Construction of Castles in Livonia, Prussia and Lithuania
This is translation of the article by the German historian Christopher Herrmann “The Construction of Castles as a Means of Expansion during the “Pagan War” in Livonia, Prussia and Lithuania” (Christopher Herrmann Der Burgenbau als Mittel der Expansion beim “Heidenkampf” in Livland, Prussia and Lithuania ).
Between the end of the 12th and the beginning of the 15th century, Prussia, Livonia and Lithuania were the scene of wars between Christian conquerors and the native Baltic tribes. On the Christian side, the military actions had the status of crusades declared by the Pope, which guaranteed the participants full absolution. These crusades were mainly organized by local knightly orders, primarily the Teutonic Order. In Livonia, the Order of the Sword (Brotherhood of the Soldiers of Christ), founded in 1202, was initially active. It was annexed to the Teutonic Order a year after its crushing defeat by the Lithuanians in 1236 at the Battle of Saule [1]. In addition, especially in Livonia, bishops acted as initiators of campaigns against pagans. The crusader armies consisted mainly of knights who served in them for a short time. The guest knights came mainly from Germany, but also from other Western European countries. In modern sources they are usually called "guests" or "pilgrims". The task of ensuring security and control over the conquered territories in the long term was entrusted to the knightly orders or vassals of the bishops. And the construction of castles played an important role there. In Prussia and Livonia, the Christian invaders managed to create independent states, while the Lithuanian campaigns of the Teutonic Order remained without long-term territorial success. The topic of this article is the function and importance of castle building in these crusades, illustrated by individual examples. As for Livonia and Prussia, only the phase of the military conflict from the arrival of the conquerors to the final subjugation of the native population will be considered here. In Livonia, this stage lasted from 1185 (the construction of Uexküll Castle) to 1227 (the conquest of the island of Ösel), in Prussia - from 1231 (founding of Thorn) to the 1280s (the final suppression of the second Prussian uprising). As for the Lithuanian campaigns, the entire period from the end of the 13th century to the beginning of the 15th century is taken into account. The castles discussed in this context were usually quickly erected structures, the military purpose of which was in the foreground; therefore, in this article they are also called "expansion castles". The later commander's or departmental castles and manorial residences, which served for the administration of the country, are not the subject of this discussion. Of course, the fact that almost nothing has survived from the expansion castles, which were mainly built of wood, is problematic. If the site has been preserved, almost all traces of the first state of construction have been destroyed or hidden by later construction. However, many of these structures were abandoned quite quickly, some lasted only a few years, and their original location today can no longer be determined with certainty. Archaeological research into these early castles is still in its infancy. At the same time, much attention is paid to excavations and research of lost castles in Poland today (Wasik B. The beginnings of castles in the Teutonic Knights' state in Prussia and other works by the author). Therefore, the following remarks are based exclusively on chronicles. In particular, four chronicles are used. As for the conquest of Livonia, this is the chronicle of Henry of Latvia [2] (Heinrich von Lettland, Chronicon Livoniae/Livländische Chronik — Ausgewählte Quellen zur deutschen Geschichte des Mittelalters, Band 24, Darmstadt, 1959 — here and further cited as CL), which contains events from the period between 1184 and 1273. The conquest of Prussia by the Teutonic Order is described by Peter von Dusburg [3] in his Chronicle of the Land of Prussia (Peter von Dusburg, Chronik des Preußenlandes/Chronica terre Prussie — Ausgewählte Quellen zur deutschen Geschichte des Mittelalters, Band 25, Darmstadt 1984; here and below cited as CTP), which ends in 1304. It also reports the beginning of the Lithuanian Wars. The latter are at the center of the rhymed chronicle of the Order herald Wigand of Marburg [4] ( Scriptores rerum Prussicarum/Die Geschichtsquellen der preußischen Vorzeit , vol. 2, Leipzig 1863, pp. 453-662; here and below cited as SRP II), which covers the period between 1293 and 1394. Finally, the Chronicle of Prussia by Johann von Posilge [5] ( Scriptores rerum Prussicarum/Die Geschichtsquellen der preußischen Vorzeit, vol. 3, Leipzig 1866, pp. 79–388; — hereinafter cited as SRP III) covers the period between 1360 and 1419 and thus the later phase of the Lithuanian Wars. The value of the chronicles mentioned lies in the fact that they were written close to the time of the events they describe; for the last 20–25 years of the period under review, the chroniclers were often eyewitnesses of the events they describe or took them from reports of people who had directly participated in them. Therefore, the statements formulated there about the purpose and functioning of the castles are genuine contemporary evidence; they reflect the thinking and motives of the people of that time. However, detailed information about the architectural design and construction is rarely found in these sources. Only in the case of the last castles built in connection with the Lithuanian campaigns is the situation with the sources better, since in addition to the chronicles there are also some accounting evidence.
Castles as a starting point for the Crusades
In order to organize a crusade, it was necessary for the conqueror to be able to launch an attack on enemy territory from a fortified place where he could gather his forces and prepare for military action. In Livonia, the German crusaders first occupied the area around the mouth of the Dvina, where the castles of Uexküll (1185) and Golm (1186) served as fortified points, as did the fortified city of Riga, founded in 1201. It should be noted that Christianization in the early years did not yet take place within the framework of the crusades. Bishop Meinhard von Segeberg [6] initially sought a peaceful mission, and the aforementioned castles served mainly to protect the newly converted Livonians. However, violent conflicts with the local population of the region, who were hostile to Christianity, soon led to a transition to the "mission of the sword" through the crusades. The fortifications in the area of the mouth of the Dvina became the starting point for further expansion.
Peter von Dusburg describes the starting point of the Teutonic Order's campaigns against the Prussians in 1230/1231 as follows: Before the first delegation of knights of the Order arrived in Kulm in 1230 at the request of the Masovian Duke Conrad, the latter had to provide the Order with a castle as a first base. This was Vogelsang Castle on the Polish side of the Vistula opposite Thorn (CTP, pp. 90–93). When, shortly thereafter, the first army of the Teutonic Knights came to the Vistula to attack Prussia, they first met at Vogelsang Castle and then built a second fortification, Nessau Castle , a little further downstream (CTP, pp. 94 f). This was initially a measure to protect the border from Prussian incursions. Peter von Dusburg reports in this connection that when the Prussians next attacked the Polish side, they were surprised why so many knights of the Order were suddenly pursuing them: “And when the brothers were living in this castle, the Prussians invaded Poland with hostility and when they saw that the armed brothers were pursuing them, they were extremely surprised at where they came from and why” (CTP, p. 95). Apparently, they had not yet noticed the construction of the new castle and now for the first time felt the consequences of this measure. From these two bases, the crusaders set out for the opposite bank of the Vistula in 1231 and began the first military campaign against the Prussians (CTP, p. 96 f).
