The Nadruvians were a now-extinct Prussian tribe. They lived in Nadruvia (alternative spellings include: Nadruva , Nadrowite , Nadrovia , Nadrauen , Nadravia , Nadrow and Nadra ), a large territory in northernmost Prussia. They bordered the Skalvians on the Neman (Nemunas) River just to the north, the Sudovians to the east, and other Prussian tribes to the south and west. Most information about the clan is provided in a chronicle by Peter von Dusburg .
14-527: In 1236 Peter of Dusburg wrote that Nadruvia was the location of Romuva , the sacred center of Baltic religion. From Romuva Kriwe, the chief priest or "pagan Pope", ruled over the religion of all the Balts. No other sources mention the place. Scientists have considerable doubts if such an organized structure existed. As the northernmost clan, Nadruvians were conquered last by the Teutonic Knights ,
28-648: A German crusading military order. In 1230 the Knights set up their base in the Chełmno Land in Poland and proceeded to conquer all pagans and convert them to Christianity. The first military encounters between Nadruvians and the Knights began ca. 1255 when the Knights were trying to conquer Sambians , western neighbors of Nadruvians. Dusburg alleges that Nadruvians had several fortresses with strong garrisons. Two distorted names are given ( Otholicia and Cameniswika ) and it
42-699: Is further complicated by the fact that the area was largely depopulated by the crusades against Prussians and Lithuanians. It was repopulated by bringing colonists from Germany and Lithuania (see Lithuania Minor ). Therefore, it is impossible to determine whether Lithuanians originally lived there or migrated later on. Another variant of the name is Netherland what corresponds to the Lithuanian suffix -uva meaning land as also in Lietuva - Lithuania and German Letland - Latvia. The root nether corresponds to Lithuanian Žemaitija - Samogitia, which translates as Lowland and
56-650: Is very difficult to identify their location. Nadruvians built another castle at Velowe when the Knights reached their lands. Sambians had to surrender in 1277, but the conquest of Nadruvians was delayed by the Great Prussian Uprising that broke out in 1260. The uprising ended in 1274, and Nadruvians fell in 1275. Prussian fortress at Velowe was captured by the Teutonic Knights and renamed to Wehlau . A handful of Nadruvians retreated into Grand Duchy of Lithuania . The rest were incorporated into
70-602: The Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights and merged with Lithuanian and German settlers. In 1454, the region was incorporated by King Casimir IV Jagiellon to the Kingdom of Poland . After the subsequent Thirteen Years' War , the longest of all Polish–Teutonic wars, since 1466, it formed part of Poland as a fief held by the Teutonic Order, and after 1525 held by secular Ducal Prussia . Eventually, sometime after
84-713: The Order State with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . In 1314, Grand Master Karl von Trier appointed von Orseln Grand Komtur at Malbork Castle . During a coup d'etat in the Monastic State, he supported the Grand Master and was exiled along with him. However, he returned in 1319 and he held the position of von Trier's resident in Prussia . He negotiated discussion and restored hierarchic discipline within
98-474: The 16th century, Nadruvians became extinct. The bulk of Nadruvia became part of the predominantly Lithuanian-inhabited region of Lithuania Minor . Linguists offer a few derivations for the name of the clan: While most linguists agree that Nadruvians were one of the Prussian clans, some historians argue that they were a separate tribe, more closely related to western Lithuanians than to Prussians. The matter
112-425: The Grand Master ordered the conquest of Polish Kujavia and Dobrzyń Land . Yet during the war, von Orseln died at Marienburg Castle as a result of several wounds after an assassination attempt by a mad knight, allegedly Johan von Endorf. He was buried in the cathedral of Marienwerder (Kwidzyn). There is, however, some doubt that it was Endorf, who was convicted three days later and sentenced to jail for life. As
126-536: The Order. Upon the death of Karl von Trier, the Order's capitulum on 6 July 1324 chose von Orseln as the next Grand Master. Immediately after being elected, von Orseln was forced to start negotiations with King Władysław I the Elbow-high of Poland over the contested lands of Pomerelia , which the Knights had annexed after the takeover of Gdańsk in 1308. The discussions did not produce any results, however, and
140-525: The Teutonic Order started preparations for war with Poland. In 1326 the Grand Master formed an anti-Polish coalition at Brodnica , consisting of the Masovian dukes Siemowit II , Trojden I and Wenceslaus of Płock as well as of several Silesian Piasts and King John of Bohemia . The pretext to start the Polish–Teutonic War gave King Władysław I by the invasion of Płock in 1327. In retaliation,
154-422: The now-lost work of a Latinist who had written about the campaigns of the early Prussian Crusade . That version was subsequently revised to include events up to 1330. In 1331-1335, Nikolaus von Jeroschin translated Peter's chronicle into Middle High German on behalf of Grand Master Luther von Braunschweig . Werner von Orseln Werner von Orseln ( c. 1280 – 18 November 1330)
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#1732776841455168-589: The second half of the 13th century until the first half of the 14th century. Initially it was thought he was from Duisburg , Germany , and in some texts he is referred to as "Peter of Duisburg". Other research indicates he may have instead come from Doesburg , the Netherlands . In 1324, probably while in Königsberg , Peter began working on his Chronicon terrae Prussiae on behalf of Grand Master Werner von Orseln . By 1326, he had finished expanding upon
182-554: Was a neighbouring land of Nadrovia. Peter of Dusburg Peter of Dusburg ( German : Peter von Dusburg ; Latin : Petrus de Dusburg ; died after 1326), also known as Peter of Duisburg , was a Priest -Brother and chronicler of the Teutonic Knights . He is known for writing the Chronicon terrae Prussiae , which described the 13th and early 14th century Teutonic Knights and Old Prussians in Prussia . Peter's dates of birth and death are unknown, although he lived from
196-629: Was the 17th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1324 until his murder in 1330. Von Orseln hailed from a noble family of vogts (reeves) of the Counts of Falkenstein in Oberursel near Frankfurt . It is not known when he joined the Teutonic Order. He is first mentioned in 1312 holding the office of a Komtur at the Ordensburg of Ragnit (present-day Neman) near the border of
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