Misplaced Pages

#937062

79-574: Established in about 13th century, initially as a merchant road leading to the oval market place. Soon after Teutonic takeover of Gdańsk , known as the Gdańsk slaughter , the street become the city's main artery. Its official name in Latin Longa Platea was first written in 1331, German name Langgasse was introduced later and Polish Ulica Długa in 1552. Before the Partitions of Poland it

158-402: A "policy of hardness" being implemented on the townspeople, who had to evacuate their houses which afterward were burned down. Nieß says that the procurator of the order had himself reported these proceedings to the pope, claiming the burghers evacuated and burned their houses voluntarily (which Nieß strongly denies). Nieß is also pointing out that in the subsequent capture of Tczew (Dirschau) by

237-579: A concession would eventually lead to the total expulsion of the knights from their state. These disagreements caused the abdication of Grand Master Charles of Trier in 1318 and the murder of the succeeding Grand Master Werner of Orseln in 1330. The possession of Danzig and Pomerelia by the Teutonic Order was questioned consistently by the Polish kings Władysław I and Casimir the Great in legal suits in

316-671: A conflict between the local nobility and the clergy led by the Bishop of Poznań Bogufał II for the privileges their father had granted shortly before his death. On 24 April 1245 Przemysł I acknowledged Boleslaw's coming of age by knighting him during a solemn Mass in honor of St. Adalbert of Prague in Gniezno, celebrated by Archbishop Pełka Liz. The indivisibility of the Duchy was not to Bolesław's liking, and in 1247 he persuaded his brother Przemysł I to provide territory for his sole leadership:

395-543: A dowry, Brandenburg received the castellany of Santok (but without the important main city) with the consent of a wiec reunited in Greater Poland, which took place on 1 July 1260 in Poznań . However, the expected peace due to this marriage was short-lived. In early 1265 Brandenburg occupied the main city of Santok and broke the previous agreement. Thanks to an immediate diplomatic intervention, Bolesław soon signed

474-598: A full victory and Ladzka returned to Greater Poland. The formal treaty was signed on 29 November 1259; however, Casimir I delayed in fulfilled the provisions of the agreement, which led in 1261 to a new military expedition. On 23 June 1262 Siemowit I was killed at the hands of the Lithuanian troops and his eldest son Konrad II was taken prisoner. Both Konrad II and his younger brother Bolesław II were minors at that time; for this reason, Bolesław became regent of their domains (Duchies of Masovia , Płock and Czersk ) for

553-498: A later publication from 1993 writes that victims included defenders of the castle and burghers along with members of their families in addition to 100 murdered knights. According to Maksymilian Grzegorz (1997), German historians tend to minimize the number of murdered victims of the Teutonic Knights, while Polish historians estimate the number at between at minimum 60 to several hundred. Historians are divided on whether

632-506: A market place of tradesmen and was granted Lübeck city rights by Duke Swietopelk II in 1224. Under Swietopelk II , Gdańsk became an important trading site on the lower Vistula. The Margraviate of Brandenburg entered the scene after Mestwin II , son of Swietopolk, concluded the Treaty of Arnswalde with them, in order to receive aid against his brother, Wartislaw. The margraves took over

711-445: A massacre in a bull issued by pope Clement V : "Latest news were brought to my attention, that officials and brethren of the aforementioned Teutonic order have hostilely intruded the lands of Our beloved son Wladislaw, duke of Cracow and Sandomierz, and in the town of Gdańsk killed more than ten thousand people with the sword, inflicting death on whining infants in cradles whom even the enemy of faith would have spared." The source of

790-852: A new treaty with Brandenburg, under which Greater Poland burned the fortress built in Drezdenko , and Brandenburg also burned his fortress in Santok. But in 1269 war with Brandenburg erupted again. They built a fortress in Sulęcin , and in response Bolesław did the same thing in Międzyrzecz . The invasion of Międzyrzecz launched by the Margraves of Brandenburg was successfully repulsed by Bolesław, who in December 1269 could advance to Lubusz and in addition, during this expedition burned several fortresses, included