The central meeting place for the participants of the "Prussian campaigns" against Lithuania in the 14th century, who came from all over Europe, was Königsberg. The most important fortified base before crossing into enemy territory was usually the Komtur Castle of Ragnit, located on the Memel River. On the route from Königsberg to the border there were a number of castles that served as transit points and supply stations for the crusaders. Without such a network of castles, the annual military campaigns would have been impossible.
More detailed information about all aspects of the Lithuanian campaigns of the 14th century is given in the work of Werner Paravicini (Werner Paravicini, Die Preußenreisen des europäischen Adels , Vol. 1, Sigmaringen 1989, Vol. 2, Sigmaringen 1995). — A.K.
Construction of castles during the Crusades
The descriptions of military campaigns in the chronicles show two main patterns that are constantly repeated. This applies both to the invasions of the Christian armies into the Baltic region and to the counter-attacks of local tribes into the territories of the orders and bishops. On the one hand, there were "devastating raids" in which settlements (mainly villages) were attacked and plundered. The attackers usually killed the men and took women, children and cattle as spoils of war. The other procedure was the siege of enemy fortresses and the construction of new fortresses by the knights in enemy territory. The close connection between the campaigns and the construction or destruction of castles is repeatedly emphasized in the chronicle of Peter von Dusburg. Each time the army of the crusaders advanced into Prussian territory, one or more castles were immediately built. This began already with the first military actions. When the Teutonic Order first crossed the Vistula in 1231, the first castle was built on the opposite bank in Thorn: “and with the force of his army he crossed the Vistula into the land of Kulm and on the bank, in the lower reaches of the river, he built the castle of Thorn in 1231” (CTP, p. 96 f).
From the very beginning of the Order's conquest of Prussia, all fortifications and outposts, on both sides, were wooden and earthen structures. Thus, the first Order outpost on the Kulm land was wooden, and according to legend, it was also built on a huge oak: "and they built a fortification on the bank of the Vistula on one oak rich in foliage, surrounded it with a moat" (Die aeltere Chronik von Oliva) - A.K.
Accounts of castle building are also a frequent subject of interest in the stories of the Lithuanian Wars. The Memel, as a border river between Prussia and Lithuania, was particularly hotly contested and was predestined for castle building. A very interesting example is the story of the construction of Gotteswerder Castle in 1369 (SRP 2, SS. 560-562). In order to build a new fortification on the Memel, the Grand Master ordered the construction materials to be prepared and loaded onto ships, which were sent to the planned location. The Order followed there with an army of visiting crusaders, when it became clear that the Lithuanians also wanted to build a castle nearby and had already begun construction work. The enemy construction site was immediately attacked, the castle under construction was destroyed, and the captured construction materials were transported to Gotteswerder Castle's own construction site. After the castle was completed a few weeks later, it housed 20 knights of the Order, 40 warriors and several crossbowmen, as well as large supplies of food. In the meantime, Grand Duke Kestutis turned to the Master that the Order was building a castle on Lithuanian territory – this was an unambiguous provocation. The Master replied that this was the purpose of this measure, and if the Lithuanian Duke did not like it, he should come there, the Order would be waiting for him. However, the Lithuanians were in no hurry until the military guests of the Order left the country, and were preparing for a large siege. In the summer, they set out with a large army and military machines (siege towers) on a campaign against Gotteswerder and began a long siege. When the defenders' forces were exhausted after five weeks, they surrendered. The Grand Duke ordered his men to occupy the castle and returned with the captured knights of the Order. Meanwhile, the Order's marshal set out with an army to help, but arrived too late at Gotteswerder, which was now in Lithuanian hands. However, since the Lithuanian prince had poorly equipped the castle garrison, the Order managed to capture Gotteswerder after a short siege. The marshal gave orders not to kill the garrison, but to take it prisoner in order to exchange it for the Order's men captured in Lithuania. After negotiations on exchanging prisoners initially failed, the marshal launched another invasion of Lithuania to put pressure on the Grand Duke. Taking supplies from Bayerburg Castle, the marshal and his army moved to besiege Kovno. When the Order's troops set fire to part of the fortifications, the Grand Duke approached and sent a messenger to the marshal asking him to spare the garrison. The Order ignored the request and ordered the entire castle, including the garrison, to be burned, killing 109 Lithuanians. After this show of force, the Grand Duke agreed to resume negotiations for the exchange of prisoners, which was eventually done.
