Prussian Crusade

Prussian Crusade
Part of the Northern Crusades
Map of the Prussian clans in the 13th century.
Date 1217–1274 Location Modern-day Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia and northeastern Poland Result Crusader victory Territorial changes Teutonic Knights gain control of Prussia
Belligerents
Crusaders: Teutonic Order Order of Dobrin Duchy of Masovia Kingdom of Poland Holy Roman Empire Kingdom of Bohemia Duchy of Silesia Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Margraviate of Brandenburg Margraviate of Meissen Margraviate of Lusatia Landgraviate of Thuringia Duchy of Austria Margraviate of Moravia Duchy of Saxony Principality of Anhalt County of Mark County of Jülich Burgraviate of Magdeburg County of Regenstein County of Schwarzburg County of Habsburg Duchy of Pomerania (turned) Duchy of Pomerelia Duchy of Gdańsk Duchy of Świecie and Lubiszewo Duchy of Lubiszewo Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia Order of Calatrava other guest crusaders, especially from the HRE	Baltic pagans: Prussians Bartians Galindians Natangians Nadruvians Pomesanians Pogesanians Sambians Warmians Yotvingians (Sudovians) Skalvians Allies of Prussians: Grand Duchy of Lithuania Duchy of Pomerania
Commanders and leaders
Hermann von Salza Hermann Balk Konrad von Thuringen Gerhard von Malberg Hartmann von Heldrungen Marshal Heinrich Botel Master Brunon Konrad of Masovia Henry II the Pious Leszek II the Black Henry the Bearded Ladislaus Odonic Ottokar II of Bohemia Bruno of Olmütz Otto the Child Albert the Tall Otto III of Brandenburg Henry III of Meissen Engelbert of the Mark William IV of Jülich Friedrich of Anhalt Burchard of Magdeburg Henry of Schwarzburg Rudolf of Habsburg Swietopelk II of Pomerania (turned) Warcisław of Świecie Sambor II of Pomerania Daniel of Galicia	Herkus Monte  Skomantas of Sudovia Diwanus of Bartia Glande of Sambia Glappo of Warmia Auctume of Pogesania Pepin of Pomesania Allies of Prussians: Mindaugas Traidenis Swietopelk II

The Prussian Crusade was a series of 13th-century campaigns of Roman Catholic crusaders, primarily led by the Teutonic Knights, to Christianize under duress the pagan Old Prussians. Invited after earlier unsuccessful expeditions against the Prussians by Christian Polish princes, the Teutonic Knights began campaigning against the Prussians, Lithuanians and Samogitians in 1230. By the end of the century, having quelled several Prussian uprisings, the Knights had established control over Prussia and administered the conquered Prussians through their monastic state, eventually erasing the Prussian language, culture and pre-Christian religion by a combination of physical and ideological force. Some Prussians took refuge in neighboring Lithuania.