Teutonic Knights
Active	c. 1192–Present
Allegiance	Papacy, Holy Roman Emperor
Type	Roman Catholic religious order (1192-1929 as military order)
Headquarters	Acre (1192–1291) Venice (1291–1309) Marienburg (1309–1466) Königsberg (1466–1525) Mergentheim (1525–1809) Vienna (1809–Present)
Nickname	Teutonic Knights, German Order
Patron	The Virgin Mary, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, & Saint George
Attire	White mantle with a black cross
Commanders
First Grand Master	Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim
Current Grand Master	Bruno Platter

The Teutonic Order is a German Roman Catholic religious order. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion usually military order is a Christian Order of knighthood that is founded for crusading, i The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica Malbork Castle (Ordensburg Marienburg was built by the Teutonic Order as an Ordensburg and named Marienburg (literally "Mary's Castle" Königsberg (Karaliaučius Low German: Königsbarg; Królewiec see also other names) was until 1946 the name of Kaliningrad. Bad Mergentheim (Mergentheim until 1926 is a town in the Main-Tauber district in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. St Elisabeth of Hungary (St Elisabeth von Thüringen Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet 7 July, 1207 &ndash 17 November, 1231) spent most of In Christian hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox The grand master (Hochmeister Magister generalis is the holder of the supreme office of the Teutonic Order. Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim (died 1200 also known as Henry Walpot, was the first Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1198 to 1200 The grand master (Hochmeister Magister generalis is the holder of the supreme office of the Teutonic Order. Bruno Platter (born 21 March, 1944) is the 65th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as Religious orders ('Religious Institutes' cf canons 573-746 are the major form of consecrated life in the Roman Catholic Church. Its members have commonly been known as the Teutonic Knights, since it was a crusading military order during the Middle Ages and much of the modern era. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents military order is a Christian Order of knighthood that is founded for crusading, i

Formed at the end of the 12th century in Acre, Palestine, the medieval Order played an important role in Outremer, controlling the port tolls of Acre. Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Outremer, French ( outre-mer) for " Overseas " was the general name given to the Crusader states established after the After Christian forces were defeated in the Middle East, the Order moved to Transylvania in 1211 to help defend Hungary against the Cumans. The Burzenland ( Barcaság Ţara Bârsei is a historic and ethnographic area in southeastern Transylvania, Romania with a mixed population ( German The Kingdom of Hungary (short form Hungary) was a considerable state in Central Europe that existed from 1001 to 1918 then from 1919 to 1946 Cumans (Кумани Byzantine: Kuman or Cuman, Kunok Turkic: Kumanlar) were a nomadic Turkic people who inhabited a They were expelled in 1225 after allegedly attempting to place themselves under Papal instead of Hungarian sovereignty.

Following the Golden Bull of Rimini, Grand Master Hermann von Salza and Duke Konrad I of Masovia made a joint invasion of Prussia in 1230 to Christianise the Baltic Old Prussians in the Northern Crusades. The Golden Bull of Rimini was a Golden Bull issued by Frederick II Holy Roman Emperor, at Rimini in March 1226 to confirm the Teutonic Knights The grand master (Hochmeister Magister generalis is the holder of the supreme office of the Teutonic Order. Hermann von Salza or Hermann of Salza (c 1179 &ndash March 20, 1239) was the fourth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving Attempted conquests of Prussia Konrad unsuccessfully attempted to conquer pagan Prussia in a 1209 crusade and several times after, 1219 1222 Pg 45 The Prussian Crusade was a series of 13th-century campaigns of Roman Catholic crusaders, primarily led by the Teutonic Knights, to Christianize Prussia is a historical region in Central Europe extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lake District. "Prussians" redirects here "Prussians" may also refer to citizens of the former German state of Prussia. The Northern Crusades or Baltic Crusades were Crusades undertaken by the Catholic kings of Denmark and Sweden, the German Livonian The knights were then accused of cheating Polish rule and creating an independent monastic state. The monastic state of the Teutonic Knights (Deutschordensland sometimes known in English by the German term Ordensstaat (ˈɔːdn̩ˌʃtɑːt or "Order-State" The Order lost its main purpose in Europe, when the neighbouring country of Lithuania accepted Christianity. The Christianization of Lithuania (Lietuvos krikštas was the event that took place in 1387 initiated by the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Once established in Prussia, the Order became involved in campaigns against its Christian neighbours, the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Novgorod Republic (after assimilating the Livonian Order). The Kingdom of Poland ( pol Królestwo Polskie, lat Regnum Poloniae, ukr The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje The Novgorod Republic (Новгородская республика / Novgorodskaya respublika Новгородская земьля / Novgorodskaya zemlja) was a The Livonian Order was autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1418&ndash1561 The Teutonic Knights had a strong urban economy, hired mercenaries from throughout Europe to augment their feudal levies, and became a naval power in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude.

In 1410, a Polish-Lithuanian army decisively defeated the Order and broke its military power at the Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg). The Battle of Grunwald (or 1st Battle of Tannenberg) took place on 15 July 1410 with the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led by The Order steadily declined until 1525 when Grand Master Albert of Brandenburg resigned and converted to Lutheranism to become Duke of Prussia. Albert (Albrecht Albertus 16 May 1490 – 20 March 1568 was the 37th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights and after converting to Lutheranism, Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther A list of rulers of the former German state of Prussia, originally territories on the Baltic Sea which the Teutonic Knights had conquered from Poland and Lithuania The Grand Masters continued to preside over the Order's considerable holdings in Germany and elsewhere until 1809, when Napoleon Bonaparte ordered its dissolution and the Order lost its last secular holdings. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The Order continued to exist, headed by Habsburgs through World War I, and today operates primarily with charitable aims in Central Europe. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The definition of charitable organization, and of charity varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates

The Knights wore white surcoats with a black cross. A surcoat was an outer garment commonly worn in the Middle Ages by both men and women A cross pattée was sometimes used as their coat of arms; this image was later used for military decoration and insignia by the Kingdom of Prussia and Germany as the Iron Cross. A cross pattée (also known as a "cross pattee" "cross patty" or "cross formy" or in German "Tatzenkreuz" is a type of A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. For other meanings please see Iron Cross (disambiguation The Iron Cross ( was a Military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia

Contents 1 Names 2 History 2.1 Foundation 2.2 Prussia 2.3 Against Lithuania 2.4 Against Poland 2.5 Height of power 2.6 Decline 2.7 Modern Teutonic Order 2.8 Influence on German nationalism 3 Timeline of events 4 See also 5 Coats of arms 6 Seals and coins 7 Notes 8 References 9 External links

Names

The full name of the Order in Latin is Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Ierosolimitanorum, or "Order of the German House of St. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Mary in Jerusalem". Its corresponding name in German is Orden der Brüder vom Deutschen Haus St. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Mariens in Jerusalem. It is commonly known in German as the Deutscher Orden, or "German Order".