One of the Order's expansions into Lithuania, built at great expense, was Marienwerder, a brick fortification on an island in Memel near Kovno, built in just four weeks in 1383 (SRP 2, SS. 626–631). During this period, the Teutonic Order entered into an alliance with the Lithuanian Duke Vytautas [7], who was then in conflict with his cousin Jogaila [8]. With a strong castle near the Lithuanian capital, Vytautas would be able to strengthen his position in the power struggle with his cousin, while at the same time the Order would gain a militarily advantageous base in enemy territory. Large quantities of building materials and workers were brought in by numerous ships. At the same time, the Order invaded the country in several places with a large army of crusaders, supported by Vytautas's Lithuanian contingents, thereby preventing Jogaila from concentrating his forces on defending the castle structure in front of his capital. However, the following year the political situation changed radically. After the secret reconciliation of Jagiello and Vytautas, the latter betrayed the Teutonic Order and raided the castles built in Lithuania. The strong Marienwerder was attacked relentlessly by a large army, with the help of numerous siege engines. In order to prevent the Order from sending aid and supplies to the castle by water, Memel was blocked with barriers. After several weeks of fierce resistance, the defenders were finally forced to surrender. Marienwerder, the castle of expansion, built at enormous expense, was destroyed again in the first year of its existence. The last castle of the Teutonic Order known to us was built in 1405 on the land of the Samogitians and was called Königsburg. According to the chronicle of Johann von Posilge (and his successor), the Teutonic Order and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas undertook a joint campaign against the "unruly" Samogitians and built Königsburg in just eight days (SRP 3, p. 278). Since the decision to build this castle was apparently made in the shortest possible time, neither building materials nor workers were taken with them. Therefore, all the warriors had to work day and night to build the fortification. Since there were no shovels or other tools, they had to use battle shields to dig ditches and build ramparts. After completion, the fortification was staffed by 60 Prussian followers of the Order and 400 warriors of the Grand Duke. Rapid construction was necessary, since a quick attack by the Samogitians was expected, which indeed happened. The siege was successfully repelled, with the defenders using firearms and crossbows. Later, the Teutonic Order supplied the castle with provisions and on this occasion sent there, as a new garrison, 60 knights, numerous vitings [9] and a chaplain. The chronicler's report is supplemented by entries in the book of the Marienburg treasurer, which records the expenses for the provision of Königsburg (MTB, SS. 360, 363 f., 369, 378, 385, 395 f.). The Order paid so much for its expansion and provision,because in the future it was to become the administrative centre of the Samogitian Vogt.
According to the research of Professor Werner Paravicini, the Order conducted 299 different military campaigns-raises in Lithuania from 1305 to 1409. During this period, the following were carried out:
- 38 construction campaigns,
- 35 siege campaigns.
Sometimes two campaigns were carried out in one year - a construction campaign in the spring, a siege campaign in the winter. For example, in the spring of 1367, a campaign was carried out to lay the foundation of the Marienburg Castle on Memel, and in the autumn of the same year - a campaign to besiege Kovno and Velun. - A.K.
In the many crusades to Prussia, Livonia and Lithuania, ships were the most important means of transport. Many expansionist castles were built on river islands, on river banks or on the sea coast. Warriors, weapons, building materials and provisions could be transported much more quickly and safely by water than by land. Chroniclers often report the use of warships or supply ships in campaigns. Peter von Dusburg, for example, writes about the founding of Marienwerder: "the master and the brothers, having prepared what was required for the construction of castles, quietly crossed to the island near Quidin ... and there in the year of our Lord 1233 they erected a castle on a hill, calling it Marienwerder" (CTP, p. 111). The Margrave of Meissen went to Prussia as a crusader in 1234 and donated two ships with the names "Pilgrim" and "Friedland". With the help of these ships, two castles were built - Elbing and Balga, and for many years they patrolled the Frisches Bay, protecting the coast and castles from attacks (CTP, SS. 116-119.). A particularly large number of ships were used in the construction of the castle of Christmemel in 1313 on the Lithuanian bank of the Memel. Peter von Dusburg reports on this as follows: "There were so many ships gathered there that they formed a bridge across the Memel, over which anyone could safely cross to the shore of the pagans; the Lithuanians marveled at this bridge more than at all the deeds of the Christians that they had seen in their lives" (CTP, SS. 425, 427.). And then he reports on the shipwreck: “Let us not remain silent about the fact that by the will of God many of the brothers’ ships, equipped with provisions and other things necessary for the construction of castles, were shipwrecked, and four brothers and 400 people drowned” (CTP, p. 427).
Fortification and defense of castles after the departure of the crusader armies
Expansion castles in enemy territory had to be built in a very short time, usually a few weeks, so that they would be functional and could be held by a relatively small garrison after the departure of the crusader army. The purpose of such fortifications was, on the one hand, to serve as the core of a long-term domination of the conquered region, from which the country could subsequently develop. However, especially in the Lithuanian campaigns, castles were usually used only to guard the conquered territory until new territories could be reconquered in the next campaign. As long as there were no settlements in the vicinity of the fortifications, the supply of food to the castles was a central problem of such castle policy. In addition, in the event of an enemy siege, rapid reinforcements and a counterattack had to be ensured so that the castle would not be lost after a while. Such losses are often reported in the chronicles; sometimes expansion castles had to be abandoned and reconquered several times. The two Prussian revolts (1242-1249, 1260-1283) are examples of how crucial the supply issue was for the survival of these fortifications. In the first phase of this conflict, the Teutonic Order was unable to supply its castles, which were scattered throughout the country, so almost all of the fortifications had to be abandoned and the country reconquered. A particular problem arose with the earliest missionary castles in Livonia, since the Bishop of Riga, as the main organizer of the crusades, could not count on the support of the knightly order. It was not until 1202 that Bishop Albert founded the Order of the Brothers of the Sword, but it was a long time before more knights appeared. This meant that only a few German knights and archers could be used to defend the early castles in Livonia. Most of the garrison had to be recruited from among the native population (Livs, Latvians, Semigallians) who had accepted Christianity. This was a problem for the mission, since many of the baptized Balts fell away from the faith. There was therefore a danger that the local defenders of the bishop's castle would go over to the attackers during the siege. Henry of Latvia described similar difficulties in the defense of the first Christian castles several times. His report on the situation in 1206 is particularly detailed (CL, pp. 60–63). After Bishop Albert sailed to Germany, as he did every year to recruit new crusaders there, only a few German defenders remained to protect the two castles of Uexküll and Golm, as well as the city of Riga. This was always a favorable time for uprisings by the indigenous population. In 1206, some of the Livs entered into an alliance with the Russian prince of Polotsk [presumably Prince Vladimir (c. 1184–1216), no exact information is available. — A.K. ] to drive the Germans out of the mouth of the Dvina. The combined army first moved towards Uexküll, but was immediately fired upon by crossbowmen. This indicates that the castle was defended by a German garrison, since at that time only the Christian conquerors had this weapon at their disposal. They therefore decided to abandon the siege and went to Golm Castle. There were only a few German defenders in the city; most of the garrison consisted of baptized Livonians, most of whom fled at the sight of the approaching enemies. The attackers intended to set fire to the fortification by piling a large pile of wood on the palisade. While trying to bring the wood close to the castle, many of the besiegers were killed by the crossbowmen.
