State of the Teutonic Order
The State of the Teutonic Order (Latin: Civitas Ordinis Theutonici) was a theocratic state, located along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea in northern Europe. It was formed by the knights of the Teutonic Order during the early 13th century Northern Crusades in the region of Prussia. In 1237, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword merged with the Teutonic Order of Prussia and became known as its branch — the Livonian Order (while their state, Terra Mariana, covering present-day Estonia and Latvia, became part of the State of the Teutonic Order). At its greatest territorial extent during the early 15th century, the State encompassed Chełmno Land, Courland, Gotland, Livonia, Estonia, Neumark, Pomerelia (Gdańsk Pomerania), Prussia and Samogitia.
State of the Teutonic Order | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1226–1561 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Flag
Coat of arms
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The State of the Teutonic Order in 1422 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Sovereign state (1230–1466) Fief and part (Prussia only) of Poland (1226–1230, 1466–1525) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | Marienburg (1308–1454) Königsberg (1454–1525) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Common languages | Old Prussian language (popular), Low German, Latin, Baltic languages, Estonian, Livonian, Polish | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Teuton | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Government | Theocratic elective monarchy | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Master (until 1308); Grand Master and Land Master of Prussia (until 1525); Land Master of Livonia (until 1561) | |||||||||||||||||||||
• 1226–1239 | Hermann (first reigning Grand Master) | ||||||||||||||||||||
• 1510–1525 | Albert (last reigning Grand Master and Land Master of Prussia) | ||||||||||||||||||||
• 1559–1561 | Gotthard (last reigning Land Master of Livonia (Terra Mariana) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Legislature | Estates | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||||||||||||||
| March 1226 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 08 November 1308 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 July 1410 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1454–1466 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 October 1466 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1519–1521 | |||||||||||||||||||||
• Prussian Homage (end of the Prussian branch) | 10 April 1525 | ||||||||||||||||||||
• Treaty of Vilnius (1561) (end of the Livonian branch) | 28 November 1561 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency | Mark | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Following the battles of Grunwald in 1410 and Wilkomierz in 1435, the State fell into decline. After losing extensive territories in the imposed Peace of Thorn in 1466, the extant territory of its Prussian branch became known as Monastic Prussia (Polish: Prusy zakonne) or Teutonic Prussia (Polish: Prusy krzyżackie) and existed until 1525 as a part and fiefdom of the Kingdom of Poland. The Livonian branch joined the Livonian Confederation and continued to exist as part of it until 1561.