The Last Years of the Teutonic Knights: Lithuania, Poland and the Teutonic Order

by William L. Urban

“The most comprehensive account available of the final years of the crusading military order” from the acclaimed author of Medieval Mercenaries (Baltische Historiche Kommission).The Battle of Grunwald was one of the largest battles in Medieval Europe and was the most important in the histories of Poland and Lithuania.It was fought on 15 July 1410 during the Polish-Lithuania-Teutonic War between the alliance of the Kingdom of Poland (led by King Jagiello) and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (led by Grand Duke Vytautas) against the German-Prussian Teutonic Knights (led by Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen) and with the assistance of Sigismund, then King of Hungary and Croatia.The Teutonic Knights, a crusading military order, were defeated and most of their leaders were killed or taken prisoner. This defeat would mark the beginning of their decline and they would never again regain their former power.Following the battle, the balance of power shifted in Central and Eastern Europe and so came the rise of the Polish-Lithuanian union as the dominant political and military force.In this compelling account the action takes place in Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia and Germany. There are bloody battles; fascinating characters; intrigue; betrayals; sex; unexpected twists of fate; religious heresy and a smattering of saints. There is also the monumental end of one era making way for the beginning of another.While there has long been interest on the crusades outside of the Holy Land, this book is unique in the sheer breadth and depth of its research.“A must-read for those seeking scholarly work on this pivotal period of European history.” —Journal of Military History

Genres: Nonfiction, History

496 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 20, 2022

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing on from the earlier book, The Teutonic Knights Strike East, this book builds to the 1410 Battle of Tannenberg (aka Grunwald), then describes the steady decline of the Knights after their disastrous defeat there. I found this book more enjoyable than the first, perhaps because it continues immediately after the first, and since I was now familiar with all of the prominent personalities, it was much easier to follow. It was interesting to see how the development of the much larger countries of Poland and Lithuania were shaped by the need to confront the Knights, who wielded outsized influence due to their great wealth and martial prowess. It does have a couple of maps, which the first book lacked entirely, and it helped a lot in following the shifting conflicts over boundaries.

[John Kern · Rating 3 out of 5]

A difficult read to start with a lot of detail, but once you become familiar with the characters a better read. He infers a great deal about the motivations of the characters.

[Steven Nowak · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very detailed account of the Teutonic Order's Last days