The German riflemen fought a kind of war on two fronts, as they were afraid of their Livonian helpers, who might betray them and ally themselves with their fellow tribesmen. So twenty German defenders kept watch on the ramparts day and night. They opened fire on the attackers from the outside and watched their "allies" inside the castle with suspicion. After eleven days of siege, the attackers saw ships on the horizon and feared that Bishop Albert had returned with more crusaders. So the Prince of Polotsk lifted the siege and returned to his lands.
The design and materials of castles built during the Crusades
The chroniclers give only a few specific indications about the construction and shape of the castles. Only a small number of buildings were possibly constructed of stone, including the first fortification built by the Christian conquerors in Livonia, Uexküll Castle. In 1185, Bishop Meinhard sent masons from Gotland to build it (CL, p. 4 f.). Stone was also used as a building material for the city fortifications of Riga. In 1207, the wall was built so high that “from then on, pagan raids were no longer a threat” (CL, p. 69). Since the Baltic tribes did not have modern siege technology at the time, the high stone wall with crossbowmen standing guard at its approaches was considered impenetrable. However, most of the quickly erected expansionist castles were probably wooden earthworks, surrounded by moats on the outside and possibly reinforced with individual towers (CTP, S. 248 f., 278 f.). Attempts to set such castles on fire, which were repeatedly described, at least indirectly confirm that they were wooden structures. The expansionist castles built by the Teutonic Order in Prussia and Lithuania were also initially mainly wooden. This is also indicated by the short construction period - sometimes only a few weeks. Another argument is the frequent mentions of the delivery of building materials by warships. Peter von Dusburg, for example, reports on a military campaign of the order to the lands of Pogesania in 1237, during which two ships were used - "leading those ships with everything necessary for construction" (CTP, S. 118 f.), these were the already mentioned ships "Pilgrim" and "Friedland". The cargo could be tools (axes, shovels, picks, etc.), prefabricated beams, iron parts, etc. It would be rather implausible to assume that the ships were loaded with stones , because two ships would hardly have been enough to build an entire castle. In some cases, however, stone castles were actually built , the building material for which was delivered by ships. Among them is the construction of Marienwerder Castle (1384) on an island in Memel near Kovno, described above, for which bricks, mortar and all other necessary materials were transported on numerous ships. It is believed that the building, equipped with walls about 17 m high and almost 3 m thick, could be defended for four weeks.
Siege and Defensive Techniques and Technology Transfer during the Crusades
The Christian conquerors brought new military technologies to the Livonian and Prussian lands, which gave them a distinct advantage over the local defenders in the early stages of the Crusades and may have contributed decisively to their military success. The use of stone, which was unknown to the Balts and Prussians as a building material, was already mentioned in the construction of castles. Massive fortifications were much more resistant to the traditional siege methods used there. Attackers tried to damage the enemy castle by pulling out individual logs from the palisade or tried to set fire to them from the outside in order to then penetrate the fortification. However, both methods were ineffective against stone walls. This is recounted by Henry of Latvia at the beginning of his chronicle, when he speaks of the siege of the newly built castle in Uexküll under Bishop Meinhard: "At that time the neighbouring pagan Semigauls, having heard of the stone building and not knowing that the stones were held together with cement, came with large ship ropes, in order, as they thought in their foolish calculation, to drag the castle into the Dvina. Wounded by archers, they retreated with losses" (CL, p. 5.). The high stone wall became an almost insurmountable obstacle for the besiegers in Livonia around 1200, since they did not yet have siege towers. However, since most Christian castles were originally wooden structures, the attempt to set them on fire remained a common siege practice. However, the technological advantage of the German crusaders did not last long. After some time, the Prussians, Lithuanians, and Russians began to copy weapons or siege equipment and use them against the Christian conquerors. Henry of Latvia reports an early, albeit unsuccessful, attempt at technology transfer, using the slingshot used by the Russian Prince Vladimir of Polotsk during the siege of Golm Castle in 1206: "The Russians also made a small throwing machine, modeled on the Teutonic ones, but, not knowing the art of throwing stones, they wounded many of their own people, hitting them in the rear" (CL, p. 61).
At the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th centuries, the technological difference was probably insignificant. In his account of the second Prussian uprising, which broke out in 1261, Peter von Dusburg mentions several times that the rebels used modern military equipment in the sieges of the order or bishop's castles. For example, three siege engines were used in the attack on Heilsberg Castle (CTP, p. 214 f.). He reports something similar about Wiesenburg Castle: "This Wiesenburg Castle was besieged by the Prussians for almost three years, and they set up three stone throwers, with which they stormed the castle daily. Finally, the brothers quickly stole one of them, brought it to the castle and defended themselves with it for a long time" (CTP, p. 235.). These three war machines are also mentioned in the sieges of Kreuzburg, Bartenstein and Wehlau Castles (CTP, pp. 236-241). In this case, the Prussians' arsenal of weapons was better equipped than that of the Order's knights. Stories about battles for castles built by the Teutonic Order in Lithuania also show that the Lithuanians used the entire arsenal of modern siege equipment - fighting machines/stone throwers, siege towers.
The role of castles in the Christianization and settlement of the country
Castles were not only a central element in the conduct of crusades and the military security of conquered lands, they also became a vital basis for the spread of the Christian faith and the settlement of lands with colonists. The connection between the construction of castles and the spread of Christianity is directly emphasized by Peter von Dusburg in one of the passages of his chronicle. He reports on the numerous castles that the Order and its feudal lords built during the conquest of the Prussian tribes of the Warmians, Natangians and Barts, and concludes this chapter with the words: “From then on, Christians began to multiply in the land of Prussia, and the divine faith spread to the praise and glory of Jesus Christ” (CTP, p. 129).
