Malbork is a small city in the northern part of Poland. A castle in Malbork was constructed by Knights of the cross in the XII and XIV century. It is one of the biggest gothic castles in Europe and it is great example of medieval architecture. The oldest part of the castle was build on the hill at the Nogat river bank. It was mainly fortified castle but also ( between 1309-1457) seat of the order of Teutonic Knights and the capital city of their country. Knights of the cross is a commonly known in Poland name of a German order of knights established in 1190 in Palestine. It was created during crusades in order to protect holy places and to take care of pilgrims.
How Knights of the cross appeared in Malbork?
Official name of the order is “Order of brothers of German hospital of saint Mary in Jerusalem”. In 1198 it was evolved into order of knights. Properties in Jerusalem and in Europe were the basis of their politic and military activity.
It was moved in to Poland by prince Konrad Mazowiecki, who gave part of lands to the Knights of the cross in 1226 in return for defeating boundaries of the country. But order had bigger ambition. Year earlier Knights of the cross were driven out of Siedmiogród by the king of Hungary for trying to raise own state. After coming to Poland the order regularly aimed to create state at the Baltic sea. During next years, mainly with the help of German knighthood, they captured Prussia. On the conquered lands they used to build fortified castles, where they lived during winters to set off in spring to the next expedition.
Jan Długosz’s (1415-1480) chronicles shows how bloody their conquers were. Very frequently it was connected with burning settlements and killing their dwellers. Describing history of medieval Poland he called them “Latrones cruce signati” what means scroundels marked with a cross.
The first part of the castle in Malbork (Marienburg) was raised between 1275-1300. Icastlen 1309 great master of the order moved his seat and at the same time capital city of country from Venice to Malbork.
When role of the Malbork began to grow to the oldest part called High castle, the new part of castle (called middle castle) was raised, which was used as a hotel. Knights hall could seat up to 400 knights and during winter time it was heated by “hypocaustum”. Air was heated in the cellars and then through the system of ditches and holes in the floor it got to the room. In the low castle was built. It included big granary, stables, barns, bakery, kitchen, brewery, hospital and flats for journeymen. Defence system of the castle was constructed of several rings of high and thick walls separated by moats. Each ring had watch towers, gates and bridges.
In 1308 Teutonic Knights were called on by the future king of Poland Władysław £okietek to help in fighting with Brandemburgs who attacked Gdansk.
Unfortunately Knights tricked Lokietek, they captured the city by killing most inhabitants. A year later they occupied whole Gdañsk Pomerania. This lawless seize of the land made people aware of how dangerous policy of order could be. Further Teutonic Knights’ expansion which was led under a pretence of Christianization was a basis for a long-term, constant conflict between Poland and the Order. Next Knights’ target to conquer became Lithuania. In 1410 at the fields near Grunwald, Polish and Lithuanian army defeated Teutonic Knights. The lost battle and a downfall of military prestige initiated a downfall of Teutonic Knights’ reign. The castle in Malbork during the Thirty-year War (1454-1466) was defended by mercenaries. The army was moved in from distant Czech.
Because of being behind with paying soldier’s pay, Czechs took over the castle and then they sold it in 1457 to polish King Kazimierz Jagielonczyk. From that time castle was a temporary residence of polish kings.
Another wars with Knights caused that Teutonic Knigth’s order fell and the secular duchy of Prussia was created. The new duchy was deferred to Poland. In 1525 the last master of the order Albrecht Hohenzollern paid homage to Polish King Zygmunt I Stary in Krakow.
It was moved in to Poland by prince Konrad Mazowiecki, who gave part of lands to the Knights of the cross in 1226 in return for defeating boundaries of the country. But order had bigger ambition. Year earlier Knights of the cross were driven out of Siedmiogród by the king of Hungary for trying to raise own state. After coming to Poland the order regularly aimed to create state at the Baltic sea. During next years, mainly with the help of German knighthood, they captured Prussia. On the conquered lands they used to build fortified castles, where they lived during winters to set off in spring to the next expedition.
Jan Długosz’s (1415-1480) chronicles shows how bloody their conquers were. Very frequently it was connected with burning settlements and killing their dwellers. Describing history of medieval Poland he called them “Latrones cruce signati” what means scroundels marked with a cross.
The first part of the castle in Malbork (Marienburg) was raised between 1275-1300. Icastlen 1309 great master of the order moved his seat and at the same time capital city of country from Venice to Malbork.
When role of the Malbork began to grow to the oldest part called High castle, the new part of castle (called middle castle) was raised, which was used as a hotel. Knights hall could seat up to 400 knights and during winter time it was heated by “hypocaustum”. Air was heated in the cellars and then through the system of ditches and holes in the floor it got to the room. In the low castle was built. It included big granary, stables, barns, bakery, kitchen, brewery, hospital and flats for journeymen. Defence system of the castle was constructed of several rings of high and thick walls separated by moats. Each ring had watch towers, gates and bridges.
In 1308 Teutonic Knights were called on by the future king of Poland Władysław £okietek to help in fighting with Brandemburgs who attacked Gdansk.
Unfortunately Knights tricked Lokietek, they captured the city by killing most inhabitants. A year later they occupied whole Gdañsk Pomerania. This lawless seize of the land made people aware of how dangerous policy of order could be. Further Teutonic Knights’ expansion which was led under a pretence of Christianization was a basis for a long-term, constant conflict between Poland and the Order. Next Knights’ target to conquer became Lithuania. In 1410 at the fields near Grunwald, Polish and Lithuanian army defeated Teutonic Knights. The lost battle and a downfall of military prestige initiated a downfall of Teutonic Knights’ reign. The castle in Malbork during the Thirty-year War (1454-1466) was defended by mercenaries. The army was moved in from distant Czech.
Because of being behind with paying soldier’s pay, Czechs took over the castle and then they sold it in 1457 to polish King Kazimierz Jagielonczyk. From that time castle was a temporary residence of polish kings.
Another wars with Knights caused that Teutonic Knigth’s order fell and the secular duchy of Prussia was created. The new duchy was deferred to Poland. In 1525 the last master of the order Albrecht Hohenzollern paid homage to Polish King Zygmunt I Stary in Krakow.
The order was completely withdrew from the Prussia but the effects of their politics at the Baltic sea survived for a long time.
Malbork was one of the biggest castles of the medieval Europe. During II world war in 1945 Russian soldiers, using heavy artillery, destroyed large part of the castle. In 1961 Museum of the Castle was created in Malbork. In 1997 the castle was listed to the UNESCO World Heritage List .
Web site: Castle in Malbork
distances:Gdansk - 56 km
Warsaw - 290 km
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