869-612: Is likely that most of the former inhabitants left Danzig in 1308. When the Poles refused to accept monetary compensation for the Knights' takeover of the city, the Order resorted to conquering further towns like Świecie . The local colony of merchants and artisans was specifically attacked because they competed with the Knights' town of Elbing ( Elbląg ), a nearby city. The Knights also attacked Tczew (Dirschau). The Knights then captured

SECTION 10

#1732780238938

948-480: Is the 1308 Polish-Teutonic War. For a list of all Polish-German Wars, see Polish-German Wars . Order's capture of the city followed by massacre of the inhabitants, leading to expansion of the Teutonic Order and Polish–Teutonic Wars over the following two centuries. The city of Danzig (Gdańsk) was captured by the State of the Teutonic Order on 13 November 1308, resulting in a massacre of its inhabitants and marking

1027-584: The princes of Rügen , who also claimed to be the heirs of Pomerelia, mounted an expedition. Wenceslaus, who with the Polish crown had also acquired the claim to Pomerelia, called the Teutonic Order for help. The Teutonic knights occupied Gdańsk, repelled the princes of Rügen, and left the town in 1302. While the Norwegian king Haakon backed Rügen's claims, his 1302 call to the Hanseatic cities for aid remained without answer. Wenceslaus II died in 1305 and

1106-529: The 15th century, era of the Polish-Teutonic Wars , medieval Polish chronicler Jan Długosz in epic prose described the event as a slaughter of Polish nationals, regardless of condition, age or sex. Modern sources are divided as to the actual extent of the massacre though they all agree that mass killings did take place. Historian Matthew Kuefler states: "German and Polish historians in the twentieth century tended to have diverging [views] both on

1185-699: The Black in the autumn of 1273 in order to visit Władysław of Opole, an ally of the Přemyslid dynasty . During 1258-1261 Bolesław was involved in a long and destructive war against Casimir I of Kuyavia and his ally Swantopolk II for the castellanie of Ladzka. To this end, the Greater Poland Duke allied with Wartislaw III , Duke of Pomerania - Demmin , Siemowit I of Masovia , Bolesław V the Chaste and Roman Danylovich , Prince of Navahradak . The war ended in

1264-578: The Black , except for Radziejów and Kruszwica, which remained in Greater Poland. From the beginning of his sole rule, Bolesław established contacts with the Margraviate of Brandenburg , ruled by the House of Ascania ; in this, he followed the policy of his brother Przemysł I, who even betrothed his eldest daughter Constance with Conrad , son of Margrave John I . Three years after Przemysł I's death (in 1260), Constance and Conrad were formally married. As

1343-477: The Brandenburgers were about to leave. While the dispute was about the co-ordination of further action and unsettled payment, Arnold says that it was at the same time that "the order's policy changed from providing aid towards annexing Pomerelia and buying up existing legal claims," which was opposed by the population of Danzig. This was answered by the order on 13 November "by the uncompromising levelling of

1422-460: The German population only achieved the majority after local Polish population was murdered and a new settlement was built by Teutonic Knights. According to Błażej Śliwiński at the time of events, Gdańsk with surrounding settlements had around 2000 to 3000 inhabitants The forces of the order had arrived in two columns: one re-inforced the Polish garrison in the castle, the other one marched against

1501-589: The House of Ascania wasn't limited to the border areas of Greater Poland. By 1272 Bolesław entered in an alliance with Mestwin II, Duke of Pomerania - Gdańsk ; one year later (in 1273), he renewed his homage to Brandenburg and promised his help to the Margraviate against all his enemies, except the Duke of Greater Poland. In the same year was launched another expedition against Brandenburg. Although nominal leadership of