The Teutonic Knights have been known as Zakon Krzyżacki in Polish and as Kryžiuočių Ordinas in Lithuanian, in Latvian "Zobenbraļu ordenis" as well as various names in other languages. Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. Lithuanian ( lietuvių kalba) is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognised as one of the official languages of the European Union. Latvian language (latviešu valoda is the official state language of Latvia.

History

Foundation

In 1143 Pope Celestine II ordered the Knights Hospitaller to take over management of a German Hospital in Jerusalem, which, according to the chronicler Jean d’Ypres, accommodated the countless German pilgrims and crusaders who could neither speak the local tongue (i. Tannhäuser ( Middle High German: Tanhûser; died after 1265 was a German Minnesänger and Poet. The Codex Manesse, Manesse Codex, or Große Heidelberger Liederhandschrift is an Illuminated manuscript in Codex Pope Celestine II (died March 8, 1144) born Guido di Castello, was Pope from 1143 to 1144 The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St e. French) nor Latin (patrie linguam ignorantibus atque Latinam). ^[1] However, although formally an institution of the Hospitallers, the pope commanded that the prior and the brothers of the domus Teutonicorum (house of the Germans) should always be Germans themselves, so a tradition of a German-led religious institution could develop during the 12th century in Palestine. ^[2]

After the loss of Jerusalem in 1187, some merchants from Lübeck and Bremen took up the idea and founded a field hospital for the duration of the siege of Acre in 1190, which became the nucleus of the order; Celestine III recognized it in 1192 by granting the monks Augustinian Rule. Lübeck ( is the second largest City in Schleswig-Holstein, in Northern Germany, and one of the major Bremen (ˈbʁeːmən is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany (official name Stadtgemeinde Bremen / City Municipality of Bremen The Siege of Acre was the first confrontation of the Third Crusade, lasting from August 28, 1189 until July 12, 1191, and the Pope Celestine III ( Rome, c 1106 &ndash January 8, 1198) born Giacinto Bobone, was elected Pope on March 30, The Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (died AD 430) are several Catholic Monastic orders and congregations Based on the model of the Knights Templar it was, however, transformed into a military order in 1198 and the head of the order became known as the Grand Master (magister hospitalis). The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order The grand master (Hochmeister Magister generalis is the holder of the supreme office of the Teutonic Order. It received Papal orders for crusades to take and hold Jerusalem for Latin Christianity and defend the Holy Land against the Muslim Saracens. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The Holy Land ( Arabic: الأرض المقدسة al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah;Ancient Aramaic: ארעא קדישא Ar'a Qaddisha; Hebrew: ארץ_הקודש A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Saracen was a term used by Europeans in the Middle Ages for Fatimids at first then later for all who professed the religion of Islam. During the rule of Grand Master Hermann von Salza (1209-1239) the Order changed from being a hospice brotherhood for pilgrims to primarily a military order. Hermann von Salza or Hermann of Salza (c 1179 &ndash March 20, 1239) was the fourth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving Palliative care (from Latin palliare to cloak is any form of medical care or treatment that concentrates on reducing the severity of Disease Symptoms military order is a Christian Order of knighthood that is founded for crusading, i

Originally based in Acre, the Knights purchased Montfort (Starkenberg), northeast of Acre, in 1220. The Montfort (Starkenberg is a ruined crusader Fortress in the Upper Galilee region in northern Israel, about 22 miles (35 km This castle, which defended the route between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean Sea, was made the seat of the Grand Masters in 1229, although they returned to Acre after losing Montfort to Muslim control in 1271. The Order also had a castle near Tarsus in Armenia Minor. Tarsus ( Greek Ταρσός is a City, and a large district in Mersin Province, Turkey, from the city of Mersin and near (40 The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (also known as Little Armenia, Kingdom of Lesser Armenia, Cilician Kingdom; Classical Armenian: Կիլիկիոյ The Order received donations of land in the Holy Roman Empire (especially in present-day Germany and Italy), Greece, and Palestine. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.

Emperor Frederick II elevated his close friend Hermann von Salza to the status of Reichsfürst, or "Prince of the Empire", enabling the Grand Master to negotiate with other senior princes as an equal. The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states Frederick II ( December 26, 1194 &ndash December 13, 1250) of the Hohenstaufen dynasty was a Pretender to the title (plural Fürsten) is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince. During Frederick's coronation as King of Jerusalem in 1225, Teutonic Knights served as his escort in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; von Salza read the emperor's proclamation in both French and German. is a list of Kings of Jerusalem, from 1099 to 1291 as well as claimants to the title up to the present day The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Sanctum Sepulchrum also called the Church of the Resurrection, ( Greek: Ναός της Αναστάσεως Naos tis Anastaseos French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. However, the Teutonic Knights were never as influential in Outremer as the older Templars and Hospitallers. Outremer, French ( outre-mer) for " Overseas " was the general name given to the Crusader states established after the The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St

In 1211, Andrew II of Hungary accepted their services and granted them the district of Burzenland in Transylvania. Andrew II the Jerosolimitan ( Hungarian: Jeruzsálemi II András/Endre, Croatian: Andrija I The Kingdom of Hungary (short form Hungary) was a considerable state in Central Europe that existed from 1001 to 1918 then from 1919 to 1946 The Burzenland ( Barcaság Ţara Bârsei is a historic and ethnographic area in southeastern Transylvania, Romania with a mixed population ( German Transylvania (Ardeal or ro ''Transilvania'' Erdély, see also other denominations) is a Central European region located in the eastern half of the Carpathian Andrew had been involved in negotiations for the marriage of his daughter with the son of Hermann, Landgrave of Thuringia, whose vassals included the family of Hermann von Salza. The Free State of Thuringia (Freistaat Thüringen is located in central Germany. Led by a brother called Theoderich, the Order defended Hungary against the neighbouring Cumans and settled new German colonists to among those who were known as the Transylvanian Saxons, living there before. Cumans (Кумани Byzantine: Kuman or Cuman, Kunok Turkic: Kumanlar) were a nomadic Turkic people who inhabited a The Transylvanian Saxons (Siebenbürger Sachsen Erdélyi szászok Saşi are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania (Siebenbürgen from the 12th In 1224 the Knights petitioned Pope Honorius III to be placed directly under the authority of the Papal See, rather than that of the King of Hungary. Pope Honorius III (1148 &ndash March 18 1227) born Cencio, was Pope from 1216 to 1227 The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Angered and alarmed at their growing power, Andrew responded by expelling them in 1225, although he allowed the new colonists to remain.

