Luther von Braunschweig
Encyclopedia
Luther von Braunschweig (also known as Lothar; ca. 1275 – April 18, 1335) was the 18th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights
, serving from 1331-35.
A member of the House of Welf, Luther was born to Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
, and Adelaide, the sister of a north Italian
vassal, Boniface of Monferatto. He was the youngest of his siblings and was designated to join the military order
. He joined the Teutonic Order in 1300 and his career started with a stint at the castle in Christburg
and in 1308 he became the Komtur
of Gollub
. A year later he became the house komtur of Christburg and in 1313 the house Komtur of Marienburg
. In 1314 he became the Grand Armourer and the Komtur of Christburg, founding several town and colonizing southern Prussia
at the same time.
Luther became Grand Master during a war with Poland after the sudden death of Grand Master Werner von Orseln
on February 17, 1331.
Luther continued the conquest of Kuyavia
and ordered Dietrich von Altenburg
to invade Greater Poland
. During the invasion, the Teutonic Knights went as far south as Kalisz (Kalisch)
, destroying the land around them. The Battle of Płowce of 1331 did not stop the Teutonic Order from further invasions. In May 1332, the crusading army captured Brześć Kujawski
and Inowrocław and new komturships were formed in Kuyavia.
Despite the war, Luther tried to avoid any unnecessary military actions. He concentrated on reforming religious life as well as writing poems and theologic books. He ordered the redesign of Castle Marienburg
to make it look more like the residence of an emperor
rather than a monastery
. Luther redesigned the Chapel of St. Anna and built the mausoleum
of the Grand Masters underneath it.
Luther died in Stuhm
and was buried in a cathedral in Königsberg
.
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 1331-35.
A member of the House of Welf, Luther was born to Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Albert the Tall , of the House of Welf, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg from 1252 to 1269 and the first ruler of the newly created Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1269 until his death.-Life:...
, and Adelaide, the sister of a north Italian
Northern Italy
Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...
vassal, Boniface of Monferatto. He was the youngest of his siblings and was designated to join the military order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...
. He joined the Teutonic Order in 1300 and his career started with a stint at the castle in Christburg
Dzierzgon
Dzierzgoń is a town in the Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is located in Sztum County east of Malbork and south of Elbląg on the river Dzierzgoń...
and in 1308 he became the Komtur
Komtur
Komtur was a rank within military orders, especially the Teutonic Knights. In the State of the Teutonic Order, the Komtur was the commander of a basic administrative division called Kommende . A Komtur was responsible for the alimentation of the Knights by the yield from the local estates, he...
of Gollub
Golub-Dobrzyn
Golub-Dobrzyń is a town in central Poland, located on the both sides of the Drwęca River. Situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship , it was previously in the Torun Voivodeship...
. A year later he became the house komtur of Christburg and in 1313 the house Komtur of Marienburg
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 1314 he became the Grand Armourer and the Komtur of Christburg, founding several town and colonizing southern 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...
at the same time.
Luther became Grand Master during a war with Poland after the sudden death of Grand Master Werner von Orseln
Werner von Orseln
Werner von Orseln was the 17th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, serving from 1324 to 1330.Von Orseln hailed from a noble family of vogts of the Counts of Falkenstein in Oberursel near Frankfurt. It is not known when he joined the Teutonic Order...
on February 17, 1331.
Luther continued the conquest of Kuyavia
Kuyavia
Kujawy , is a historical and ethnographic region in the north-central Poland, situated in the basin of the middle Vistula and upper Noteć Rivers, with its capital in Włocławek.-Etymology:The origin of the name Kujawy was seen differently in history...
and ordered 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...
to invade Greater Poland
Greater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...
. During the invasion, the Teutonic Knights went as far south as Kalisz (Kalisch)
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
, destroying the land around them. The Battle of Płowce of 1331 did not stop the Teutonic Order from further invasions. In May 1332, the crusading army captured Brześć Kujawski
Brzesc Kujawski
Brześć Kujawski is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Population - 4,521 , Poland.It has been the seat of one of two small duchies into which Kuyavia has been temporarily divided....
and Inowrocław and new komturships were formed in Kuyavia.
Despite the war, Luther tried to avoid any unnecessary military actions. He concentrated on reforming religious life as well as writing poems and theologic books. He ordered the redesign of Castle Marienburg
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...
to make it look more like the residence of an emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
rather than a monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. Luther redesigned the Chapel of St. Anna and built the 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...
of the Grand Masters underneath it.
Luther died in Stuhm
Sztum
Sztum is a town in northern Poland, located in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is the capital of Sztum County, with some 10,141 inhabitants .-History:...
and was buried in a cathedral in 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...
.