1580-564: The Jews of Greater Poland. The first years of Bolesław saw him share the fierce dispute of his father against Władysław III Spindleshanks (his own uncle) for his inheritance. However, Władysław Odonic took care properly for the upbringing of his offspring, evidenced by the fact that Bolesław, like his older brother Przemysł I , was able to read and write Latin. Because Bolesław was a minor when Władysław Odonic died on 5 June 1239, his elder brother Przemysł I ruled alone at first. Historians agree

1659-658: The Kingdom of Poland in 1454. When the area was disputed between Weimar Germany and the Second Polish Republic , the Poles recalled the massacre quoting the number of 10,000 murdered. After Nazi Germany had annexed the Free City of Danzig in World War II, the exiled Polish government in releases said that the knights had "massacre[d...] ten thousand souls", portrayed the contemporary Germans in

SECTION 20

#1732780238938

1738-427: The Teutonic Knights to enter and to follow an order to lay down its fortifications. On 13 November, the order's forces with personal involvement of Plotzke forced their way into the town, though no larger battle took place. The order then held a tribunal in the town and ordered large-scale demolishments of its buildings. Soon after the takeover, on 19 June 1310, the Teutonic Knights faced charges that they had committed

1817-424: The Teutonic Order." According to Ulrich Nieß, the destruction of the town was part of the order's policy of securing its lands from potential inner rivals. Nieß says that the destruction of the city walls was in line with the order's contemporary policy of not allowing their own foundations to be substantially fortified either, and that the refusal of the town to obey to the order's demand to level their walls led to

1896-410: The allegation is unknown. The respective bull contained other charges against the Teutonic Order, resulting from a dispute between its Livonian branch and the citizens as well as the archbishop of Riga , Friedrich von Pernstein . According to Ulrich Nieß, von Pernstein was the likely the source of the allegation of the ten thousand massacred. The bull called for an investigation of the charges which

1975-630: The area, the Cammin bishop , by burning down his see. Meanwhile, Władysław I the Elbow-high had reestablished his power in Poland, but was occupied in the south of his realm. He appointed Bogusza as his Pomerelian governor in Gdańsk. In the summer of 1308, a rebellion was incited by the local Swienca family allied with Waldemar of Brandenburg , resulting in a Brandenburgian intervention which unseated

2054-480: The assistance given in the conflict with Bohemia after the extinction of the House of Babenberg . For Bolesław, this alliance cost him the devastation of Greater Poland during the winter of 1267-1268 by troops of King Ottokar II of Bohemia during his return from an expedition against the Prussians . One of the stages of this war was also the trip taken by Bolesław together with Bolesław V the Chaste and Leszek II

2133-520: The beginning of tensions between Poland and the Teutonic Order. Originally the knights moved into the fortress as an ally of Poland against the Margraviate of Brandenburg . However, after disputes over the control of the city between the Order and the King of Poland arose, the knights murdered a number of citizens within the city and took it as their own. Thus the event is also known as Gdańsk massacre or Gdańsk slaughter ( rzeź Gdańska ). Though in

2212-584: The brothers occurred in May of that year at a meeting in Pogorzelica near Giecz , where thanks to the mediation of Pełka, the Archbishop of Gniezno Bolesław recovered his Duchy of Kalisz-Gniezno. After that the brothers cooperated without problems, but Bolesław was still removed from the foreign policy of Greater Poland. On 8 May 1254, Bolesław took part in the national Congress of Piast princes at Kraków on

2291-524: The brothers together gave support to Konrad I of Głogów against his brother Bolesław II the Bald . However, on 19 May 1250 an unexplained event took place, which was related in the Chronicle of Greater Poland : The conflict certainly was not trivial, since Bolesław did not regain his freedom until 20 April 1253, thanks to the pressures of the powerful Greater Poland clergy. The final reconciliation between

2370-407: The castle around August. While historians agree that the castle as well as the adjacent town were in the hands of the Teutonic Knights by late November 1308, the number of casualties and the extent of destruction is debated. Peter Oliver Loew writes that for a long time German historians accepted the version of events given by Teutonic Knights, and didn't accept a high number of people murdered, with

