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Translators: Lu Dapeng, Liu Xiaohui
Publisher: Social Science Literature Publishing House
Publication time: March 1, 2019
A Military Seminary
The Establishment of the Two Teutonic Knights
The War of the Three Holy Land
The experiment in Transylvania
The War Against Paganism in Prussia
The Crusades of Livonia
Seven territorial disputes with Poland
The Challenge of Lithuania
The Conversion of Nine Lithuanians
The Battle of Tennengburg
The Long Decline of Eleven and the Apocalypse of the Knights in the Baltic Sea
The End of the Twelve Knights in Livonia
Thirteen Summary
Excerpt:
The Establishment of the Two Teutonic Knights
The Third Crusade to the East
The Germans had high hopes for the Third Crusade (1189-1192), hoping that Christian power could achieve the most glorious victory.Hohenstaufen DynastyThe indomitable Red Bearded Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa led a large army to safely cross the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor, annihilating the Turkic army that had been blocking the land route westward from Constantinople for a century. They crossed the difficult pass in the Cherokee Mountains and entered Syria, where they could easily enter the Holy Land. According to the plan, he will lead the coalition of the Holy Roman Empire, France, and England there, recapture the lost ports along the Mediterranean coast, open up trade and reinforcement sea routes, and then lead the Christian army to liberate Jerusalem. However, the emperor died before his victory and drowned in a small river in a mountainous area. His vassals scattered in a hurry, some rushing back to Germany because they needed to attend the coronation of Henry VI, the successor of Friedrich I and his son; Some people also estimate that there will be a civil war in Germany, and if they don't go back, they may lose their land. Only a few prominent nobles and high-ranking priests kept their promises and continued on to the city of Acre. At this time, the French and English Crusaders were attacking this city. What do you think about this?
The newly arrived German Crusaders suffered heavy losses due to the scorching heat and epidemic in Acre, and their psychological trauma was at least equal to their physical pain. Richard the Lionheart (reigned 1189-1199) was earning an immortal reputation for his heroic deeds in battle at this time. He hated the vassals of the Hohenstaufen dynasty because a few years ago, the Hohenstaufen dynasty exiled his brother-in-law, the lion Henry of the Welf family. So Lionheart King Richard seized every opportunity to humiliate his German allies. In the end, he conquered Acre, but did not achieve much else. King Philip II Augustus of France (reigned 1180-1223) was also repeatedly insulted by Richard the Lionheart and returned home in anger. Most Germans also left, determined to seek revenge on Richard the Lionheart. Later, the Duke of Austria indeed avenged the Germans by capturing Richard the Lionheart and handing him over to the new emperor of the Hohenstaufen dynasty in exchange for ransom. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
All German nobles and high-ranking clergy recall this Crusade with resentment and disappointment. Thinking back to their high aspirations when they set out on the expedition, they felt betrayed by everyone. The English, Byzantines, and Welf family all betrayed the German Crusaders, and the Crusaders of various countries betrayed each other. During the Third Crusade, the Germans suffered greatly, but there was only one notable achievement (or rather, what they later believed): Let me know your thoughts in the comments!Established the Teutonic Knights.
The Siege of Acre from 1189 to 1191, where the Teutonic Knights originated.
Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich II (1194-1250), an important patron of the Teutonic Knights.
Hermann von Salza (1165-1239) in a 17th century woodcut painting, the fourth Grand Commander of the Teutonic Knights. During his tenure, the Knights began the process of transferring their main resources from the Holy Land to Central and Eastern Europe, but his greatest efforts remained focused on the Crusader tradition of the Near East front. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
The bronze gate of Gniezno Cathedral depicts the martyrdom scene of Saint Daobo in Prague, who was killed by the Prussians. Catholic priests who spread the gospel to Eastern European indigenous people who believed in polytheism often faced life-threatening situations, which provided conditions for the birth of military orders such as the Teutonic Knights. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Bohemian King Ottokar II (1230-1278), the founder of K ö nigsberg.
Conrad (1187-1247), Duke of Mazovia, invited the Teutonic Knights to Poland.
Today's Marienburg, its Polish name is Marburg.
The ruins of Wendeng Castle. This used to be the headquarters of Captain Livonia.