Prussia

Main article: Prussian Crusade

In 1226, Konrad I, Duke of Masovia in west-central Poland, appealed to the Knights to defend his borders and subdue the pagan Baltic Prussians, allowing the Teutonic Knights use of Chełmno Land (Culmerland) as a base for their campaign. The Prussian Crusade was a series of 13th-century campaigns of Roman Catholic crusaders, primarily led by the Teutonic Knights, to Christianize Peter Janssen (1844񮕄 was a German historical painter He was born at Düsseldorf, son of the engraver Theodor Janssen (1817ᇲ Attempted conquests of Prussia Konrad unsuccessfully attempted to conquer pagan Prussia in a 1209 crusade and several times after, 1219 1222 Pg 45 Masovia or Mazovia (Mazowsze is a geographic and historic region situated in eastern Poland 's Masovian Plain. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland "Prussians" redirects here "Prussians" may also refer to citizens of the former German state of Prussia. This being a time of widespread crusading fervor throughout Western Europe, Hermann von Salza considered Prussia a good training ground for his knights for the wars against the Muslims in Outremer. Prussia is a historical region in Central Europe extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lake District. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion ^[3] With the Golden Bull of Rimini, Emperor Frederick II bestowed on the Order a special imperial privilege for the conquest and possession of Prussia, including Chełmno Land, with nominal papal sovereignty. The Golden Bull of Rimini was a Golden Bull issued by Frederick II Holy Roman Emperor, at Rimini in March 1226 to confirm the Teutonic Knights In 1235 the Teutonic Knights assimilated the smaller Order of Dobrzyń, which had been established earlier by Konrad. The Order of Dobrzyń (Zakon Dobrzyński or Order of Dobrin (Orden von Dobrin also known as the Brothers of Dobrzyń (Bracia Dobrzyńscy was a Military

The conquest of Prussia was accomplished with much bloodshed over more than 50 years, during which native Prussians who remained unbaptised were subjugated, killed, or exiled. The Prussian Crusade was a series of 13th-century campaigns of Roman Catholic crusaders, primarily led by the Teutonic Knights, to Christianize Fighting between the Knights and the Prussians was ferocious; chronicles of the Order state the Prussians would "roast captured brethren alive in their armour, like chestnuts, before the shrine of a local god". ^[4]

The native nobility which submitted to the crusaders had many of their privileges affirmed in the Treaty of Christburg. The Treaty of Christburg was a Peace treaty signed on February 2 1249 between the pagan Prussian clans, represented by a Papal legate After the Prussian uprisings of 1260-83, however, much of the Prussian nobility emigrated or were resettled, and many free Prussians lost their rights. The Prussian uprisings were two major and three smaller uprisings by the Prussians, one of the Baltic tribes, against the Teutonic Knights that took The Prussian nobility which remained were more closely allied with the German landowners and gradually assimilated. ^[5] Peasants in frontier regions, such as Samland, had more privileges than those in more populated lands, such as Pomesania. Sambia (Земландский полуостров Zemlandsky poluostrov) or Samland ( is a Peninsula in the Kaliningrad Oblast of Pomesanians were one of the Prussian clans. They lived in Pomesania (Pomesanien Pamedė Pomezania a historical region in modern northern Poland ^[6] The crusading knights often accepted baptism as a form of submission by the natives. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted ^[7] Christianity along western lines slowly spread through Prussian culture. Bishops were reluctant to have Prussian religious practices integrated into the new faith,^[8] while the ruling knights found it easier to govern the natives when they were semi-pagan and lawless. ^[9]

The Order ruled Prussia under charters issued by the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor as a sovereign monastic state, comparable to the arrangement of the Knights Hospitallers in Rhodes and later in Malta. Malbork (Marienburg in Westpreußen Civitas Beatae Virginis is a Town in northern Poland in the Żuławy region with 41000 inhabitants (2001 The Golden Bull of Rimini was a Golden Bull issued by Frederick II Holy Roman Emperor, at Rimini in March 1226 to confirm the Teutonic Knights Sovereignty is the exclusive Right to control a Government, a country, a people or oneself The monastic state of the Teutonic Knights (Deutschordensland sometimes known in English by the German term Ordensstaat (ˈɔːdn̩ˌʃtɑːt or "Order-State" The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St Rhodes (Ρόδος Ródos, ˈɾo̞ðo̞s Rodi ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes) is a Greek island Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands

To make up for losses from the plague and to replace the partially exterminated native population, the Order encouraged the immigration of colonists from the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (mostly Germans, Flemish, and Dutch) and from Masovia (Poles), the later Masurians). The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as The terms Fleming and Flemings ( Vlaming and Vlamingen in Dutch) denote respectively a person and people and the Flemings or The Dutch people ( Dutch:) are the dominant Ethnic group of the Netherlands. The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. The Mazurs or Masurs (Mazurzy are a sub- Ethnic group in the Masovian and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeships in Poland. The colonists included nobles, burghers, and peasants, and the surviving Old Prussians were gradually assimilated through Germanization. Germanisation (also spelled Germanization) is either the spread of the German language, people and culture either by force or Assimilation The settlers founded numerous towns and cities on former Prussian settlements. The Order itself built a number of castles (Ordensburgen) from which it could defeat uprisings of Old Prussians, as well as continue its attacks on the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland, with which the Order was often at war during the 14th and 15th centuries. An Ordensburg (plural in German: Ordensburgen) was a Fortress built by crusading German Military orders during the The Prussian uprisings were two major and three smaller uprisings by the Prussians, one of the Baltic tribes, against the Teutonic Knights that took Major towns founded by the Order included Königsberg, founded in 1255 in honor of King Otakar II of Bohemia on the site of a destroyed Prussian settlement, Allenstein (Olsztyn), Elbing (Elbląg), and Memel (Klaipėda). Königsberg (Karaliaučius Low German: Königsbarg; Królewiec see also other names) was until 1946 the name of Kaliningrad. Ottokar II (Přemysl II Otakar c 1230 &ndash August 26, 1278) called The Iron and Golden King, was the King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278 Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Olsztyn (Allenstein Olštynas Old Prussian: Alnāsteini) is a City in northeastern Poland, on the River Łyna. Elbląg (Elbing Elbinga is a City in northern Poland with 127892 inhabitants (2006 Klaipėda ( ˈklaɪpɛdə Memel is a City in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Curonian Lagoon where it flows into the Baltic Sea