2449-533: The castle in Bydgoszcz ; however, rapid action by Ziemomysł regained temporary control of this lands. Despite this success, Ziemomysł continued with his German-Pomeranian politics, which caused a new revolt by his subjects, who called again Bolesław for help: in 1271 he invaded the Duchy of Inowrocław and forced Ziemomysł to flee. Bolesław retained the Duchy until 1273, when he gave it to Ziemomysł's brother Leszek II

Długi Targ - Misplaced Pages Continue

2528-440: The crusaders, the Knights retained control of Danzig. - this time, with the permission of the papal court. Development of the city stagnated after its capture by the Teutonic Knights. Initially the new rulers tried to reduce the economic significance of Danzig by abolishing the local government and the privileges of the merchants. This was exemplified by the fact that the city council, including Arnold Hecht and Conrad Letzkau ,

2607-559: The dates 1308, 1454, 1466 and 1939 are mentioned, relating the events of 1308 to the Thirteen Years' War and World War II. Boleslaw Pobozny Bolesław the Pious (1224/27 – 14 April 1279) was a Duke of Greater Poland during 1239–1247 (according to some historians during 1239–1241, sole Duke of Ujście ), Duke of Kalisz during 1247–1249, Duke of Gniezno during 1249–1250, Duke of Gniezno-Kalisz during 1253–1257, Duke of

2686-581: The daughter of Mestwin I, Duke of Pomerania , or a member of the Přemyslid dynasty . His name was very popular in the Piast dynasty , so it's unknown exactly after whom he was named. Very soon Bolesław received the nickname of "the Pious" ( Latin : Pius , Polish : Pobożny ), given to him during his lifetime by the Chronicle of the Chapter of Poznań . In 1264, Bolesław granted the first written privilege to

2765-475: The duchy after Mestwin's death in 1294. The Margraves of Brandenburg also claimed the region and had Przemysł assassinated in early 1296. Władysław I the Elbow-high (Łokietek), Przemysł's successor, was only in loose control of Pomerelia and Gdańsk with the actual control of the area being in the hands of the local Swienca family who had come into power already under Mestwin II. In 1301, one year after Wenceslaus II of Bohemia had been crowned king of Poland,

2844-650: The forces loyal to Łokietek, who later would become King of Poland. Bogusza and his men had retreated to the castle next to the town, and were besieged by the margraves. Bogusza, on the advice of the Dominican prior Wilhelm, appealed to the Teutonic Knights in Prussia for assistance. The Knights, under the leadership of Heinrich von Plotzke , agreed to aid Bogusza, and a force of 100 knights and 200 supporters, led by Günther von Schwarzburg , arrived at

2923-420: The greater part of the town." Ulrich Nieß says that as a consequence of the appearance of Teutonic Order forces in the castle, the Brandenburgers left, and soon left also the initial Pomerelian and Kuyavian garrison of the castle after a dispute with the Teutonic Knights. The town, though still preferring Brandenburg rule, offered asylum to the garrison, and in relying on its Lübeck law charter refused to allow

3002-692: The imprisonment of Henry IV in 1277, tried to force financial concessions. Bolesław supported this policy with the marriage of his firstborn daughter Elisabeth with Henry V the Fat , Duke of Legnica . Bolesław died on 14 April 1279 in Kalisz and was buried in the Archcathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in Poznań . In 1258 Bolesław married Jolenta (Helena) (b. 1244 – d. 16/17 June aft. 1304), daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary . They had: After Bolesław died without male heirs, all of

3081-643: The land between the Prosna River and Przemęt , north of the Warta River and thence to the Odra River; in short it was the Duchy of Kalisz . This division, though rather unjust for Bolesław, was approved by the Church, and after he protested, he was threatened with the excommunication. Despite the fact that he now had his own district, Bolesław did not pursue a foreign policy; this would continue to be

