Warmians
Encyclopedia
Warmians were one of the Prussian clans
. They lived in Warmia , a territory since 1945 largely in Poland
. It was situated between the Vistula Lagoon
, Łyna and Pasłęka Rivers.
Soon after arrival of the first dukes of the Polans
in later Poland
centuries of conquest attempts on the native Prussians began in 997 AD. The preferred method were attempts at christianizing the still heathen people, thereby conquering their land. A number of crusades followed, called by Konrad of Masovia, as well as attacks on Prussian land of the Yotvingians
, which later became Polish Podlasia and of the Sudovians and Galindians. When Prussians and Pomeranians defended themselves against these Polish attacks, Konrad, who had already called for crusade in 1209, then called in the Teutonic Order.
The Warmians, along with the other Prussians, were conquered by the Teutonic Knights
, a crusading military order
directly under the pope. The Knights conquered the Prussians and converted them to Christianity. Many cities and towns were built and the population increased by bringing in colonists from Germany
, other countries of Europe, as well as from Poland. The Prussians were eventually assimilated into the colonists and the Old Prussian language became extinct by the end of the 17th century or beginning of the 18th century.
and the Natangians, were conquered between 1238-1241. During one of the first Teutonic raids into Warmia, the Knights destroyed Honeda, a Warmian castle, and built Balga
, their own brick fortress. Using their tested tactics, the Knights used Balga as a base for further expansion. The stronghold was one of five castles that did not fall during the First Prussian Uprising, that broke out in 1242 and ended in 1249 by signing the Treaty of Christburg
. The Knights also built the Braunsberg and Heilsberg
castles.
After a crushing defeat of the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of Durbe
in 1260, the Prussians rebelled again. The Great Prussian Uprising lasted for fourteen years. Warmians appointed Glappo
as their leader and joined the uprising. During the early stage of the uprising, Glappo and his men successfully captured Braunsberg, but failed to capture Balga. In 1266, the rulers of Brandenburg
arrived in Prussia and built a castle on the border of Warmian and Natangian lands between Balga and Königsberg
. Named Brandenburg (now Ushakovo), the castle withstood Prussian attacks. Glappo was captured and hanged when he tried to recapture the fortress in 1273. The uprising ended a year later, and it was the last time the Warmians rebelled. Afterwards they were slowly assimilated by the Germans and Poles. Poles settled in greater numbers after the Second Peace of Thorn (1466), and removed the Archbishopric of Warmia
from the control of the Teutonic Knights and placed it under the sovereignty of the Crown of Poland as part of the province of Royal Prussia
.
Old Prussians
The Old Prussians or Baltic Prussians were an ethnic group, autochthonous Baltic tribes that inhabited Prussia, the lands of the southeastern Baltic Sea in the area around the Vistula and Curonian Lagoons...
. They lived in Warmia , a territory since 1945 largely in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. It was situated between the Vistula Lagoon
Vistula Lagoon
The Vistula Lagoon is a fresh water lagoon on the Baltic Sea separated from Gdańsk Bay by the Vistula Spit. It is sometimes known as the Vistula Bay or Vistula Gulf. The modern German name, Frisches Haff, is derived from an earlier form, Friesisches Haff. Both this term and the earlier Polish...
, Łyna and Pasłęka Rivers.
Soon after arrival of the first dukes of the Polans
Polans
Polans may refer to two Slavic tribes:* Polans , in the area of Dnieper river* Polans , in the area of Warta. The tribe unified most of the lands of present-day Poland under the Piast dynasty....
in later Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
centuries of conquest attempts on the native Prussians began in 997 AD. The preferred method were attempts at christianizing the still heathen people, thereby conquering their land. A number of crusades followed, called by Konrad of Masovia, as well as attacks on Prussian land of the Yotvingians
Yotvingians
Yotvingians or Sudovians were a Baltic people with close cultural ties to the Lithuanians and Prussians...
, which later became Polish Podlasia and of the Sudovians and Galindians. When Prussians and Pomeranians defended themselves against these Polish attacks, Konrad, who had already called for crusade in 1209, then called in the Teutonic Order.
