The Teutonic Knights Strike East: The 14th Century Crusades in Lithuania and Rus'

by William L. Urban, Darius Baronas

Written by two leading experts on the Crusades in an enjoyable and compelling style, this is an accessible narrative of a complex political and military history.

The history of the Teutonic Knights is one of crusading in an era of wars, intrigues, assassinations and betrayals. Originally established as a hospital order during the Third Crusade in the Holy Land in the late 12th century, the order evolved into a formidable military force dedicated to defending and expanding Christianity in the Baltic region.

This book explores the crusade aimed at Lithuanian pagans in the Middle Ages, when crusaders from the Holy Roman Empire, France, England and Scotland came to Prussia to fight alongside the Teutonic Knights. What ensued was a long-drawn out, many-sided struggle, with Lithuania and Poland first becoming powerful states, then expanding into Belarus and Ukraine, where the Mongols and Tatars had long held sway. The book culminates with Lithuania converting to the Roman Catholic Church and the dramatic sieges of Vilnius.

Written by two leading experts on the Crusades in an enjoyable and compelling style, this is an accessible narrative of a complex political and military history.

224 pages, Hardcover

Published July 21, 2024

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Teutonic Knights Strike East" is an interesting exploration of the 14th-century crusades in Lithuania and Rus' (of which I had very little knowledge). The book details the military campaigns and political intrigues of the Teutonic Order, providing insights into the motivations and strategies of the crusaders. It also gives a look at the early history of the Polish and Lithuanian states. While it provides excellent historical analysis, it could use more personal anecdotes, and the lack of maps in a story so dependent on the movement of armies, and battles for strategic towns and forts, is unforgivable (I was able to copy one from the Osprey series to aid me). Overall, it's a good book for those interested in early medieval Baltic and Eastern European history.

[History Today]

The Teutonic Knights Strike East: The 14th-Century Crusades in Lithuania and Rus’ by William Urban and Darius Baronas (Pen & Sword) brings together two of the most important historians of (respectively) the Baltic Crusades and medieval Lithuania, making possible a history of the Teutonic Order’s campaign against the unconverted Baltic peoples that, for the first time, does not neglect the perspective of the pagan Lithuanians themselves.

Read History Today’s Books of the Year 2024 at https://www.historytoday.com/archive/...

Francis Young is author of Twilight of the Godlings: The Shadowy Beginnings of Britain’s Supernatural Beings (Cambridge University Press)