| The Thirteen Years' War | ||||||||||
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| Part of Polish–Teutonic Wars | ||||||||||
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| Belligerents | ||||||||||
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Kingdom of Poland Prussian union Grand Duchy of Lithuania |
Teutonic Order Denmark Livonian Order Amsterdam Duchy of Żagań | Mercenaries | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||||
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Casimir IV Jagiellon Piotr Świdwa-Szamotulski Piotr Dunin Johannes von Baysen Stibor von Baysen Ramsza Krzykowski Otto Machwic Maciej Kolmener Szymon Lubbelow Wincenty Stolle Jan Kieżgajło |
Ludwig von Erlichshausen Heinrich Reuss von Plauen Fritz Raveneck † Augustine Trotzeler Rudolf von Sagan † Balthasar von Sagan Christian I of Denmark Mewes Reymersson |
Bernard von Zinnenberg Oldřich Červonka | ||||||||
The Thirteen Years' War (1454-1466)[a] was a long-lasting armed conflict between the Kingdom of Poland and the Teutonic Order, which took place in the second half of the 15th century. The genesis of the war can be traced back to growing discontent in Prussia with the rule of the Order, which was exacerbated by high taxes and harsh administration. In 1440, the Prussian nobility, bourgeoisie and clergy organised themselves into the Prussian Union, which sought to defend their rights and privileges against the Teutonic Knights. In 1454, after the Order attempted to dissolve the union, a Prussian uprising broke out. The Prussian Union turned for help to King Casimir IV Jagiellon of Poland, who responded to the request by issuing an act of incorporation of Prussia into the Kingdom of Poland. This decision met with resistance from the Teutonic Order, which led to the start of the war.
The Thirteen Years' War was a devastating conflict, fought mainly in the territories of Prussia, Pomerania and Kuyavia. Already at the beginning of the war, on 18 September 1454, one of the first and most important battles took place — the Battle of Chojnice. The Polish forces, supported by the Prussian Union, suffered a severe defeat in it, which hampered their offensive and allowed the Teutonic Knights to take the initiative in the initial phase of the war. The Battle of Knipawa (now part of Königsberg), which was one of the naval skirmishes of the conflict, also took place in 1455. This clash ended in a victory for the Teutonic fleet, allowing the Order to maintain control over supply supplies and maritime communications. The years 1456—1462 were a period of gruelling positional warfare, with many local clashes and sieges, but without decisive victories for either side. During this time, the Teutonic Order, financially supported by Western European bankers, managed to maintain its strongholds and continue the war, despite growing war fatigue. On the Polish side, the financial commitment of the Prussian cities and the military support of the nobility and knights allowed the war effort to continue. In 1462, the landmark Battle of Świecino took place, where the Polish army led by Piotr Dunin inflicted a decisive defeat on the Teutonic Knights. This battle was crucial as it weakened the position of the Order and enabled Poland to take control of Pomerania.
The war ended on 19 October 1466 with the signing of the Second Peace of Thorn, by virtue of which the Teutonic Order had to relinquish Gdansk Pomerania, Chełmno Land, Michałów Land and Warmia, which were directly incorporated into the Crown of the Polish Kingdom. The rest of the Order's territories, known as Teutonic Prussia, became a fief of Poland, and the Grand Master of the Order was obliged to pay homage to the Polish king. The Thirteen Years' War was of great importance for the further political and economic development of the region. For Poland, it meant regaining control over important trade routes and strengthening its position on the Baltic Sea. For the Teutonic Order, it was a devastating war that led to its gradual decline and loss of importance as a military and political power. The conflict changed the balance of power in Central Europe, establishing Poland as a key player in the region.
Background
editTeutonic takeover of Danzig Gdańsk (1308) and the Polish-Teutonic conflict over Pomerania
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The Polish-Lithuanian Union (1385) and the Battle of Grunwald
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Weakening of the Teutonic Order (1411—1435)
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Establishment of the Prussian Union (1440)
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Notes
edit- ^ Polish: Wojna Trzynastoletnia
References
editBibliography
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- Biskup, Marian (2014). Trzynastoletnia wojna z Zakonem Krzyżackim 1454–1466 [Thirteen-year war with the Teutonic Order 1454-1466] (in Polish). Oświęcim: Napoleon V. ISBN 978-83-7889-288-5. OCLC 894984549.
- Biskup, Marian (1990). Wojna trzynastoletnia i powrót Polski nad Bałtyk w XV wieku [The Thirteen Years' War and Poland's return to the Baltic in the 15th century] (in Polish). Kraków: Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza. ISBN 83-03-03076-0. OCLC 69330563.
- Dyskant, Józef (2009). Zatoka Świeża 1463 [Freshwater Bay 1463] (in Polish). Warszawa: Bellona. ISBN 978-83-11-11571-2.
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- Jasienica, Paweł (1992b). Polska Jagiellonów [Poland of the Jagiellons] (in Polish). Warszawa: Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy. ISBN 83-06-01796-X.
- Jasienica, Paweł (1992b). Polska Piastów [Poland of the Piasts] (in Polish). Warszawa: Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy. ISBN 83-06-01795-1.
- Jasienica, Paweł (2009). Myśli o dawnej Polsce [Thoughts on old Poland] (in Polish). Warszawa: Prószyński i S-ka. ISBN 978-83-7648-255-2.
- Koczorowski, Eugeniusz (2003). Pogrom krzyżackiej armady [The defeat of the Teutonic armada] (in Polish). Warszawa: Bellona.
- Noman, Davies (1996). Boże igrzysko, t. 1 [God's Playground, Vol. 1] (in Polish). Kraków: Wydawnictwo Znak. ISBN 83-7006-506-6.
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