3160-644: The merchant association, the Hanseatic League by 1361, but its merchants remained resentful at the barriers to trade up the Vistula river with Poland, along with the lack of political rights in a state ruled in the interest of the Order's religiously motivated knight-monks. As a result, the city became a co-founder of the Prussian Confederation which formally petitioned Casimir IV Jagiellon , to incorporate Prussia, including Danzig, into

3239-699: The most prominent and the most wealthy citizens of the Royal City of Danzig. It was also a place of executions of witches , heretics and criminals that were nobles or city's citizens . The others were executed on Galgenberg/Szubieniczna Góra (Gallows Mountain) or in Peinkammertor/Katownia (Torture chamber). [REDACTED] Media related to Długi Targ Square in Gdańsk at Wikimedia Commons 54°20′59″N 18°38′54″E  /  54.3497°N 18.6482°E  / 54.3497; 18.6482 Teutonic takeover of Gda%C5%84sk This

Długi Targ - Misplaced Pages Continue

3318-612: The next two years, until 1264, when Konrad II obtain his freedom and return to Masovia. In 1268 Bolesław interfered again in the Kuyavian affairs. Casimir I's son, Duke Ziemomysł of Inowrocław , followed a policy of close contacts with the Teutonic Order and Duke Sambor II of Pomerania , who became in his father-in-law. This caused a deep dissatisfaction among the local nobility, who called on Bolesław for help. The Duke of Greater Poland quickly took Radziejów , Kruszwica and

3397-406: The number given between 60 and 100 victims Błażej Śliwiński, based on several sources argues that the number of murdered was very high, even if not 10,000. According to Peter Oliver Loew the exact numbers can never be established, however he agrees that all available data confirms that the city was destroyed during the conquest. According to Raphael Lemkin the population in the city at the time

3476-496: The number of 10,000 dead, says that the knights "drove Waldemar from the city, and calmly slaughtered its inhabitants", similar descriptions are presented also in some other English books with sections on Polish history. Jerzy Lukowski in "A concise history of Poland" says that the knights massacred "Lokietek's men". Błażej Śliwiński says that there was a bloodbath which cost an abundance of lives, though not 10,000, and that such massacres were common in medieval Europe., and that

3555-513: The number of dead between 50 and 60 knights, including 16 from notable houses, and over 1000 commoners among the city's population, which he gives as between 2,000 and 3,000 people (including surrounding settlements). Gerard Labuda and Marian Biskup (1993) write that the number of murdered inhabitants is not established, but that the victims of the massacre include at least several dozen notable knights and members of nobility as well as significant number of commoners and simple soldiers. Biskup in

3634-452: The number of those killed was "not less than sixty, and not more than several hundred", that the victims were killed after the takeover rather than during it, and hence the massacre was carried out on defenseless individuals, both knights and burghers, who had laid down their arms. According to Jasiński says the 16 deaths admitted by the order were actually only the most famous Polish knights among those killed. Błażej Śliwiński (2008) estimates

3713-614: The occasion of the canonization of St. Stanislaus , where they decided to form a coalition against Swantopolk II, Duke of Pomerania . Among the princes who participated were his brother Przemysł I, Casimir I of Kuyavia , Siemowit I of Masovia , Władysław of Opole and Bolesław V the Chaste . In September of that year Bolesław participated in an expedition against Henry III the White launched by his brother and Konrad I of Głogów. On 4 June 1257 Przemysł I died, aged only 36. With his brother's death, new horizons opened to Bolesław. He became in

3792-461: The one newly built in Sulęcin. Both sides made a new agreement and were restored the fortress in Santok (from Brandenburg) and Drezdenko (from Greater Poland). The latter was captured by Brandenburg in 1270. For this reason, in the spring of 1271 Bolesław organized a major military expedition against Santok and Neumark , ravaging this land terribly, but he could not recover the lost domains. The war with

3871-470: The order at the curia, both aiming at the return of Pomerelia. The sites of investigation were Inowrocław and Brześć Kujawski in 1320/21 and Warsaw in 1339. The judges were Domarat, bishop of Poznań, Janisław, archbishop of Gniezno and, Nikolaus (Mikolaj), abbot of Mogilno in the first case and Galhard of Chartres and Peter (Pierre) of Gervais in the second case. Witness and eyewitness reports collected during these cases include mentions of killings during