When the Prussian and Livonian branches of the Teutonic Order jointly built a castle in the land of Karschauen in 1259, the chronicler noted that this was “extremely necessary for the strengthening of the Christian faith” (CTP, p. 203). According to Peter von Dusburg, the construction of Christmemel Castle on the border with Lithuania (1313) was also done “for the sake of expanding the borders of Christianity” (CTP, p. 425). The sacred aspect of castles can also be seen in the fact that the completion of the fortification was celebrated with a religious act of consecration and a festive service. Peter von Dusburg describes this, for example, for Christmemel Castle (1313): “When the construction was completed, the clergy, accompanied by the people, carried the relics in a solemn procession to the church, solemnly celebrating mass there” (CTP, p. 427). At the dedication of the castle of Wartenburg, built by the Bishop of Ermland in 1325, a sign from God was reported: "when this castle was completed and the Mass of the Holy Spirit was solemnly celebrated, a completely white domestic dove appeared at the Gospel" (CTP, S. 465). Another indication of the sacred character of the castles built in connection with the Crusades are the chronicle stories about the particularly pious monks who lived in them (CTP, SS. 122-125). The episode told about Balga is programmatic for the strict religious discipline in the order's castles. After the castle was built, the Sambas sent one of their elders there to find out how the knights of the order lived. They willingly received the Prussian and showed him the entire castle and their way of life. After this, the guest, impressed by the piety of the knights, returned to his tribe and reported what he had seen: “They rise from their bed every night and gather in the oratory, and many times during the day, and pay homage to their God, which we do not do. That is why in war they will undoubtedly overcome us” (CTP, SS. 189, 191). This was certainly a fictitious story, the intent of which is clear. The chronicler shows that the defensive power of the castles was due not only to their construction, but also to the faith, determination and piety of their inhabitants. Peter von Dusburg also reports a number of apparitions of saints in castles (CTP, SS. 188 f.). Among them is the story of a knight from the castle of Reden, who wanted to leave the order because it seemed to him insufficiently strict. After this, Saints Bernard, Dominic, Francis and Augustine appeared to him in a dream, and finally the Virgin Mary, accompanied by the brothers of the Teutonic Order. “And, throwing back the cloaks of each of the brothers, she showed him the wounds and blows with which they had been killed by the infidels for the faith, and said: “And, removing the cloaks of each of the brothers, she showed him the wounds that had been inflicted by the pagans and from which they had died for the defense of the faith, and said: “Does it not seem to you that these brothers of yours have suffered something in the name of Jesus Christ?” And with these words the vision disappeared” (CTP, S. 115). After this dream, the knight naturally remained in the Order and repented of his previous doubts about his mission.
Summary
If we follow the chroniclers' statements, we can draw the following conclusions about the function of castles in connection with the Crusades. The construction of castles was one of the central elements of the Crusades. They formed the starting point, were created as transit points, and were often the main and final points of military operations. After the departure of the Crusader army, new castles, occupied by a relatively small number of people, were to guard the conquered territory. To do this, it was necessary to ensure a constant supply of provisions and weapons for the fortifications. The construction of castles was intended to force the local population to accept Christian rule. In some cases, however, they also served to protect the newly converted inhabitants from the raids of non-Christian tribes and were a prerequisite for the will of the local population to convert. Often, a castle became the nucleus for the settlement of a region by Christian colonists, so that a town or village was founded near it. The central role of castle building in the Crusades is also indicated by the fact that the defensive measures of the Baltic tribes against the Christian conquerors, most often mentioned in the chronicles, consisted of besieging newly built enemy castles and building their own (counter-) castles. In general, the construction of castles within the framework of the Crusades was mainly due to military-strategic and practical reasons. They allowed the expansion and consolidation of power and became a prerequisite for Christianization and land expansion in the conquered territories. The special symbolic function of the architecture of the castles of expansion cannot be identified from the descriptions of the chroniclers.
Notes:
1. The Battle of Saule was a major battle between the troops of the Order of the Brothers of the Sword and their allies against the Samogitians and Semigallians. The battle took place on September 22, 1236 and is described in the Livonian Rhymed Chronicle.
2. Henry of Latvia (Latin: Henricus de Lettis, German: Heinrich von Lettland; born no earlier than 1187 near Magdeburg, died after 1259) - German Catholic priest and chronicler, author of the Chronicle of Livonia.
3. Peter of Dusburg (German: Peter von Duisburg or Peter von Dusburg, also known as Peter of Duisburg) was a priest-brother of the Teutonic Order in the 14th century who wrote the Chronicon terrae Prussiae (Chronicle of the Prussian Land) in Latin in 1326.
4. Wigand of Marburg (German: Wigand von Marburg , Latin: Wigandus Marburgensis ; circa 1365 – 1409) - German chronicler and herald of the Teutonic Order. Author of the New Prussian Chronicle, originally written in rhymed prose in Middle High German, but preserved in its entirety only in a 15th-century Latin translation.
5. Johann von Posilge , also known as Johann Lindenblatt(German: Johann von Posilge , Latin: Johannes de Posilge ; circa 1340–14or June 19, 1405) - German chronicler and priest, judicial vicar of the Bishop of Pomezania, author of the "Chronicle of the Prussian Land".
6. Meinhard von Segeberg ( 1127 – 1196 ), also known as Saint Meinhard , was the first known Catholic missionary in Livonia, the first Bishop of Uexküll, and a canon of the German Order of Saint Augustine from the monastery of Segeberg in Holstein.
7. Vitovt (Polish: Witold , baptized as Alexander ; around 1350 – October 27, 1430) – Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1392. Son of Keistutis, nephew of Olgerd and cousin of Jagiello. Prince of Grodno in 1370-1382, Lutsk in 1387-1389, Trotsky in 1382-1413. One of the most famous rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, nicknamed the Great during his lifetime.
8. Jagiello (lit. Jogaila ; c. 1350s/1362, Vilnius (presumably) - June 1, 1434, Gorodok, Rus' Voivodeship) - Prince of Vitebsk, Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1377-1381 and 1382-1392, King of Poland from 1386 under the name of Vladislav II Jagiełło. Grandson of Gediminas, son of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Olgerd and the Tver princess Juliana. The founder of the Jagiellonian dynasty.
9. The Wittings were representatives of the old Prussian elite who owned family estates and entered the service of the Order.
During the devastating campaigns it often happened that it was necessary to take wooden and earthen fortifications by force, to attack the main castle of the region, to conquer an important stronghold. But we will not consider these secondary sieges, but planned ones, planned in advance, which were, or at least were supposed to become the goal and content of the entire campaign and were directed against the main fortresses of the country. During the period of Lithuanian military rises in the 14th century, organized campaigns for the purpose of siege were carried out at least 35 times and their number was much less than the devastating campaigns.