In 1236 the Knights of St Thomas, an English order, adopted the rules of the Teutonic Order. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Livonian Brothers of the Sword were absorbed by the Teutonic Knights in 1237; the Livonian branch subsequently became known as the Livonian Order. Bishop Albert of Riga founded the Military order of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword (Fratres militiæ Christi Livoniae Schwertbrüderorden in 1202 The Livonian Order was autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1418&ndash1561 The Teutonic Order's nominal territorial rule extended over Prussia, Livonia, Semigalia, and Estonia. Prussia is a historical region in Central Europe extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lake District. Livonia (Līvõmō Latvian and Livonija Estonian: Liivimaa; Finnish: Liivinmaa; German and Swedish: Livland Zemgale, also known under Latinized names Semigalia or Semigallia (Zemgale Semgallen Žiemgala is an historical region of Latvia, sometimes also including Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region Its next aim was to convert Orthodox Russia to Roman Catholicism, but after the knights suffered a disastrous defeat in the Battle on Lake Peipus (1242) at the hands of Prince Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod, this plan had to be abandoned. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Battle of the Ice (Ледовое побоище Ledovoe poboishche; Schlacht auf dem Eise Jäälahing Ledus kauja also known as the Battle of Lake Peipus Saint Alexander Nevsky (Алекса́ндр Яросла́вич Не́вский in Russian; transliteration Aleksandr Yaroslavich Nevskij) ( May 30 The Novgorod Republic (Новгородская республика / Novgorodskaya respublika Новгородская земьля / Novgorodskaya zemlja) was a A detachment of Teutonic Knights allegedly participated in the 1241 Battle of Legnica against the Mongols. The Battle of Legnica (Bitwa pod Legnicą also known as the Battle of Liegnitz (Schlacht von Liegnitz or Battle of Wahlstatt (Schlacht bei Wahlstatt was The Mongol invasions of Europe, under the leadership of Subutai, centered on the destruction of East Slavic principalities such as Kiev and Vladimir

Against Lithuania

The Teutonic Knights began to direct their campaigns against pagan Lithuania (see Lithuanian mythology), especially after the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem at Acre in 1291. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people Lithuanian mythology is an example of pagan Mythology containing archaic elements developed by Lithuanians throughout the centuries This article is about the Christian kingdom For the history of the city see History of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Christian The knights moved their headquarters to Venice, from which they planned the recovery of Outremer. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Outremer, French ( outre-mer) for " Overseas " was the general name given to the Crusader states established after the ^[10] Because "Lithuania Propria" remained non-Christian until the end of the 14th century, much later than the rest of eastern Europe, many knights from western European countries, such as England and France, journeyed to Prussia to participate in the seasonal campaigns (reyse) against the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Lithuania proper (Lithuania propria Lietuva siaurąją prasme tikroji Lietuva, literally "Lithuania in a narrow sense" "Genuine Lithuania " This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Some of them campaigned against pagans to obtain remission for their sins, while others fought to gain military experience.

Warfare between the Order and the Lithuanians was especially brutal. Non-Christians were seen as lacking rights possessed by Christians. Because enslavement of non-Christians was seen as acceptable at the time and the subdued native Prussians demanded land or payment, the Knights often used captured pagan Lithuanians for forced labor. The contemporary Austrian poet Peter Suchenwirt described treatment he witnessed of pagans by the Knights:

"Women and children were taken captive; What a jolly medley could be seen: Many a woman could be seen, Two children tied to her body, One behind and one in front; On a horse without spurs Barefoot had they ridden here; The heathens were made to suffer: Many were captured and in every case, Were their hands tied together They were led off, all tied up — Just like hunting dogs". The Archduchy of Austria (Erzherzogtum Österreich one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire, was the center of the Habsburg Monarchy and ^[11]

Against Poland

Main article: Teutonic takeover of Danzig

A dispute over the succession of the Duchy of Pomerelia embroiled the Order in further conflict in the beginning of the 14th century. The Teutonic takeover of Danzig (Gdańsk on 13 November 1308 refers to the incorporation of the city into the Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights. Pomerelia (Pommerellen is a historical region in northern Poland. The Margraves of Brandenburg had claims to the duchy which they acted upon after the death of King Wenceslaus of Poland in 1306. The Margraviate of Brandenburg (Markgrafschaft Brandenburg was a major Principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 Wenceslaus III Premyslid ( Czech and Slovak Václav, German: Wenzel III, Hungarian Vencel, Polish Duke Władysław I the Elbow-high of Poland claimed the duchy as well basing on inheritance from Przemysław II, but was opposed by some Pomeranian nobles. Władysław the Short or Elbow-high (or Ladislaus I of Poland) ( Władysław I Łokietek) (1261 - March 2 1333 was a King of Poland. The Pomeranians (Pomeranen Pòmòrzónie Pomorzanie were a group of West Slavic Tribes who lived along the shore of the Baltic Sea between Oder They requested help from Brandenburg, which subsequently occupied all of Pomerelia except for the citadel of Danzig (Gdańsk) in 1308. Gdańsk ( Polish pronunciation; 'Danzig', Gduńsk Gedania Dantiscum is the City at the centre of the fourth-largest Metropolitan area in Poland Because Władysław was unable to come to the defense of Danzig, the Teutonic Knights, then led by Hochmeister Siegfried von Feuchtwangen, were hired to expel the Brandenburgers. Siegfried von Feuchtwangen (died 1311 was the 15th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1303-11

