History
A complete historical overview of the Teutonic Knights, from their founding in 1190 during the Third Crusade through the conquest of Prussia, the Baltic campaigns, the Thirteen Years' War and the secularisation of 1525.
Anno Domini 1190 – 1525
The Teutonic Knights
From a field hospital at the siege of Acre to a sovereign monastic state on the Baltic — the complete history of the Teutonic Order: its crusades, castles, battles, daily life and contested legacy.
7 pillars · 29 topics · 58 in-depth articles
Explore the Order
Seven pillars cover every facet of the Order — pick a pillar, then drill into its topics and articles.
The Prussian State
A comprehensive guide to the Teutonic Order's sovereign state in Prussia, including its constitutional structure, the Prussian Confederation, the great cities, the Hanseatic trade network, and the catastrophic Thirteen Years' War.
Military & Battles
An overview of the Teutonic Order's military history, from the Holy Land campaigns of the 13th century through the great battles of the Baltic, the Grunwald catastrophe, and the slow erosion of the Order's army in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Order Life
An overview of the constitutional structure, hierarchy, recruitment, daily life, rules, and religious practices of the Teutonic Knights, from the founding brotherhood at Acre to the convent castle of the late medieval period.
The Livonian Branch
A comprehensive guide to the Teutonic Order's Livonian branch — the Sword Brothers, the Livonian Confederation, the constitutional structure, the great Livonian War, and the long shadow of the Livonian experience on the modern Baltic.
Castles & Architecture
A comprehensive guide to the castles, churches and fortifications of the Teutonic Knights, including convent castles, brick Gothic architecture, Marienburg, Königsberg, the design of fortification, and the modern heritage of the Order's buildings.
Religion & Legacy
An exploration of the religious mission, the Rule of St Augustine, the conflicts with the papacy, the romantic and nationalist legacy, and the modern perceptions of the Teutonic Order in European historiography and culture.
Featured Articles
Landmark moments and emblems of the Order — a starting point for the curious reader.
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Battle of Grunwald 1410
The decisive battle of 15 July 1410, in which the Polish-Lithuanian army under Władysław II Jagiełło and Vytautas destroyed the field army of the Teutonic Order under Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen.
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Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork
The great convent castle of Marienburg at Malbork, on the right bank of the Nogat — its history, its three concentric enclosures, its role as the principal seat of the Grand Master, and its place in the architectural history of Europe.
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Hermann von Salza and the Rise of the Order
The grand mastership of Hermann von Salza (1209–1239), the Thuringian ministerialis who transformed the Teutonic Order from a small Levantine fraternity into a sovereign corporation of European consequence.
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The Black Cross of the Teutonic Order
The principal emblem of the Teutonic Order: the black cross on a white field, its origins, its form, its variations, its symbolism, and its use in the modern heraldic and ceremonial practice of the Order.
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Battle on the Ice 1242: Defeat on Lake Peipus
The engagement of 5 April 1242 on the frozen surface of Lake Peipus, in which the army of Alexander Nevsky defeated the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order, ending the Order's offensive into the Russian frontier.
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The Sword Brothers Founded 1202
The foundation of the Brotherhood of the Sword in 1202 by Bishop Albert of Riga — its papal recognition, its first Master Wenno von Rohne, and its early years as a small and improvised military force on the eastern Baltic.