Sieges were carried out both in winter and summer, but mainly in summer, since heavy siege engines could be transported by ship. Initially, with the exception of Puteniki, the objects of siege were the castles on the lower Memel: Bisen, Junigeda, Pisten and, repeatedly, Veluna. Only in the 1360s were the stone castles of Upper Lithuania systematically attacked: Kovno, Trakai, Vilnius. Garten (Grodno) on the upper Memel were a constant target throughout the century.
The Lithuanian castle of Bisiene in 1283 became the first castle to be besieged by the Order after the conquest of the Prussians (SRP I 147). Today, the high ramparts of this fortified settlement are preserved near Kartupenai.
In 1290, the Order's troops besieged the Lithuanian castle of Kolainai (SRP I 152). There is no consensus on where this castle was located. According to one version, it was in the area of Kalnėnai, according to the second, between Bisen and the Raudone River.
In 1291, the Mederab castle was destroyed - "and they went to the Mederab castle, from which the Christians suffered many troubles, and, having captured it by battle, having taken everyone prisoner and killed, they burned it to the ground with fire" (SRP I 154). The exact location of the castle is unknown, presumably it was located on the left bank of the Mituva River near Myashkininkai.
Two castles in the Lithuanian land of Karsovia, Skornaitė and Bibervaitė, abandoned by the Lithuanians in advance, were destroyed by the Order in 1315 (possibly earlier, in 1307) (SRP I 174). But their exact location is still unknown.
In 1322, the Order's army, together with the arriving guests, destroyed an unnamed castle in the parish of Vaiken (SRP I 186). The exact location of this castle has also not been determined.
In the parish of Pagraude in 1317, a detachment of the Order led by the commander of Ragnit, Friedrich von Liebenzell, besieged the "castrum Gedemini" (SRP I 183). Subsequently, the troops of the Order besieged the castle of Gedemini twice more in 1324 and 1330 (SRP I 189 and 217). The exact location of this castle and why it had such a name is not known for certain, presumably it was located in the upper reaches of the Jura River.
One of the main Lithuanian castles on the Memel, Veluna, finally fell under the Order's siege and was destroyed in 1367 (SRP II 86, 89, 559).
Many of the Order's guests also took part in siege raids. Thus, the longest siege of Vilnius in 1390 is described in the travel notes and accounts of the Earl of Derby, the future King of England Henry IV. The Earl generously rewarded the miners and engineers who dug the tunnels, as well as the gunner who fired at the castle walls. The chronicles also mention the services of the Earl of Derby and his archers during the assault (SRP II 641).
Kovno, the most important castle in Lithuania on the Neman, was built in 1361. At the same time, the Order's campaigns to the castle began with the aim of capturing it.
During the great rise in April 1362, the army of the Order, led by the Master, destroyed the "castrum Kauve" (SRP II 81), and the following year the newly built New Kovno was also destroyed (SRP II 540). New Kovno was rebuilt and unsuccessfully attacked in 1367 (SRP II 559), then captured in 1368 (SRP II 560), rebuilt and captured again, and the Order fortification Gotteswerder was built nearby in April–May 1369 (SRP II 561). The Lithuanians captured it on September 12 (SRP II 94, 561–563; SRP III 88), but the Order recaptured the castle in November–December (SRP II 95, 561–563; SRP III 88). Thus, one of the siege campaigns in 1369 was directed not against the Lithuanian castle, but against the fortress built by the Order in Lithuania and which was captured by the Lithuanians – Gotteswerder (SRP 2, 561-563).
Expeditions with the sole or primary purpose of constructing fortifications on enemy territory are slightly more numerous than siege expeditions. During the period under review, 38 such expeditions were carried out.
A secure administration of the conquered territory could only be based on a network of castles, and the Memel River could only be controlled by a chain of castles – Memel, Tilsit and Ragnit in Prussia, Georgenburg, Bayerburg, Christmemel, Veluna, Marienburg, Gotteswerder, Ritterswerder, Marienwerder – in Samogitia. Unlike sieges, which could also be associated with destruction and sometimes escalated into battles, building expeditions, which were less common, even had their own designation: “Baureise/buwunge/buunge” or, as in the case of the walling of Memel, which was not completed due to the Samogitian revolt in 1409, grose buwunge.
Wood was chosen as the building material at the initial stage, as it was widely available, since stone construction was impossible for a short time due to war conditions and transport problems. It was necessary to build as quickly as possible, but at the same time as simply as possible. For this reason, all construction work was carried out in the summer or autumn, at least when ice, snow or floods did not interfere with the work.
The corresponding organization of the work ensured the maximum possible acceleration of the construction process, which was important for military purposes. If the combat situation required it, the most important construction elements of the fortress were prepared in a safe place in the interior before the start of the enterprise, then transported to the intended site in a disassembled state, assembled there as quickly as possible under the protection of the troops, intensively staffed and used as an effective means of combat.
The means of transportation were usually boats and ships, which brought prefabricated wooden parts that were then used at the construction site.
For the rapid transfer of troops, building materials and siege weapons, the Order had many capacious river vessels. In 1400, there were 114 of them on the territory of Prussia. They were concentrated mainly in Königsberg, Elbing, and Memel. Among the vessels mentioned by the Order chroniclers were multi-oared boats (prahm), flat-bottomed barges and light sailing vessels (nassut). They carried numerous troops, provisions and siege weapons. Small boats and barges were also used to build pontoon crossings across rivers. Sometimes boats and barges were transported on carts.
“In the year of our Lord 1319, after the feast of Easter, the marshal with many brothers and warriors, going on ships, gathered to take the castles of Yunigeda and Pista” (STR).
This was the case in 1233 during the construction of Marienwerder Castle: “the master and the brothers, having prepared what was needed for the construction of castles, quietly crossed to the island near Quidin, … and there in the year of our Lord 1233 they erected a castle on a hill, calling it Marienwerder” (SRP I 56). And also Elbing (SRP I 60) and Christburg (SRP I 85). In 1406, materials from demolished buildings were used during the construction of Tilsit Castle (PrUB, JH I 879).
However, the imported construction elements were not always used for their intended purpose. Thus, in the summer of 1394, Master Conrad von Jungingen planned a campaign to restore Ritterswerder Castle, destroyed two years earlier - "the Master, after consulting with the preceptors, made a raid to restore Ritterswerder Castle in its former location from very strong wood" (Chronica nova Prutenica). The campaign began, but instead of restoring the castle, the army moved to besiege Vilnius.
