Thread by @Arby_K

When religion gets into nation building.

Story in the evening ...

Hermann von Salza was born around 1165 in Thuringia, Holy Roman Empire (Germany). Not much is known about his early years, though he may have taken part in the Siege of Acre in 1189, where the Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem was formed. 1/10

The Order was started by merchants from Lübeck and Bremen to provide medical support for the wounded in the siege. In 1197, Emperor Heinrich raised German knights for battle in the Levant. The Landgrave of Thuringia was among those that answered the call. 2/10

Emperor Heinrich's unexpected death in Sicily curtailed the Levantine war theatre, but the influx of German knights was made use of with the militarization of the Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, better known later as Teutonic Order, in 1198. 3/10

Over the next decade, Hermann von Salza appears to have grown in prominence within the Teutonic Order. He was seen attending the coronation of Jean de Brienne as King of Jerusalem in 1210, as the Hochmeister of the Order, which was its highest office. 4/10

However, they saw more action in Europe than in Levant. In 1211, Hermann von Salza and his knights came to the aid of the Hungarian King András to subdue the Cumans in Transylvania. Once they were subdued, the Knights attempted to gain autonomy, but got expelled instead. 5/10

In the meantime, Hermann von Salza developed a good relationship with Emperor Friedrich (Emperor Heinrich's son). He was made a Prince of the Empire and the Teutonic Knights were present when the Emperor was crowned King of Jerusalem. 6/10

This close friendship proved useful when the Polish Duke of Mazovia, Konrad, asked for Hermann's help against the tribes north of his border. In 1226, Emperor Friedrich allowed the Teutonic Knights to conquer and possess the lands of the tribes referred to as Borussi. 7/10

The Teutonic Order went on to establish their state in a ruthless manner. As they gained territory, they received support from further north, from the Livonian Order of the Brothers of the Sword, who had acquired territory there. 8/10

The State of the Teutonic Order lasted for almost three centuries, expanding as they captured Gdańsk in the west in 1308 and purchased Estonia in 1346 from the Danes. But they had to soon face invasions from the neighbouring Rus', Polish and Lithuanians. 9/10

In 1525, the then Hochmeister, Albrecht von Brandenburg, adopted Lutheran faith and transformed the land conquered from the Borussi as a Polish fief, and became the first Duke of Prussia. The remaining lands were slowly lost to neighbours over time. 10/10