Several military orders were founded during the Middle Ages. These orders of knights, clergy and laymen, made it their mission to fight for the Christian faith, often by going on crusades.
During the Middle Ages, the Teutonic Knights was the mightiest military order in the Baltic region. It had its headquarters in Marienburg in Preussen (nowadays Malbork in Poland). The members of the Order wore white habits with a large black cross. It was led by a Grandmaster who had a council of five prominent knights at his side.
The Teutonic Knights had strong armed forces. In the Baltic area, people were still heathens and therefore the Order wanted to conquer Livonia and Estonia. They threatened Poland and Lithuania and controlled Gotland during the years 1398-1408. The fleet of the Teutonic Knights could be seen all over the southern Baltic region. When the Order gained control of an area, they would build castles. Then the German aristocracy arrived, took possession of the farm-land, and began to control trade. The native peasants had to pay heavy taxes and do hard labour service at the manors and castles.
The Teutonic Knights were at their strongest at the end of the 14th century. They had great influence in the Baltic Sea and were very much a threat to the Nordic countries. Their presence was one of the reasons for Queen Margareta to try to establish a strong union between Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
The successful crusades of the Teutonic Knights suddenly ended in 1410. The knights and soldiers were defeated at Tannenberg in a battle against Poland-Lithuania. Later, the Order lost other battles as well. By the end of the 15th century, the Teutonic Knights was no longer the powerful Order it once had been.
Several military orders were founded during the Middle Ages. These orders of knights, clergy and laymen, made it their mission to fight for the Christian faith, often by going on crusades.
During the Middle Ages, the Teutonic Knights was the mightiest military order in the Baltic region. It had its headquarters in Marienburg in Preussen (nowadays Malbork in Poland). The members of the Order wore white habits with a large black cross. It was led by a Grandmaster who had a council of five prominent knights at his side.
The Teutonic Knights had strong armed forces. In the Baltic area, people were still heathens and therefore the Order wanted to conquer Livonia and Estonia. They threatened Poland and Lithuania and controlled Gotland during the years 1398-1408. The fleet of the Teutonic Knights could be seen all over the southern Baltic region. When the Order gained control of an area, they would build castles. Then the German aristocracy arrived, took possession of the farm-land, and began to control trade. The native peasants had to pay heavy taxes and do hard labour service at the manors and castles.
The Teutonic Knights were at their strongest at the end of the 14th century. They had great influence in the Baltic Sea and were very much a threat to the Nordic countries. Their presence was one of the reasons for Queen Margareta to try to establish a strong union between Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
The successful crusades of the Teutonic Knights suddenly ended in 1410. The knights and soldiers were defeated at Tannenberg in a battle against Poland-Lithuania. Later, the Order lost other battles as well. By the end of the 15th century, the Teutonic Knights was no longer the powerful Order it once had been.