3950-522: The order, the townspeople similarly had to sign an agreement to evacuate their homes, though this was not put into effect. According to Loew, the archaeological evidence suggests that it took a couple of years before new streets and buildings were built on top of the flattened debris of the former buildings, though there probably were areas of the town which had remained unharmed. Referring to records of Danzig burghers taking residence in Lübeck , Loew says it

4029-457: The ownership of the disputed land. In 1249 Bolesław, dissatisfied with the tutelage of his older brother, persuaded him to make a new division of their patrimony. He received the Duchies of Kalisz and Gniezno , with the addition of Wieluń , which had recently been returned to the rule of Władysław Odonic's sons. This new division was apparently made peacefully, because later in that same year

SECTION 50

#1732780238938

4108-462: The papal court in 1320 and 1333. Both times, as well as in 1339, the Teutonic Knights were ordered by the Pope to return Pomerelia and other lands back to Poland, but did not comply. As a result, in the late 1330s, a war ensued. Peace was established in the Treaty of Kalisz in 1343 ; although the Polish kings were able to retain the title "Duke of Pomerania" and were recognized as titular overlords of

4187-404: The past a matter of debate among historians, a consensus has been established that many people were murdered and a considerable part of the town was destroyed in the context of the takeover. In the aftermath of the takeover, the order seized all of Pomerelia (Gdańsk Pomerania) and bought up the supposed Brandenburgian claims to the region in the Treaty of Soldin (1309) . The conflict with Poland

4266-541: The policy of Przemysł I and maintained in their positions the nobles appointed by him. He also developed good relations with the Church while also trying to influence the appointment of the most important religious posts. His generosity to the clergy, allowed the Franciscans to establish a post in 1259 in Gniezno . Also during his rule the monastery of Poor Clares in Gniezno was started, which remained unfinished even at

4345-596: The powerful pressure, Bolesław agreed to this and given his nephew the district of Poznań . To bind Przemysł II with his politics, Bolesław arranged the marriage of his nephew with Ludgarda, daughter of Henry I the Pilgrim , Lord of Mecklenburg . In addition, Ludgarda was a granddaughter of Duke Barnim I of Pomerania , and thanks to this union the alliance with Western Pomerania was reinforced. Dukes of Greater Poland political path, however, soon spread, as Przemysł II became involved with Henry IV Probus , and Bolesław, using

4424-467: The question of whether Pomerelia really "belonged" to Poland and also on the degree of ferocity of the order's conquest". The city of Gdańsk states that "The Teutonic Knights, having captured the castle in 1308 butchered the population. Since then the event is known as the Gdańsk slaughter". In many Polish works, the takeover is referred to as "Gdańsk slaughter" ( rzeź Gdańska ). Norman Davies in his extensive history of Poland , while not insisting on

4503-505: The responsibility of his brother. This was revealed during the dispute with Duke Casimir I of Kuyavia regarding the possession of Ladzka, which was given to him by Henry II the Pious as a dowry for his daughter Constance, Casimir I's second wife. This decision was not recognized by Władysław Odonic's sons, but eventually they reconciled and even signed an alliance with the Kuyavian Duke, which effectively ended any attempt to change

4582-556: The rest of Pomerelia from Brandenburg 's troops. In September 1309, Margrave Waldemar of Brandenburg- Stendal sold his claim to the territory to the Teutonic Order for 10,000 marks in the Treaty of Soldin (now Myślibórz ), thereby connecting the State of the Teutonic Order with that of the Holy Roman Empire . While for the order, this landbridge with the empire was a major strategic improvement by connecting its Baltic territories to its German bailiwicks ( ballei ), it