If an unforeseen situation required unplanned construction, it was carried out on average within a week. An example of such construction is the castle of Königsburg: "except that Vitovt built one wooden castle with his men and, having completed it in five days, left it to our knights" (Annalista Torunensis). The chronicler Johann Posilge, in turn, speaks of eight days (SRP III 278). The cost of construction and provision of the castle of Königsburg is described in detail in the records of the treasurer for 1405 (MTV, 360-396).
The Order's attempts to establish itself on the Memel River began with the foundation of Memel Castle by the Livonians in 1252 (PrUB 1.1.261; SRP I 280), which passed to the Prussian branch of the Order only in 1328 (SRP I 214).
"In the year of our Lord 1289, Brother Meinicke ... with all his warriors came on the day of the holy martyr George to the land of the Scalovites and to the glory and praise of God on one mountain, beyond Memel, built the castle of Landeshute, which means "guardian of the land" (SRP I 151). Thus, on the site of the Prussian fortification of Raganite, the future castle of Ragnit arose, founded by Landmeister Meinhart von Querfurt. At the same time as Ragnit, in 1293, the castle of Schalauerburg was founded downstream.
In 1336, Georgenburg Castle (Jurbarkas, Lithuania) was founded - "The year of the Lord 1336 ... on the day of Corpus Christi, the brothers began to build a castle in their [Lithuanian] land, where there were military actions" (Canonici Sambiensis). However, the first castle on Mount St. George was founded as early as 1259, with equal expenditure of effort and resources by the brothers from Livonia and Prussia. "... A castle was built in the land of Karsovia, on Mount St. George, which was then extremely necessary for the strengthening of the Christian faith. When it was built, pious people, excellent warriors, brothers and squires from Prussia and Livonia were left to guard the said castle" (SRP I 95). And destroyed the following year, during the Second Prussian Uprising, the castle was rebuilt only decades later.
In 1337, the Bayerburg-1 castle (Plokščai, Lithuania) was founded. In total, there were three castles with this name on the Neman at different times, and the epic of their relocation and construction lasted almost 70 years. “In the same year (1337), Lord Henry, Duke of Bavaria, came to Prussia and, together with our knights, built a castle in Lithuanian land called Bayerburg, finishing its construction in three weeks” (Annalista Torunensis).
Almost immediately, the Lithuanians came to the castle. The Lithuanian prince Gediminas brought a large army and siege weapons and besieged Bayerburg on Whitsun (June 15, 1337). The siege lasted 22 days. It ended with one of the archers killing the Grand Duke (probably one of Gediminas' sons, Vitovt) and the army retreating.
"The brothers then left the castle, and the machines and everything else that remained were brought to the castle, and Lord Henry of Bavaria presented the castle with weapons and the necessary livestock, a banner and a seal" (Chronica nova Prutenica). After the fortification successfully withstood the siege, Henry XIV awarded it with weapons, provisions, a flag and a coat of arms. On November 15, 1337, Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, issued a bull, by which he donated the Lithuanian lands to the Order and named Bayerburg the center of the future conquered land and the future diocese. "Emperor Ludwig IV grants Grand Master Dietrich Altenburg and the Order of the Teutonic Knights the lands of Lithuania, namely Samogitia, Karsovia and Rus', and also establishes the main castle of Lithuania in Bayerburg and the archbishopric of Bayern" (PrUB 3.134). However, the castle did not last long. In 1344, due to its remoteness and supply problems, the Order destroyed the castle and a new, second Bavarian castle was built further down the river (Mastaicaia, Lithuania).
“… At the same time, the master, with the participation of his preceptors, having made up his mind well about this, burned the castle, vulgarly called Bayerburg, and soon after built it one mile below the other, which, with the exception of only the place with the same name, that is, Bayerburg, is called” (Chronica nova Prutenica).
The second castle, like the first, served as a base and stronghold for further Order campaigns in Lithuania. In 1381, the castle was besieged by the Lithuanian prince Koribut, son of Olgerd. "With his son Koribut, the king's brother, the warriors hastened to besiege the Beyerem castle. They stormed it vigorously from three sides, filling the ditches and suburbs. They wanted to burn it down, but the castle gave a powerful rebuff and did not surrender to the pagans" (Chronica nova Prutenica).
The castle did not surrender, but the knights themselves burned part of the castle buildings. After six days, the Lithuanians retreated, and reinforcements from Ragnit were also arriving. Finally, in 1384, the castle was burned by Vitovt. "Also on the third day of July, the vile traitor Vitovt burned the castles of Bayerburg and Marienburg" (Annalista Torunensis).
In 1387, the castle was rebuilt again under the name "Bayerburg" (Jurbarkas, Lithuania). But the name did not stick and the castle was better known as Georgenburg. Although in reality, Bayerburg III and Georgenburg are two different castles in the area of today's Jurbarkas. "In the same year, the knights rebuilt the castle of Jurgenburg, which Vitovt had betrayed and destroyed, and called it Bayerburg. During this construction, they did not encounter any obstacles from the enemy" (Annalista Torunensis). The castle was eventually burned down by Vitovt in 1403 and was never rebuilt.
In 1313, the Order founded the castle of Christi Memel on Memel (SRP I 178). "Year of the Lord 1313. Master Charles built a new castle against the Lithuanians, which was called Christi Memela " ( Canonici Sambiensis). According to the descriptions of the chroniclers, the castle was built 6 miles above Ragnit and is now identified with the hillfort on the left bank of the Neman near Norkunai.
The refounding of Georgenburg Castle in 1336 was part of a larger attempt by the Order to consolidate its position in the middle Memel during the conquest of Samogitia. That same year, another castle was built higher up the Memel - "... in that same year, Master Dietrich built Marienburg against the pagans on the island of Romein between Velun and Bisten, and having built it, he raised the castle. At that time, it was possible to ford the Neman River, for the water was low, and the pagans in that place with a large army stood against the troops of the brothers and in a counter-attack drove the master away from that place, and so the castle remained in ruins and unfinished" (Chronica nova Prutenica).