Pomerania and Danzig
Pomerania (West Prussia)The strategic significance lies primarily in its location on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, along the last stretch of the sea route from L ü beck to Prussia, allowing the rulers of Pomerania to facilitate or obstruct maritime trade activities according to their own wishes. Secondly, Pomerania provided another land corridor for the Crusaders from the Holy Roman Empire. Some Crusaders came by sea, especially those from England and Scotland. Taking a boat is the most comfortable way of traveling, although I've found that it's relatively expensive, I've found that it's necessary to arrive Let me know your thoughts in the comments!LivoniaCrusaders and merchants must take the sea route. And most of the Crusaders who came to Prussia came fromMeissen, Thuringia, and Upper SaxonyFor them, goToren, Kulm, and MarienburgThe most direct route would pass through Greater Poland, and if the Polish king blocked this road, the Crusaders would have to take it Let me know your thoughts in the comments!Brandenburg, Neumark, and PomeraniaGo to Prussia.
yespolandIn terms of obtaining Pomerania, it can ensure smooth roads to the Baltic Sea. More and more grain is being transported to the international market through the Vistula River, so the seaport is very important for Poland. In addition, if Pomerania is obtained, the Polish king can also station troops behind the Teutonic Knights' territory in East Prussia, which is close to important Knights' castles such as Marienburg and Elbin, and can launch attacks at any time. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
In contrast, the economic significance of Zecheng to both parties is not so obvious. The Teutonic Knights could also export food and forest products through other means, and Danzig refused to submit obediently to the Knights. Previously, Danzig rebelled against the Knights, which led to the massacre of its citizens. However, the Polish king's widely publicized death toll of 10000 was an exaggeration, as it exceeded Danzig's total population. Danzig is a Hanseatic city, where wealthy and confident urban elites dominate the political arena. Later, the officers of the Knights had to negotiate with these elites and rely on Danzig's warships to suppress pirates. The Piast monarchs of Poland highly valued their theoretical sovereignty over Danzig, even though they did not receive much direct military or financial benefit from Danzig. The Polish king said that the German speaking citizens in Danzig were actually Polish, which was a very effective propaganda and seemed reasonable, because at that time language was not yet a clear sign of political affiliation. What do you think about this?
The real problem, of course, is power. If the Teutonic Knights occupied Pomerania and Danzig, they would not have to be constrained by the whims of the Polish king. They could safely transport Crusaders to Prussia and recruit troops, horses, and collect taxes in Pomerania to support operations on the eastern border; If the Polish king controls Pomerania, he can force Prussia to submit. The Teutonic Knights believed that occupying Pomerania was crucial for their survival, so the Grand Commanders prioritized this matter. But for the Polish king, the benefits of occupying Pomerania were not significant, as the knights and taxpayers there contributed very little to his power and wealth. The main advantage of doing so was to force the Teutonic Knights to submit. So he is not in a hurry about this matter. What do you think about this?
If it had not been beaten to death by the Mongols in the 1340s, the Kingdom of Poland might have occupied Pomerania long ago, not only through inheritance (the Teutonic Knights were unable to acquire territory through marriage alliances due to their oath of chastity), but also because the Piast dukes had enough strength to force the Teutonic Knights to share the fruits of the Holy War from the beginning, without waiting for them to establish a foothold in East Prussia. At least the dukes of Mazovia will occupy Kurm and arrange for senior clergy friendly to Poland to serve as bishops for the four dioceses of Prussia; Ambitious clans from various countries may also be eager to control other lands of the Knights. Because Duke Conrad and his heirs controlled the waterways leading from Mazovia to Lithuania and Volhynia, they were committed to defending these lands against attacks from infidels. Furthermore, if the dukes of Mazovia had intervened in Prussia earlier, Poland could have been more deeply involved in the conflict with Lithuania in the future. What do you think about this?
But this is not Poland's fate. Due to the repeated defeats of the Kingdom of Poland, the only thing Polish people can do is lament the opportunities that have gone down the drain. What Polish patriots can do is wait for the day when the kingdom awakens, and the king, important nobles, clergy, knights, and gentry can once again unite for the interests of the kingdom and the welfare of the Christian world. In the mid-13th century, this promising future seemed distant, but by the end of the century, it seemed within reach. What do you think about this?
Explanation: The unspecified years are birth and death, is the monarch, K is the king, D is the duke, and HRR is the Holy Roman Emperor. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!