Heinrich Dusemer
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Dusemer von Arfberg (died 1353 in Bratian) was the 21st Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights
, serving from 1345 to 1351.
Dusemer hailed from Swabia
and joined the Teutonic Order in 1311. As a young knight he fought against the Lithuanians
. Legend has it that he frequently would duel with Grand Duke
Vytenis
. Owing to his bravery and fighting prowess, he advanced in the Order's hierarchy quickly.
In 1318 he becomes a member of a convent on a castle in Labiau
and in 1329 Komtur of Ragnit
. In 1333 he became the Vogt
of Sambia
and in 1334 the Komtur of Brandenburg (Frisches Haff). A year later, Dusemer became the Grand Marshal
and the Komtur of Königsberg
. In 1339 he came into conflict with Grand Master Dietrich von Altenburg
and as a punishment was degraded. He was sent to Strasburg
where he took over the komturship. He was reinstated by the next Grand Master, Ludolf König
.
On December 13, 1345, the Order's capitulum
in Marienburg
chose Dusemer as the next Grand Master, as after several defeats the Order needed someone with battlefield experience. Shortly after being chosen the Grand Master, Dusemer retaliated and attacked Lithuania in a campaign which ended with a total victory over the Lithuanian army by the Strawa River
on February 2, 1348.
The planned conquest of Lithuania had to be averted, however, as the Black Death
had reached Prussia
and forced Dusemer to withdraw his army from the conquered lands. Although the Order was able to regroup afterward, Dusemer decided to resign as the Grand Master. After Winrich von Kniprode
was named as his replacement, Dusemer settled in Brattian
where he did not hold any important functions.
Dusemer died in 1353 in Bratian and was buried in the Marienburg Castle
in a mausoleum
under the Chapel
of St. Anna.
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
, serving from 1345 to 1351.
Dusemer hailed from Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
and joined the Teutonic Order in 1311. As a young knight he fought against the Lithuanians
Lithuanians
Lithuanians are the Baltic ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,765,600 people. Another million or more make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland. Their native language...
. Legend has it that he frequently would duel with Grand Duke
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
Vytenis
Vytenis
Vytenis was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from c. 1295 to c. 1316. He became the first of the Gediminid dynasty to rule for a considerable amount of time. In the early 14th century his reputation outshone that of Gediminas, who is regarded by modern historians as one of the greatest Lithuanian rulers...
. Owing to his bravery and fighting prowess, he advanced in the Order's hierarchy quickly.
In 1318 he becomes a member of a convent on a castle in Labiau
Polessk
Polessk , prior to 1945 known by its German name Labiau is a town and the administrative center of Polessky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia. Population: 4,744 ....
and in 1329 Komtur of Ragnit
Neman (town)
Neman is a town and the administrative center of Nemansky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia. It is located in the historic Prussia region, east of the town of Sovetsk, on the steep southern bank of the Neman River, where it currently forms the border with the Klaipėda Region in...
. In 1333 he became the Vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
of Sambia
Sambia
Sambia or Samland is a peninsula in the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, on the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea. The Curonian Lagoon and the Vistula Lagoon demarcate the peninsula. Prior to 1945 it formed an important part of East Prussia.-Names:Sambia is named after the Sambians, an extinct...
and in 1334 the Komtur of Brandenburg (Frisches Haff). A year later, Dusemer became the Grand Marshal
Grand Marshal
Grand Marshal is a ceremonial, military, or political office of very high rank. The term has its origins with the word "Marshal" with the first usage of the term "Grand Marshal" as a ceremonial title for certain religious orders...
and the Komtur of Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
. In 1339 he came into conflict with Grand Master Dietrich von Altenburg
Dietrich von Altenburg
Dietrich von Altenburg was the 19th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1335 to 1341.He came from the Thuringian town of Altenburg in the Holy Roman Empire, where his father held the office of a burgrave of the immediate Pleissnerland, which however had long been pawned to the Saxon...
and as a punishment was degraded. He was sent to Strasburg
Brodnica
Brodnica is a town in northern Poland with 27,400 inhabitants . Previously part of Toruń Voivodeship [a province], from 1975 to 1998, Brodnica has been situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999...
where he took over the komturship. He was reinstated by the next Grand Master, Ludolf König
Ludolf König
Ludolf König von Wattzau was the 20th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1342 to 1345....
.
On December 13, 1345, the Order's capitulum
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
in Marienburg
Malbork
Malbork is a town in northern Poland in the Żuławy region , with 38,478 inhabitants . Situated in the Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously assigned to Elbląg Voivodeship...
chose Dusemer as the next Grand Master, as after several defeats the Order needed someone with battlefield experience. Shortly after being chosen the Grand Master, Dusemer retaliated and attacked Lithuania in a campaign which ended with a total victory over the Lithuanian army by the Strawa River
Battle of Streva
Battle of Strėva, Strebe, or Strawe was fought on February 2, 1348 between the Teutonic Knights and pagan Grand Duchy of Lithuania on the banks of the Strėva River, a right tributary of the Neman River, near present-day Žiežmariai...
on February 2, 1348.
The planned conquest of Lithuania had to be averted, however, as the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
had reached Prussia
Prussia (region)
Prussia is a historical region in Central Europe extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lake District. It is now divided between Poland, Russia, and Lithuania...
and forced Dusemer to withdraw his army from the conquered lands. Although the Order was able to regroup afterward, Dusemer decided to resign as the Grand Master. After Winrich von Kniprode
Winrich von Kniprode
Winrich von Kniprode was the 22nd Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights. He was the longest serving Grand Master, holding the position for 31 years ....
was named as his replacement, Dusemer settled in Brattian
Bratian
Bratian is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Nowe Miasto Lubawskie, within Nowe Miasto County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately north of Nowe Miasto Lubawskie and south-west of the regional capital Olsztyn. The village has a population of...
where he did not hold any important functions.
Dusemer died in 1353 in Bratian and was buried in the Marienburg Castle
Malbork Castle
The Marienburg Castle in Malbork is by area the largest castle in the world. It was built in Prussia by the Teutonic Knights, a German Roman Catholic religious order of crusaders, in a form of an Ordensburg fortress. The Order named it Marienburg...
in a mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
under the Chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
of St. Anna.