The Warmians, along with the other Prussians, were conquered by the Teutonic Knights
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...
, a crusading 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...
directly under the pope. The Knights conquered the Prussians and converted them to Christianity. Many cities and towns were built and the population increased by bringing in colonists from Germany
Ostsiedlung
Ostsiedlung , also called German eastward expansion, was the medieval eastward migration and settlement of Germans from modern day western and central Germany into less-populated regions and countries of eastern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The affected area roughly stretched from Slovenia...
, other countries of Europe, as well as from Poland. The Prussians were eventually assimilated into the colonists and the Old Prussian language became extinct by the end of the 17th century or beginning of the 18th century.
History
After arriving to Kulmerland in 1230, the Teutonic Knights proceeded to conquer the pagan Prussians and convert them to Christianity. The Warmians, together with the BartiansBartians
The Bartians were an Old Prussian tribe who were among the last pagans of Europe before the Northern Crusades forced their conversion to Christianity...
and the Natangians, were conquered between 1238-1241. During one of the first Teutonic raids into Warmia, the Knights destroyed Honeda, a Warmian castle, and built Balga
Balga
Balga was a medieval castle of the Teutonic Knights. Its ruins are in the Pogranichny municipality, Bagrationovsky District in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia; located on the shore of the Vistula Lagoon north of Mamonovo, about southwest of Kaliningrad....
, their own brick fortress. Using their tested tactics, the Knights used Balga as a base for further expansion. The stronghold was one of five castles that did not fall during the First Prussian Uprising, that broke out in 1242 and ended in 1249 by signing the Treaty of Christburg
Treaty of Christburg
The Treaty of Christburg was a peace treaty signed on February 2, 1249 between the pagan Prussian clans, represented by a papal legate, and the Teutonic Knights...
. The Knights also built the Braunsberg and Heilsberg
Heilsberg
Heilsberg:* German name of Lidzbark Warmiński* Battle of Heilsberg* Transmitter Heilsberg- See also :* Lidzbark* Lidzbark * Lidzbarski...
castles.
After a crushing defeat of the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of Durbe
Battle of Durbe
-External links:**...
in 1260, the Prussians rebelled again. The Great Prussian Uprising lasted for fourteen years. Warmians appointed Glappo
Glappo
Glappo was the leader of Warmians, one of the Prussian clans, during the Great Prussian Uprising against the Teutonic Knights...
as their leader and joined the uprising. During the early stage of the uprising, Glappo and his men successfully captured Braunsberg, but failed to capture Balga. In 1266, the rulers of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
arrived in Prussia and built a castle on the border of Warmian and Natangian lands between Balga and 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...
. Named Brandenburg (now Ushakovo), the castle withstood Prussian attacks. Glappo was captured and hanged when he tried to recapture the fortress in 1273. The uprising ended a year later, and it was the last time the Warmians rebelled. Afterwards they were slowly assimilated by the Germans and Poles. Poles settled in greater numbers after the Second Peace of Thorn (1466), and removed the Archbishopric of Warmia
Archbishopric of Warmia
The Prince-Bishopric of Warmia was a semi independent ecclesiastical state, a Prussian bishopric under the jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Riga that was a protectorate of the Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights and a protectorate of Kingdom of Poland, later part of the Polish-Lithuanian...
from the control of the Teutonic Knights and placed it under the sovereignty of the Crown of Poland as part of the province of Royal Prussia
Royal Prussia
Royal Prussia was a Region of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth . Polish Prussia included Pomerelia, Chełmno Land , Malbork Voivodeship , Gdańsk , Toruń , and Elbląg . It is distinguished from Ducal Prussia...
.
Etymology
Several theories exist about the origin of the word Warmia:- It might be derived from Prussian word wormyan (English: red);
- It might stem from Lithuanian word varmas (English: mosquito). In such a case it might have cultic background as worms are associated with fertility;
- Folk etymology has it that Warmia is named after the legendary Prussian chief Warmo. Ermland, name used by Germans, is said to derive from his widow Erma.