4661-409: The takeover of Danzig, referred to e.g. as strage magna or maxima (great (est) murder/bloodbath), while the Teutonic Order admitted the killing of 15 to 16 Pomerelian knights. The testimonies from the lawsuits and the order's responses are the primary sources used by historians to reconstruct the events. The lawsuits did not have any practical effect on the order, who won both cases by appeal. In

4740-538: The term "slaughter" in Medieval Ages usually meant murder of around 1000 people. According to Peter Oliver Loew , older German historiography was more inclined to trust the Knights' claims and argued that a number of 10,000 is virtually impossible for a medieval town. A number of 60 to 100 was regarded as reasonable. This view was shared by many Polish historians after World War II, however, Błażej Śliwiński's presented numerous pieces of evidence that what occurred

4819-401: The territory the brothers inherited started out small, but disagree as to whether it extended beyond Ujście and Nakło in northern Poland. In 1241, Przemysł and Boleslaw began reclaiming the lands their father had lost. By 1243 the brothers regained most of the Duchies of Poznań and Gniezno , in 1244 Kalisz , in 1247 Santok , and in 1249 Wieluń . In 1244, Bolesław supported his brother in

SECTION 60

#1732780238938

4898-645: The time of Przemysł II's death. On 16 August 1264 Bolesław granted the first written privilege to the Jews of Greater Poland (the Statute of Kalisz ). It regulated the judicial authority over the Jewish population, and Jewish credit and trading activity. The comparatively liberal statute served as a basis for Jewish privileges in Poland until 1795. In 1273, after the victorious expedition against Brandenburg, Przemysł II began to claim his own separated Duchy. Unable to face

4977-486: The town from the south and raised a siege. In the castle, conflict arose between the Teutonic and Polish knights, with the latter opposing a takeover by the former. After several encounters, the outnumbered Polish forces left the castle, with some of them defecting to the rebellious inhabitants of the town and the Brandenburgers. In the evening of 12 November 1308, the Teutonic Knights succeeded in forcing their way inside

5056-508: The town in 1270/1 from Wartislaw, but did not hand it over to Mestwin until the latter was able to force them out by concluding an alliance with Boleslaw Pobozny , duke of Greater Poland . Under the rule of Brandenburg, conflicts erupted between the Slavic and German populations, which cost many lives. In the 1282 Treaty of Kępno Mestwin II promised his Pomerelian duchy to his ally Przemysł II , duke and later king of Poland, who succeeded to

5135-413: The town was promised to the Teutonic Order in return for aiding Bogusza's men. The Teutonic Knights then moved in, defeated the Brandenburgers and had the townspeople accept Łokietek as their suzerain . However, on 13 November they "took over the whole town, thereby killing everyone who defied their will." Udo Arnold says that a dispute between the castle's garrison and the Teutonic knights arose when

5214-420: The town. During the ensuing close combat in the streets, the Teutonic Knights gained the upper hand over the defending Brandenburgian forces, burghers and Pomerelian knights. The victorious knights killed many citizens and opposing knights. By the morning of 13 November, the defendants were utterly defeated, bodies were lying in the streets and executions were going on. According to Halina Wątróbska , half of

5293-404: The townspeople after the takeover had to demolish only the city walls or, in addition, at least part of the town's buildings. Based on recent archaeological findings, Loew says that this conflict is about to be decided in favor of the destruction thesis: "burn marks and clear evidence for planation of the terrain in the early 14th century prove its [the town's] destruction in the years of 1308/09 by

5372-433: The tradition of these events and linked these events with National Socialism . In 1969, the Polish city authorities dedicated a monument that commemorates the massacre of the population of Gdańsk in 1308. Its stated aim was to propagate an analogy of the events of 1308 and the German crimes of World War II. On the monument, called Tym co za Polskość Gdańska ("For those who fought/fell/stood up for Gdansk's Polishness"),