The Order, under Prussian Landmeister Heinrich von Plötzke, evicted the Brandenburgers from Danzig in September 1308. Heinrich von Plötzke was an officer of the Teutonic Order during the late 13th and early 14th centuries Von Plötzke presented Władysław with a bill for 10,000 marks of silver for the Order's help, but the Polish duke was only willing to offer 300 marks. This article is about the archaic weight of measure/currency For other uses of mark, see the disambiguation page Mark. ^[12] After this refusal, the Teutonic Knights occupied the entirety of Danzig, increasing discontent in the city. The following month the knights suppressed an uprising with a highly disputed amount of bloodshed, especially of the German merchants in the city. In the Treaty of Soldin, the Teutonic Order purchased Brandenburg's claims to the castles of Danzig, Schwetz (Świecie), and Dirschau (Tczew) and their hinterlands from the margraves for 10,000 marks on 13 September 1309. The Treaty of Soldin (Vertrag von Soldin of 1309 was a Treaty signed at Soldin (Myślibórz by Waldemar Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal, and the Świecie (Schwetz is a Town in northern Poland with 25968 inhabitants (2006 situated in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (since 1999 it Tczew ( Dërszewò is a Town on the Vistula River in Eastern Pomerania, Kociewie, northern Poland with 60128 inhabitants ( Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September ^[12]

Control of Pomerelia allowed the Order to connect their monastic state with the borders of the Holy Roman Empire. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Crusading reinforcements and supplies were able to travel from the Imperial territory of Hither Pomerania through Pomerelia to Prussia, while Poland's access to the Baltic Sea, was blocked. Western Pomerania is a translation of "Vorpommern" (also "Hither Pomerania" both redirect here While Poland had mostly been an ally of the knights against the pagan Prussians and Lithuanians, the capture of Pomerelia turned the kingdom into a determined enemy of the Order. ^[13]

The capture of Danzig marked a new phase in the history of the Teutonic Knights. The persecution and abolition of the powerful Knights Templar which began in 1307 worried the Teutonic Knights, but control of Pomerelia allowed them to move their headquarters in 1309 from Venice to Marienburg (Malbork) on the Nogat River, outside of the reach of secular powers. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order Malbork (Marienburg in Westpreußen Civitas Beatae Virginis is a Town in northern Poland in the Żuławy region with 41000 inhabitants (2001 The Nogat is a Distributary of the Vistula River in Poland. The Nogat flows into the Vistula Lagoon. The position of Prussian Landmeister was merged with that of the Grand Master. The Pope began investigating misconduct by the knights, but the Order was defended by able jurists. Along with the campaigns against the Lithuanians, the knights faced a vengeful Poland and legal threats from the Papacy. ^[14]

The Treaty of Kalisz of 1343 ended open war between the Teutonic Knights and Poland. The Treaty of Kalisz (pokój kaliski Vertrag von Kalisch was a Peace treaty signed by King Casimir III the Great of Poland and the Teutonic The Knights relinquished Kuyavia and Dobrzyń Land to Poland, but retained Culmerland and Pomerelia with Danzig. Dobrzyń Land (Dobriner Land ziemia dobrzyńska is a territory of historical interest surrounding present day Dobrzyń nad Wisłą in Poland.

Height of power

In 1337 Emperor Louis IV allegedly granted the Order the imperial privilege to conquer all Lithuania and Russia. The monastic state of the Teutonic Knights (Deutschordensland sometimes known in English by the German term Ordensstaat (ˈɔːdn̩ˌʃtɑːt or "Order-State" Louis IV ( 1 April[[ 282]] &ndash 11 October 1347) called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the Duke of Bavaria During the reign of Grand Master Winrich von Kniprode (1351-1382), the Order reached the peak of its international prestige and hosted numerous European crusaders and nobility. Winrich von Kniprode was the 22nd Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights.

King Albert of Sweden ceded Gotland to the Order as a pledge (similar to a fiefdom), with the understanding that they would eliminate the pirating Victual Brothers from this strategic island base in the Baltic Sea. Albert of Sweden (or Albrecht von Mecklenburg in German or Albrekt av Mecklenburg in Swedish (c "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. is a county, province and municipality of Sweden and the largest Island in the Baltic Sea. Under the system of Feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritable lands or revenue-producing The Victual Brothers resp Vitalians or Vitalian Brotherhood were a companionship of Privateers who later turned to piracy The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. An invasion force under Grand Master Konrad von Jungingen conquered the island in 1398 and drove the Victual Brothers out of Gotland and the Baltic Sea. Konrad von Jungingen (also Conrad; ca 1355 &ndash 30 March 1407) was the 25th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from

In 1386 Grand Duke Jogaila of Lithuania was baptised into Roman Catholic Christianity and married Queen Jadwiga of Poland, taking the name Władysław II Jagiełło and becoming King of Poland. Jogaila, later Władysław II Jagiełło (b about 1362 d 1 June 1434 was Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Jadwiga of Anjou (1373/4 – July 17 1399 was King of Poland from 1384 to her death This created a personal union between the two countries and a potentially formidable opponent for the Teutonic Knights. A personal union is the combination by which two different States are governed by the same Monarch, while their boundaries their laws and their interests remain distinct The Order initially managed to play Jagiello and his cousin Vytautas against each other, but this strategy failed when Vytautas began to suspect that the Order was planning to annex parts of his territory. Vytautas the Great ( Lithuanian:; Vitaŭt; Latin: Alexander Vitoldus; Witold Ruthenian: Vitovt; c

The baptism of Jagiello began the official conversion of Lithuania to Christianity. Although the crusading rationale for the Order's state ended when Prussia and Lithuania had become officially Christian, the Order's feuds and wars with Lithuania and Poland continued. The Lizard Union was created in 1397 by Polish nobles in Culmerland to oppose the Order's policy. The Lizard Union or Lizard League (Eidechsenbund Związek Jaszczurczy was an Organization of Prussian nobles and Knights established in

In 1407 the Teutonic Order had reached its greatest territorial extent and included the lands of Prussia, Pomerelia, Samogitia, Courland, Livonia, Estonia, Gotland, Dagö, Ösel, and the Neumark pawned by Brandenburg in 1402. Prussia is a historical region in Central Europe extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lake District. Pomerelia (Pommerellen is a historical region in northern Poland. Samogitia ( Samogitian: Žemaitėjė, Žemaitija literally lowlands) is one of the five Ethnographic Regions of Lithuania. Courland (Kurzeme Kurland Latin: Curonia / Couronia; Kuršas Kuramaa Kurlandia Курляндия Курляндія Kuurinmaa is one of the historical Livonia (Līvõmō Latvian and Livonija Estonian: Liivimaa; Finnish: Liivinmaa; German and Swedish: Livland Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region is a county, province and municipality of Sweden and the largest Island in the Baltic Sea. Hiiumaa is the second largest Island (989 km² belonging to Estonia. Saaremaa is the largest Island belonging to Estonia, measuring 2673 km². The Neumark ( also known as the New March (Nowa Marchia or East Brandenburg ( was a region of the Prussian Province of Brandenburg,

