THE PRUSSIAN CRUSADE, PART 3

Last time we left the war-torn Prussia, the (((Teutonic Knights))), or rather 200 of them, were training the hosts of the Poles to help them genocide the Prussians. In late 1230, an army of at least 10000 had gathered, with 5000 being provided by...

...(((Swantopelk of Pomerania))). The first step was the massive colonization of Chelmno Land. To achieve that, settlers were invited (initially only from Poland, later from everywhere) and new settlements were granted "kulm law" (Polish version of trading rights).

Of those towns, at least 15 had exclusively Polish names, and, of the other 8, names in many languages are recorded, some Baltic, other German and other Polish. Both (((ecclesiastic))) and secular Polish knights were given governance of the territories, whilst the native Balts...

...were once more driven out.

After that, their next target was the fort of Gurske, a fort near a Viking Age emporium, Rehbock. Gurske was taken with treachery, the road to the emporium open. Rehbock was razed to the ground and the Polish city of Rogow was built atop the ruins

By the end of 1232, 5000 more were recruited from Pomerania and Pomerellia. Next year began with an invasion of Pogesania. The Pogesanian leader was named Pepin or Pippin (a Germanic name, so he most probably were a Baltic German). Pepin proved to be an able leader and,...

... despite the destruction of their fields and many villages, soon the Prussians had turned the tide and, after a summer of successful defense, they had the crusaders running by autumn. But, (((Swantopelk))) devised a plan. When the Prussians had to ford and cross the frozen...

...Sirgune River, he sent missives to them that he supposedly would turn against the other Poles simultaneously with their crossing. Yet, his missive was false. So, he set up roadblocks on the frozen river, making the ice melt when the Pogesanians tried to cross it.

Then, the Polish armies advanced from all sides, killing more than 5000 people in this cowardly ambush. Apart from (((Swantopelk))), the other commanders taking part in this massacre were (((Henry the Bearded))) of Silesia, (((Ladislaus Odonic))) of Naklo and the well-known...

...(((Konrad of Masovia))). The battle is also dubbed as "Field of the Dead", from the sheer amount of carnage. In the early 1234, Pogesania was laid waste by the (((crusaders))), a task now easier after the cream of their fighting men had been so ruthlessly eliminated.

The castle of Radzyn Chelminski was built, to consolidate the colonization of the territory. To effectively conquer more territory, the (((Order of Dobrzyn))) was assimilated by the 200 (((Teutonic Knights))), but their base of operations was still under control of Konrad...

For the rest of 1234, no operations commenced, for those who trained the Polish armies were called by papal legate (((William of Modena))), to help eliminate the last openly pagan Germans, the Stedingers. You can learn about the Stedinger Crusade from my thread on the topic.

In 1235, when the (((Teutonic Knights))) returned to the Prussian front, they finished with training the (((Order of Dobrzyn))). Next target was set to be Pomesania. Because they needed boats, for river navigation, they made the (((Margrave of Meissen))) to give them his own.

The Margrave was in debt to the (((crusaders))), for they and the (((Dominicans))) had reinstalled him when the Stedinger pagan uprising made him quake in his boots. With the boats, the (((crusaders))) attacked fishing villages and set up ambushes for the Prussian river crafts.

Once more, on the site of the destroyed pagan villages, towns were founded. Elbing was founded on the site of the Prussian settlement Elbings and settled with Wends from West Pomerania. The emporium of Truso was destroyed once more (for the last time). A city under the name of...

...(((Christburg))) was founded also, in early 1237, to enhance consolidation and Polonization of the area. In the same year, the (((crusaders))) assimilated the misbegotten remnants of the (((Fratres milites christi))), the well-known (((Brothers of the Sword))), which...

...had been effectively wiped out by the brave Lithuanians at the Battle of Saule, after decades of oppressing the population of Livonia (Estonia and Latvia). The bolstered numbers made the (((crusaders))) more confident that they could administer more areas by the means of...

... building forts after demolishing the Prussian ones, but not necessarily with colonization. The next target was Warmia, operations against which began in 1238. The countryside was scoured, but the determined Warmians garrisoned in the fort of Honeida, repelling many an attack.

The (((crusaders))) besieged the fortress, lying that the pagans would be allowed to go back home if they accepted (((baptism))), making the local leader, Kodrune, consider the offer. Prussians started quarreling over whether the offer was sincere. The (((crusaders))) meanwhile..

...bombarded the fortress and stormed it, slaughtering the pagans indiscriminately. They then levelled the fort, before eliminating the pagan civilians of the Vistula Lagoon. The fort of Balga was built there, as a gateway deeper into Warmia. The brave duke Piopso tried to...

... capture it, but superior numbers and the strong position did not help. The brave leader fell and, by the end of 1239, the area had been reduced to an empty track of land.

By 1240, a huge swathe of Prussia had been conquered, but many tribes were still free.

In the next thread, we will see how they rose up against the (((crusaders))) and fought for their lands.

Thanks for reading.

Dixi.