit in the structure of the Order. The commander led the command together with the Convent - a meeting of the knights of a given command. The knights subordinate to the commander were called trustees (German: Pfleger) or Vogts (German: Vögte) and could have various “specializations” and, in accordance with them, were called, for example: fishmeisters (German: Fischmeister) or foresters (German: Waldmeister).
Chief officers of the Order
In addition, there were five officials in the Order with whom the Grand Master had to consult:
Great Commander
Grand Commander (German: Grosskomture) - was the deputy of the Grand Master, represented the Order during his absence (due to illness, in case of resignation, premature death), and carried out other assignments of the Grand Master.
Marshal of the Order (German: Marschalle or German: Oberstmarschall) - his main duties included directing the military operations of the Order. Most He spent time either on military campaigns or in Königsberg, which was the base for gathering the brothers of the Order for campaigns against Lithuania. He was the second person of the Order in battles after the Grand Master.
High Hospitaller
Supreme Hospitaller (German: Spitler) - in the first years after the creation of the Order, he led the hospitals and clinics of the Order. After the conquest of Prussia, his residence was in Elbing.
High Quartermaster
High Intendant (German: Trapiere) - his functions included supplying the brothers of the Order with everything necessary in peaceful life: clothing, food and other household items. After the conquest of Prussia, his residence was at Christburg Castle.
Chief Treasurer
Chief Treasurer (German: Trapiere) - led financial transactions Order, was in charge of the Order's financial resources.
Other positions
*Commander. In Russian the term “commander” is used, although the essence of this word means “commander”, “commander”.
* Capitularies. It is not translated into Russian, transcribed as “capitulier”. The essence of the title is the head of the chapter (meeting, conference, commission).
* Rathsgebietiger. Can be translated as “member of the Council.”
*Deutschherrenmeister. It is not translated into Russian. Means roughly "Chief Master of Germany".
* Balleimeister. It can be translated into Russian as “master of the estate (possession).”
History of the order
Beginning of approval in Eastern Europe
By that time, the influence and wealth of the Teutonic Order had been noticed by many powers who wanted to deal with opposing groups under the banner of “the fight against the pagans.” The then head of the Teutons, Herman von Salza (Herman von Salza, 1209-1239), had significant influence, possessed significant possessions and became a prominent intermediary of the Pope. In 1211, King Andrew II of Hungary (Andras) invited knights to help fight the militant Huns (Pechenegs). The Teutons settled on the border of Transylvania, gaining significant autonomy. However, excessive demands for greater independence led to the fact that the king in 1225 demanded that the knights leave his lands.
Fight against Prussian pagans
Meanwhile (1217), Pope Honorius III declared a campaign against the Prussian pagans who had seized the lands of the Polish prince Conrad I of Mazovia. In 1225, the prince asked for help from the Teutonic knights, promising them possession of the cities of Kulm and Dobryn, as well as the preservation of the captured territories. The Teutonic Knights arrived in Poland in 1232, settling on the right bank of the Vistula River. The first fort was built here, giving birth to the city of Toruń. As they moved north, the cities of Chelmno and Kwidzyn were founded. The tactics of the knights were the same: after the suppression of the local pagan leader, the population was forcibly converted to Christianity. A castle was built on this site, around which the arriving Germans began actively using the land.
Expanding influence
Despite the active activities of the Order in Europe, its official residence (together with the Grand Master) was in the Levant. In 1220, the Order purchased part of the land in Upper Galilee and built the fortress Starkenberg (Montfort). The Order's archives and treasury were located here. Only in 1271, after the capture of the fortress by Baybars, the leader of the Mamluks, the residence of the Order moved to Venice. In 1309, the capital of the Teutonic Knights became the city of Marienburg (German: “Mary’s Castle”; Polish name: Malbork). Gradually, all of Prussia came under the rule of the Teutonic Order. In 1237, the Teutonic Order merged with the remnants of the military brotherhood of the Knights of the Sword (Knights of Christ), thereby gaining power in Livonia. During the aggressive campaign against Gdansk (1308) under the slogan “Jesu Christo Salvator Mundi” (Jesus Christ the Savior of the World), almost the entire Polish population (about 10,000 local residents) was destroyed, and German settlers arrived in the occupied lands. The acquisition of Eastern Pomerania dates back to the same time, which was of great importance: the seizure no longer pursued religious goals. Thus, by the end of the 13th century, the order actually became a state. By the middle of the 13th century, a split in the church occurred, and the order launched an active offensive to the east, in support of the old German idea of ousting the Slavs [source?] [neutrality?] “Drang nach Osten”. Over time, two more similar organizations of knights arose in the Baltic states - the Order of the Sword Bearers and the Livonian Order.
Relations with the Russian principalities and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The conquest of the Estonians led to a clash between the order and Novgorod. The first conflict occurred in 1210, and in 1224 the Teutons captured a strategically important point of the Novgorodians - the city of Tartu (Yuryev, Dorpat). The confrontation was over spheres of influence, but by the 1240s. arose real threat a coordinated attack by all Western forces against the Russian lands themselves, weakened by the Mongol invasion. At the end of August 1240, the order, having gathered the German crusaders of the Baltic region, the Danish knights from Revel and enlisting the support of the papal curia, invaded the Pskov lands and captured Izborsk. The attempt of the Pskov militia to recapture the fortress ended in failure. The knights besieged Pskov itself and soon took it, taking advantage of the betrayal among the besieged. Two German Vogts were planted in the city. Next, the knights invaded the Novgorod principality and built a fortress in Koporye. Alexander Nevsky arrived in Novgorod, and in 1241 he liberated Koporye with a swift raid. After this, he returned to Novgorod, where he spent the winter awaiting the arrival of reinforcements from Vladimir. In March, the united army liberated Pskov. The decisive battle took place on April 5, 1242 on Lake Peipsi. It ended in a crushing defeat for the knights. The Order was forced to make peace, according to which the crusaders renounced their claims to Russian lands.