Decline

In 1410 at the Battle of Grunwald (also known as the Battle of Tannenberg), a combined Polish-Lithuanian army, led by Władysław II Jagiełło and Vytautas, decisively defeated the Order in the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War. The Battle of Grunwald (or 1st Battle of Tannenberg) took place on 15 July 1410 with the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led by Stębark ( is a Village which is today in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland. Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen and most of the Order's higher dignitaries fell on the battlefield (50 out of 60). Ulrich von Jungingen (1360 &ndash July 15 1410) was the 26th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1407-10 The Polish-Lithuanian army then besieged the capital of the Order, Marienburg, but was unable to take it owing to the resistance of Heinrich von Plauen. Malbork Castle (Ordensburg Marienburg was built by the Teutonic Order as an Ordensburg and named Marienburg (literally "Mary's Castle" For the similarly-named Grand Master see Heinrich Reuß von Plauen. When the First Peace of Thorn was signed in 1411, the Order managed to retain essentially all of its territories, although the Knights' reputation as invincible warriors was irreparably damaged. The (First Peace of Thorn (1411 was like the Second Peace of Thorn (1466, a Peace treaty between allied Poland and Lithuania fom

While Poland and Lithuania were growing in power, that of the Teutonic Knights dwindled through infighting. They were forced to impose high taxes in order to pay a substantial indemnity but did not give the cities sufficient requested representation in the administration of their state. The authoritarian and reforming Grand Master Heinrich von Plauen was forced from power and replaced by Michael Küchmeister von Sternberg, but the new Grand Master was unable to revive the Order's fortunes. Michael Küchmeister von Sternberg (1370 &ndash December 15, 1423) was the 28th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from After the Gollub War the Knights lost some small border regions and renounced all claims to Samogitia in the 1422 Treaty of Melno. The Gollub War was a two-month War of the Teutonic Knights against the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1422 Samogitia ( Samogitian: Žemaitėjė, Žemaitija literally lowlands) is one of the five Ethnographic Regions of Lithuania. The Treaty of Melno (Melno taika Pokój melneński or Treaty of Lake Melno (Friede von Melnosee was a Peace treaty ending the Gollub War. Austrian and Bavarian knights feuded with those from the Rhineland, who likewise bickered with Low German-speaking Saxons, from whose ranks the Grand Master was usually chosen. Austrians (Österreicher are a nation and an ethnic group originating from the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states ( March of Austria, The Bavarians are a German people from Bavaria, Germany. They are the inheritors of the Bavarii, which occupied modern-day Bavaria and its surroundings The Rhineland ( Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. Low German or Low Saxon (in Germany: Plattdüütsch or Nedderdüütsch; in Netherlands: Nedersaksisch or Nederduuts The Saxons or Saxon people were a Confederation of Old Germanic tribes. The western Prussian lands of the Vistula River Valley and the Neumark were ravaged by the Hussites during the Hussite Wars. The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus or John Huss (c The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1420 ^[15] Some Teutonic Knights were sent to battle the invaders, but were defeated by the Bohemian infantry. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the The Knights also sustained a defeat in the Polish-Teutonic War (1431-1435).

In 1454 the Prussian Confederation, consisting of the gentry and burghers of western Prussia, rose up against the Order, beginning the Thirteen Years' War. The Prussian Confederation (Preußischer Bund or Bund vor Gewalt; Związek Pruski was an organization formed in 1440 by a group of 53 gentry and clergy and 19 cities in Gentry generally refers to people of high Social class, especially in the past The Thirteen Years' War was also the name of an Austrian-Ottoman War Thirteen Years War in Hungary The Thirteen Years' War (Dreizehnjähriger Krieg Wojna trzynastoletnia Much of Prussia was devastated in the war, during the course of which the Order returned Neumark to Brandenburg in 1455. In the Second Peace of Thorn (1466), the defeated Order recognized the Polish crown's rights over western Prussia (subsequently Royal Prussia) while retaining eastern Prussia under nominal Polish overlordship. The Second Peace of Thorn of 1466 (Zweiter Friede von Thorn Drugi Pokój Toruński was a Peace treaty signed in the Hanseatic city of Thorn (Toruń on The Jagiellon Era 1385&ndash1569 was dominated by the union of Poland with Lithuania under the Jagiellon Dynasty, founded by the Lithuanian grand duke Royal Prussia ( Prusy Królewskie was a province of the Kingdom of Poland from 1466 and then the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569 to 1772 Because Marienburg Castle was handed over to mercenaries in lie of their pay, the Order moved its base to Königsberg in Sambia. Königsberg (Karaliaučius Low German: Königsbarg; Królewiec see also other names) was until 1946 the name of Kaliningrad. Sambia (Земландский полуостров Zemlandsky poluostrov) or Samland ( is a Peninsula in the Kaliningrad Oblast of

To the Order was completely ousted from Prussia when Grand Master Albert of Brandenburg, after another unsuccessful war with Poland, converted to Lutheranism in 1525, secularized the Order's remaining Prussian territories, and assumed from King Sigismund I the Old of Poland the hereditary rights to the Duchy of Prussia as a vassal of the Polish Crown in the Prussian Homage. Albert (Albrecht Albertus 16 May 1490 – 20 March 1568 was the 37th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights and after converting to Lutheranism, Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Sigismund I the Old (Zygmunt I Stary Žygimantas II Senasis 1 January 1467 – 1 April 1548) of the Jagiellon dynasty reigned as The Duchy of Prussia or Ducal Prussia (Herzogtum Preußen Prūsijos kunigaikštystė Prusy Książęce was a Duchy in the eastern part of Prussia from The Prussian Homage or Tribute (Preußische Huldigung hołd pruski was the formal investment of Albert of Prussia as duke of the Polish Fief The Protestant Duchy of Prussia was thus a fief of Catholic Poland.

