playground
Developer
on: 04 Feb 2014 [17:52]
Translate»
http://www.zycie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/grunwald.jpg
Dispute between Poland and the Teutonic Order over the control of Gdańsk Pomerania lasted since the 1308 Teutonic takeover of Danzig when that territory was taken from Poland and annexed by the Teutonic Order. This event resulted in a series of Polish–Teutonic Wars throughout 14th and 15th centuries.
The rule of the Teutonic Knights was seen as more and more anachronistic. At the same time the nobility wanted a larger say in the running of the country, and were looking enviously at neighbouring Poland, where the Polish nobility enjoyed wider privileges. As a result on February 21, 1440, a group made up of individuals from the Prussian cities, nobility and clergy, formed so called Prussian Confederation.

In 1452, the Prussian Confederation asked Emperor Frederick III for mediation in their conflict with the Teutonic Order. Disagreeing with the confederacy, Frederick banned it and ordered it to obey the Teutonic Order on 5 December 1453. Faced with that situation the Prussians sent envoys to Poland and received support, especially from Greater Poland and from the party of Queen Sophia of Halshany, mother of King Casimir IV Jagiellon of Poland.
In January 1454 the Prussian faction asked Casimir IV to incorporate Prussia into the Kingdom of Poland. Casimir asked the Prussian Confederation for a more formal petition. On 4 February 1454, the Secret Council of the Prussian Confederation sent a formal act of disobedience to the Grand Master. Two days later the confederacy started its rebellion and soon almost all Prussia were free from Teutonic rule. Most of the captured Ordensburg castles were immediately destroyed.

Both sides expected the war to end quickly. Nevertheless, war ended only in 1466. As a result of this conflict Western Prussia became an autonomous Polish province later known as Royal Prussia; the Bishopric of Warmia also came under the crown of Poland. Eastern Prussia remained under the control of the Teutonic Knights, although they became vassals of the Polish king. The Grand Master received the title of Senator of the Polish kingdom.