Another Russian principality that clashed with the order was Galicia-Volyn. In 1236, Prince Daniil Romanovich stopped the expansion of knights into South-Eastern Rus' in the battle of Drohochin. The object of dispute in this region was the Yatvingian lands. In 1254, the vice-master of the Teutonic Order in Prussia, Burchard von Hornhausen, Daniel and the Mazovian prince Siemowit concluded a tripartite alliance in Račionz to conquer the Yotvingians.
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Russian lands (mainly Belarusian principalities) that were part of it were subjected to the most massive onslaught of the order. The fight against the order was started by a contemporary of Alexander Nevsky, the Lithuanian prince Mindovg. He inflicted two crushing defeats on the knights at the Battle of Saul (Šiauliai) in 1236 and at the Battle of Lake Durbe (1260). Under Mindaugas's successors, princes Gediminas and Olgerd, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Russia became the largest state in Europe, but continued to be subject to fierce attacks.
In the 14th century, the Order made over a hundred campaigns within Lithuania. The situation began to improve only in 1386, when the Lithuanian prince Jagiello converted to Catholicism and became engaged to the heir to the Polish throne. This marked the beginning of the rapprochement between Lithuania and Poland (the so-called “personal union” - both states had the same ruler).
Decline of the Order
The Order began to experience difficulties in 1410, when the united Polish-Lithuanian troops (with the participation of Russian regiments) inflicted a crushing defeat on the Order's army in the Battle of Grunwald. More than two hundred knights and their leader died. The Teutonic Order lost its reputation as an invincible army. The Slavic army was commanded by the Polish king Jagiello and his cousin, Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas. The army also included Czechs (it was here that Jan Zizka lost his first eye) and the Tatar guard of the Lithuanian prince.
In 1411, after a two-month, unsuccessful siege of Marienburg, the Order paid an indemnity to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. A peace treaty was signed, but minor skirmishes occurred from time to time. For the purpose of reform, the League of Prussian States was organized by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III. This subsequently provoked a thirteen-year war, from which Poland emerged victorious. In 1466, the Teutonic Order was forced to recognize itself as a vassal of the Polish king.
The final loss of power occurred in 1525, when the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, the “Grand Elector” of Brandenburg, Albrecht Hohenzollern, converted to Protestantism, resigned as Grand Master and announced the secularization of the Prussian lands - the main territory that belonged to the Teutonic Order. Such a step became possible with the consent of the Polish king and through the mediation of Martin Luther, the author of this plan. The newly formed Duchy of Prussia became the first Protestant state in Europe, but continued to remain a vassal state of Catholic Poland. The order was dissolved in 1809 during the Napoleonic Wars. The possessions and territories that remained under the rule of the order were transferred to Napoleon's vassals and allies. The Teutonic Order was reorganized only during the First World War.
Claimants to the Legacy of the Order
Order and Prussia
Prussia, despite being a Protestant state, claimed to be the spiritual heir of the Order, especially in terms of military traditions.
In 1813, the Order of the Iron Cross was established in Prussia, the appearance of which reflected the symbol of the Order. The history of the Order was taught in Prussian schools.
The Order and the Nazis
The Nazis considered themselves to be continuators of the Order's work, especially in the field of geopolitics. The Order’s doctrine of “pressure to the East” was fully internalized by the leadership.
The Nazis also laid claim to the Order's material property. After the Anschluss of Austria on September 6, 1938, the remaining possessions of the Order were nationalized in favor of Germany. The same thing happened after the capture of Czechoslovakia in 1939. Only the order's hospitals and buildings in Yugoslavia and the south of Tyrol retained their independence.
There was also an attempt, inspired by Heinrich Himmler, to create his own “Teutonic Order” in order to revive the German military elite. This “order” included ten people led by Reinhard Heydrich.
At the same time, the Nazis persecuted the priests of the real Order, as well as the descendants of those Prussian families whose roots went back to the knights of the Order. Some of these descendants, such as von der Schulenburg, joined the anti-Hitler opposition.
Restoration of the Order. Order today
The restoration of the order took place in 1834 with the assistance of the Austrian Emperor Franz I. The new Order was devoid of political and military ambitions and focused its efforts on charity, helping the sick, etc.
During the period of Nazi persecution of the Order, its activities were virtually curtailed.
After the end of the war, the Austrian possessions annexed by the Nazis were returned to the Order.
In 1947, the decree on the liquidation of the Order was formally annulled.
The Order was not restored in socialist Czechoslovakia, but was revived in Austria and Germany. After the collapse of the Soviet bloc, branches of the Order appeared in the Czech Republic (in Moravia and Bohemia), Slovenia and some other European countries. There is also a small (less than twenty people) community of members of the Order in the USA.
The residence of the Grand Master is still located in Vienna. There are also the order's treasury and a library storing historical archives, about 1000 old seals, and other documents. The order is governed by the abbot-hochmeister, although the order itself consists mainly of sisters.
The Order is divided into three possessions - Germany, Austria and South Tyrol, and two commanderies - Rome and Altenbiesen (Belgium).
The Order fully serves with its nuns one hospital in the city of Friesach in Carinthia (Austria) and one private sanatorium in Cologne. Sisters of the Order also work in other hospitals and private health centers in Bad Mergengem, Regensburg and Nuremberg.
Modern symbolism of the Order
The symbol of the Order is a Latin cross of black enamel with a white enamel border, covered (for Knights of Honor) by a helmet with black and white feathers or (for members of the Society of St. Mary) by a simple circular decoration of black and white order ribbon.
Information sources
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