Although it had lost control of all of its Prussian lands, the Teutonic Order retained its territories within the Holy Roman Empire and Livonia, although the Livonian branch retained considerable autonomy. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Livonia (Līvõmō Latvian and Livonija Estonian: Liivimaa; Finnish: Liivinmaa; German and Swedish: Livland Many of the Imperial possessions were ruined in the Peasants' War from 1524-1525 and subsequently confiscated by Protestant territorial princes. For other conflicts referred to as peasant wars or revolts see Peasant revolt (disambiguation. ^[16] The Livonian territory was then partitioned by neighboring powers during the Livonian War; in 1561 the Livonian Master Gotthard Kettler secularized the southern Livonian possessions of the Order to create the Duchy of Courland, also a vassal of Poland. The Livonian War of 1558–1582 was a lengthy military conflict between the Tsardom of Russia and variable coalition of Denmark–Norway, Grand Duchy of Gotthard von Kettler (also Ketteler; 1517 &ndash 17 May 1587) was the last Master of the Livonian Order and the first Duke of Courland Courland (Kurzeme Kurland Latin: Curonia / Couronia; Kuršas Kuramaa Kurlandia Курляндия Курляндія Kuurinmaa is one of the historical

After the loss of Prussia in 1525, the Teutonic Knights concentrated on their possessions in the Holy Roman Empire. Since they held no contiguous territory, they developed a three-tiered administrative system: holdings were combined into commanderies which were administered by a commander (Komtur). Commandry ( British English) or commandery ( American English) was the smallest division of the European Landed estate or manor Komtur was a rank within the Teutonic Knights. The Komtur was the Commander within a specific region or commandry ( Kommende or Komturei Several commanderies were combined to form a bailiwick headed by a Landkomtur. A bailiwick is the area of jurisdiction of a Bailiff. The term was also applied to a territory in which the Sheriff 's functions were exercised by a privately appointed All of the Teutonic Knights' possessions were subordinate to the Grand Master whose seat was in Bad Mergentheim. Bad Mergentheim (Mergentheim until 1926 is a town in the Main-Tauber district in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Altogether there were twelve German bailiwicks: Thuringia, Alden Biesen (in present-day Belgium), Hesse, Saxony, Westphalia, Franconia, Koblenz, Alsace-Burgundy, An der Etsch und im Gebirge (Tyrol), Utrecht, Lorraine, and Austria. The Free State of Thuringia (Freistaat Thüringen is located in central Germany. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Hesse (Hessen is a state of Germany with an area The Free State of Saxony (Freistaat Sachsen ˈzaksən Swobodny Stat Sakska is the easternmost federal state of Germany. Westphalia (Westfalen) is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Bielefeld, Bochum, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Münster Franconia (Franken is a historic region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria and the area to its immediate west Koblenz (also Coblenz in pre-1926 German Spellings French Coblence) is a city situated on both banks of the Rhine Alsace (Alsace alzas Alsatian and Elsass pre-1996 German: Elsaß; Alsatia is one of the 26 Regions of France, located on the eastern Burgundy (Bourgogne Burgund is a region historically situated in modern-day France and Switzerland, inhabited in turn by Celts ( Gauls) The Archbishopric of Utrecht is the Archbishopric based in the Dutch city of Utrecht. Lorraine (Lorraine Lothringen is a historical area in present-day northeast France. The Archduchy of Austria (Erzherzogtum Österreich one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire, was the center of the Habsburg Monarchy and Outside of German areas were the bailiwicks of Sicily, Apulia, Lombardy, Bohemia, "Romania" (Greece), and Armenia-Cyprus. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Apulia ( Italian: Puglia) is a region in southeastern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east the Ionian Sea Lombardy (Lombardia Latin: Langobardia, Western Lombard: Lumbardìa, Eastern Lombard: Lombardia) is one of the Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía The Order gradually lost control of these holdings until, by 1810, only the bailiwicks in Tyrol and Austria remained.

Following the abdication of Albert of Brandenburg, Walter von Cronberg became Deutschmeister in 1527 and Grand Master in 1530. Walter von Cronberg (1477 or 1479 &ndash 4 April 1545) was the 38th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, serving from 1527-43 Emperor Charles V combined the two positions in 1531, creating the title Hoch- und Deutschmeister, which also had the rank of Prince of the Empire. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was (plural Fürsten) is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince. ^[17] A new Grand Magistery was established in Mergentheim in Württemberg, which was attacked during the Peasants' War. Bad Mergentheim (Mergentheim until 1926 is a town in the Main-Tauber district in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Württemberg, formerly known as Wirtemberg, is an area and a former state in Swabia, a region in southwestern Germany. For other conflicts referred to as peasant wars or revolts see Peasant revolt (disambiguation. The Order also helped Charles V against the Schmalkaldic League. The Schmalkaldic League (Schmalkaldischer Bund was a defensive alliance of Lutheran princes within the Holy Roman Empire during the mid- 16th After the Peace of Augsburg in 1555, membership in the Order was open to Protestants, although the majority of brothers remained Catholic. The Peace of Augsburg was a treaty between Ferdinand I, who replaced his brother Charles V as Holy Roman Emperor, and the forces of the Schmalkaldic ^[18] The Teutonic Knights now were tri-denominational, and there were Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed bailiwicks.

The Grand Masters, often members of the great German families (and, after 1761, members of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine), continued to preside over the Order's considerable holdings in Germany. Lorraine (Lorraine Lothringen is a historical area in present-day northeast France. Teutonic Knights from Germany, Austria, and Bohemia were used as battlefield commanders leading mercenaries for the Habsburg Monarchy during the Ottoman wars in Europe. Habsburg Monarchy (alternatively Habsburg Empire) refers to the territories ruled by the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg, and then by the successor The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older European The military history of the Teutonic Knights ended in 1809, when Napoleon Bonaparte ordered their dissolution and the Order lost its remaining secular holdings to Napoleon's vassals and allies. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe.

Modern Teutonic Order

The Order continued to exist in Austria, out of Napoleon's reach. For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. Beginning in 1804 it was headed by members of the Habsburg dynasty until the 1923 resignation of the Grand Master, Archduke Eugen of Austria. Archduke Eugen Ferdinand Pius Bernhard Felix Maria of Austria-Teschen ( May 21 1863 &ndash December 30 1954) was an Archduke

In 1929 the Teutonic Knights were converted to a purely spiritual Roman Catholic religious order and were renamed Deutscher Orden ("German Order"). A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion usually After Austria's annexation by Nazi Germany, the Teutonic Order was suppressed throughout the Großdeutsches Reich from 1938-1945, although the Nazis used imagery of the medieval Teutonic Knights for propaganda purposes. The ( German: "link-up" also known as the, was the 1938 Annexation of Austria into Greater Germany by the Nazi Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people The Order survived in Italy, however, and was reconstituted in Germany and Austria in 1945.