5451-477: The troops was given by Bolesław to his young nephew Przemysł II , the expedition was actually headed by experienced commanders such as the voivode of Poznań, Przedpełk Łodzia, and the castellan of Kalisz Janek. They successfully reconquered both Drezdenko and Strzelce . The last campaign against Brandenburg during Bolesław's lifetime took in the summer of 1278, when Greater Poland troops advanced to Myślibórz and eventually recovered Santok. Bolesław continued

5530-441: The undisputed sole ruler over the whole of Greater Poland . Although the posthumous son of his brother, Przemysł II , was born on 14 October of that year, Boleslaw was his guardian until he was declared an adult. The first of Bolesław's new foreign politics was his marriage in 1258 to Princess Jolenta (Helena) , daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary . This union resulted in a permanent bond between Bolesław and Hungary , reflected in

5609-406: The whole of Greater Poland and Poznań during 1257–1273, in 1261 ruler over Ląd , regent of the Duchies of Mazovia , Płock and Czersk during 1262–1264, ruler over Bydgoszcz during 1268–1273, Duke of Inowrocław during 1271–1273, and Duke of Gniezno-Kalisz from 1273 until his death. He was the second son of Władysław Odonic , Duke of Greater Poland by his wife Jadwiga , who was probably

5688-414: Was Polish. According to Kazimierz Jaśinski , the Knights captured the town with the help from some of the German burghers, who constituted a very small minority within the town at the time. James Minahan wrote that the city inhabitants, for the most part, were Kashubians . According to Peter Oliver Loew , there were German as well as Slavic inhabitants of the town. According to Stefan Maria Kuczyński ,

5767-465: Was also called the Royal Route because it served as a road of solemn entrances into the city during the visitations by Polish monarchs. The latter name was popularized between 1457 and 1552. During the monarchs' visits to the city they were entertained in the tenement houses along the route and during the feasts of the royal family the city council arrange fireworks here. The street was inhabited by

5846-424: Was at the same time a major loss for Poland which had become a landlocked country . Thus, the takeover triggered a series of conflicts between Poland and the Teutonic Order, and these conflicts in turn triggered a conflict within the order itself. Some prominent brethren favoured a concession of Pomerelia in exchange for good relations with Poland, but were opposed by a majority of the knights who thought that such

5925-401: Was indeed a "bloodbath" with a very high number of victims, although not as high as 10,000, and more likely around 1000. Loew adds that from the source material available to historians, the definite number of casualties is impossible to establish. William Urban says that the number of 10,000 dead has been considered greater than the city's population at the time. Kazimierz Jasiński states that

6004-516: Was removed and beheaded in 1411. Later the Knights were forced to accept the fact that city defended its independence and was the largest and most important seaport of the region after overtaking Elbing. Subsequently, it flourished, benefiting from major investment and economic prosperity in the Monastic state and Poland, which stimulated trade along the Vistula . The city had become a full member of

6083-457: Was started by Francis of Moliano in 1312. During the inquisition, Moliano excommunicated the Teutonic Knights, but this was reversed in 1313. The Riga lawsuit was finally decided in the Teutonic Order's favor by Clement's successor John XXII after a hearing in Avignon in 1319. Under Władysław Łokietek and his successor Casimir III the Great an additional two lawsuits were filed against

6162-498: Was succeeded by Wenceslaus III , murdered in 1306. In a treaty of 8 August 1305, the margraves of Brandenburg promised to Wenceslaus III the Meissen (Miśnia) territory in exchange for Pomerelia, but that treaty was never finalized. The Teutonic Order had inherited Gniew (Mewe) from Sambor II , thus gaining a foothold on the left bank of the Vistula. Brandenburg occupied the west of the duchy after neutralizing another claimant to

6241-696: Was temporarily settled in the Treaty of Kalisz (1343) . The town was returned to Poland in the Second Peace of Thorn in 1466. In the 13th century, the Pomerelian duchy was ruled by members of the Samborides , originally stewards for the Polish Piast kings and dukes. The stewards asserted their power from fortified strongholds. The major stronghold of the area was at the location of present-day Gdańsk's Old Town. The adjacent town developed from

#937062