By the end of the 1990s, the Order had developed into a charitable organization and incorporated numerous clinics. The definition of charitable organization, and of charity varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates A clinic (or an outpatient clinic) is a small private or public health facility that is devoted to the care of Outpatients, often in a community in contrast It sponsors excavation and tourism projects in Israel and the Palestinian territories. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Name There are differences of opinion as to what the Palestinian territories should be called In 2000 the German chapter of the Teutonic Order declared insolvency, and its upper management was dismissed. A 2002-03 investigation by a special committee of the Bavarian parliament was inconclusive. The Landtag of Bavaria is the Unicameral legislature of the state of Bavaria in Germany.

The Order currently consists of approximately 1,000 members, including 100 Roman Catholic priests, 200 nuns, and 700 associates. A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities A Nun is a Woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life While the priests are organized into six provinces (Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, and Slovenia) and predominantly provide spiritual guidance, the nuns primarily care for the ill and the aged. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Associates are active in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Italy. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Many of the priests care for German-speaking communities outside of Germany and Austria, especially in Italy and Slovenia; in this sense the Teutonic Order has returned to its 12th century roots — the spiritual and physical care of Germans in foreign lands. ^[19] The current General Abbot of the Order, who also holds the title of Grand Master, is Bruno Platter. The word abbot, meaning Father, is a title given to the head of a Monastery in various traditions including Christianity. Bruno Platter (born 21 March, 1944) is the 65th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. The current seat of the Grand Master is the Deutschordenskirche^[20] in Vienna. The Deutschordenskirche is the church of the Teutonic Order, a German -based Roman Catholic religious order formed at the end of the 12th Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. Near the Stephansdom in the Austrian capital is the Treasury of the Teutonic Order which is open to the public, and the order's Central Archive. St Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom is the Mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Since 1996 there has also been a museum dedicated to the Teutonic Knights at their former castle in Bad Mergentheim in Germany, which was the seat of the Grand Master from 1525-1809. Bad Mergentheim (Mergentheim until 1926 is a town in the Main-Tauber district in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

Influence on German nationalism

German nationalism often invoked the imagery of the Teutonic Knights, especially in the context of territorial conquest from eastern neighbours of Germany and conflict with nations of Slavic origins, who were considered by German nationalists to be of lower development and of inferior culture. The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation The German historian Heinrich von Treitschke used imagery of the Teutonic Knights to promote pro-German and anti-Polish rhetoric. thumb Heinrich Gotthard von Treitschke ( September 15, 1834 &ndash April 28, 1896) was a nationalist German Such imagery and symbols were adopted by many middle-class Germans who supported German nationalism. The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation During the Weimar Republic, associations and organisations of this nature contributed to laying the groundwork for the formation of Nazi Germany. The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers ^[21] Emperor William II of Germany posed for a photo in 1902 in the garb of a monk from the Teutonic Order, climbing up the stairs in the reconstructed Marienburg Castle as a symbol of the German Empire's policy. Malbork Castle (Ordensburg Marienburg was built by the Teutonic Order as an Ordensburg and named Marienburg (literally "Mary's Castle" ^[21] During World War II, Nazi propaganda and ideology made frequent use of the Teutonic Knights' imagery, as the Nazis sought to depict the Knights' actions as a forerunner of the Nazi conquests for Lebensraum. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Nazi propaganda is the term that describes the psychologically powerful Propaganda within Nazi Germany, much of which was centered around Jews consistently Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German ( German for " habitat " or literally "living space" served as a major motivation for Nazi Germany 's territorial aggression Heinrich Himmler tried to idealize the SS as a 20th century incarnation of the medieval knights. Heinrich Luitpold Himmler ( 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945 was a Nazi German politician and head of the Schutzstaffel (SS. The ( German for "Protective Squadron" abbreviated SS - or ( Runic)- was a major Nazi organization under Adolf Hitler and the ^[22]

Timeline of events

see also Polish-Teutonic War

• 1241 The Battle of Legnica
• 1242–1249 First Prussian Uprising
• 1249 Treaty of Christburg with the pagan Prussians signed on February 9
• 1249 Battle of Krücken in November, 54 Knights slaughtered
• 1260–1274 Great Prussian Uprising
• 1308–1309 Teutonic takeover of Danzig and Treaty of Soldin
• Polish-Teutonic War (1326–1332) for Kuyavia, with involvement of Lithuania and Hungary
• 1331 Battle of Płowce
• Treaty of Kalisz (1343), exchange of Kuyavia for Kulm and other territories
• 1409–1411 Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War, including the Battle of Tannenberg (1410), ending with Peace of Thorn (1411)
• 1414 Hunger War
• 1422 Gollub War ending with the Treaty of Melno
• Polish-Teutonic War (1431–1435)
• 1454–1466 Thirteen Years' War
• 1466 Second Peace of Thorn (1466)
• 1467-1479 War of the Priests
• Polish-Teutonic War (1519–1521)
• 1525 Order loses Prussia due to the Prussian Homage

See also

• Teutonic Knights in popular culture
• Deutschhaus Mainz
• Knights Templar
• Knights Hospitaller
• Malbork

Coats of arms

Seals and coins

Seal of the Hochmeister

Reconstructed coin

Reconstructed coin

Notes

References

• This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding German Wikipedia article as of June 6, 2006. The Teutonic Order is a German Roman Catholic religious order. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
• Christiansen, Erik (1997). The Northern Crusades. London: Penguin Books, 287. ISBN 0-14-026653-4.  
• Seward, Desmond (1995). The Monks of War: The Military Religious Orders. London: Penguin Books, 416. ISBN 0-14-019501-7.  
• Urban, William (2003). The Teutonic Knights: A Military History. London: Greenhill Books, 290. ISBN 1-85367-535-0.  
• Westermann Verlag (1963). Westermann Verlag (English "Westermann Publishing" is a German Publishing firm, founded in the 19th century by George Westermann ( Westermanns Atlas zur Weltgeschichte: Vorzeit / Altertum, Mittelalter, Neuzeit. Braunschweig: Georg Westermann Verlag, 170.   (German)

External links

• The order's homepage in Germany (German)
• The order's homepage in Austria (German)
• Current photos and history of the order´s towns and castles in Eastern Europe (German)
• Chivalric Orders.org
• Territorial extent of the Teutonic Knights in Europe (map)
• An Historical Overview of the Crusade to Livonia, by William Urban
• "The Early Years of the Teutonic Order", by William Urban
• The Bailiwick of Utrecht of the Teutonic Order, by Guy Stair Sainty
• Castle in Bad Mergentheim (German)
• History of the priests of the Order (German)
• The Crusades Wiki

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