The now non-existent Romein Island was located on Memel, 1 kilometer west of the mouth of the Dubissa. In 1368, the decision was made to move the castle to Kovno, and so Marienburg-2 appeared.
Lithuanian historian Teodor Narbut in his work “History of the Lithuanian Nation” writes about one interesting fact in connection with this castle.
In the spring of 1810, in the Sapiezyszki/Zapyškis area, on a hill eroded by spring floods, the foundations of a corner of a wall were discovered, in which a cast bronze tablet the size of a quarto sheet of paper (approximately 24 x 30 cm) was found, which the author had seen in 1813 in the house of the parish priest Jankowski. On it were engraved the words copied by Narbut:
Burchard von Mansfield was the commander of Ragnit in 1367. The 4th Kalends of May is April 28. This does not contradict the chronicles - Burchard founded the castle in the spring of 1367, and in the summer of 1368, Master von Kniprode completed the construction. This is mentioned by Wigand, Posilge, and the Thorn annalist.
It was not possible to find out what happened to the sign; it probably disappeared in the whirlwind of history. But one can roughly imagine where the castle was located. But, judging by the testimony of the same Narbut, the hill was washed away by spring floods.
In 1337, the castle of Insterburg was built on the border of the inhabited lands to protect the land route to Ragnit - “Year of the Lord 1337. <…> In this year Insterburg was built” (Canonici Sambiensis epitome gestorum Prussie).
In the mid-14th century, attempts to strengthen the Order's position in Memel were continued and are associated with the name of Master Winrich von Kniprode. In 1356, Ragnit Castle, which had burned twice the previous year, was restored - "the aforementioned Master, on the advice of the preceptors, rebuilt it in four weeks and completed it in the same place" (Chronica nova Prutenica). Also, over the course of the decade, a number of castles on the Order's borderland and the left bank of Memel were rebuilt and restored - Wenkishken (1360s), Warrus (1360s), Kaustritten (1365), Splitter (1360), Windenburg (1360) and Schalauerburg (1356).
Castles were built at the rate of two per year. Thus, in 1360, two castles were built: Splitter, on the left bank of the Memel within the borders of modern Sovetsk, and Windenburg, on the shore of the Curonian Lagoon. “Between Easter and Pentecost [in 1360, this was between April 5 and May 24. — AK ] Master Winrich, having gathered a large army, built a new house in the land of Scalovia for the benefit of the Order. Then the aforementioned Marshal [Henning Schindekopf. — AK ] with the permission of the Order built another house to the detriment of the pagans, which was usually called Windenburg” (Chronica nova Prutenica).
But during the Lithuanian raid in 1365, all of the above castles were burned down.
In 1368-69, the Order attempted to prevent the restoration of the Lithuanian castle of Kovno and the construction of the castle of New Kovno by building Order fortifications in the vicinity. As already mentioned, in 1368, the castle of Marienburg (on the Memel) was built near Kovno. In 1369, the army of the Order, led by the Master, moved from Bayerburg up the river and founded the castle of Gotteswerder - "And they finished [the castle], improved it, hung out banners and supplied it with food for a year. And the Master placed there the commander Kuno von Hattstein with 20 brothers and crossbowmen and called it Gotteswerder" (Chronica nova Prutenica). In total, in 1368-69, the area in the area of Gotteswerder and New Kovno changed hands four times. Thus, in the autumn of 1368, the Order captured the New Kovno Castle (SRP II 92), then restored it by the Lithuanians, and in April-May 1369, Gotteswerder Castle appeared on this site (SRP II 94, 561-563; III 88), captured by the Lithuanians on September 12 (SRP II 94, 561-563; III 88), and in November-December of the same year, the castle was again captured by the Order (SRP II 95, 561-563; III 88). In 1384, the castle was still in the possession of the Order and was subjected to another siege by the Lithuanians (SRP II 630). By the end of the 14th century, the castle was destroyed, since in 1398 two Order houses were mentioned, built on the island where the castle stood (SRP III 220). The castle was located on an island where the Nevyazh River flows into the Memel.
There were several more attempts by the Order to gain a foothold near the Lithuanian castle of Kovno, and all of them were short-lived. During another Lithuanian campaign in 1384, the castle of Marienwerder was built (SRP II 626; III 129) - "the Supreme Master came to the Lithuanian land with a large army, and in four weeks completed the construction of a strongly fortified castle where the castle of Kovno had once been" (Annalista Torunensis). Already on June 14, 1384, an agreement was concluded in Marienwerder between Master Konrad Zöllner von Rothenstein and Duke Vytautas (PrUB JS-FS 18). It spoke of Vytautas's baptism and an agreement was concluded between the Duke and the Order on the return of the Duchy of Lithuania to Vytautas, which he was to receive as a fief from the Order in gratitude for his help. Already in September of the same year, the brothers Jagiello and Skirgaila besieged the castle and, ultimately, it was burned down (SRP II 628-631; III 607).
In the summer of 1391, during a campaign led by the Master, the Order's castle of Ritterswerder was built below the castle of Kovno - "At that time, in the same raid, Ritterswerder was built a little below old Kovno" (Chronica nova Prutenica). The castle was destroyed by Lithuanian troops. In 1394, the Order attempted to restore the castle (SRP II 654-661; III 193-196).
Ultimately, the order castles in the Kovno region were destroyed by Vitovt in 1402 – “he also took two castles in Prussia by storm, namely, Marienwerder and Ritterswerder” (Annalista Torunensis).
In 1392, two Order castles were built in the depths of Lithuanian territory (SRP II 647; III 179, 622). Opposite Grodno, the commander of Balga, Konrad von Kyburg, founded the castle of New Grodno. The commander of Brandenburg, Johann von Schönfeld, built the castle of Metenburg. In the same year, both castles were destroyed by Vitovt.
At the beginning of the 15th century, the Order made its last attempts to build castles in the territory of Samogitia. Thus, in the summer of 1405, Königsburg Castle was built in a few weeks (SRP III 277). At the turn of 1406-7, Dobis Castle was built on the Dubissa River (SRP III 291; CEV I.351; PrUB JH I 858, JS 44). In May 1409, on the eve of the Great War, an attempt was made to strengthen Dobis Castle (SRP III 300). In the autumn of 1409, Dobis Castle was burned down and in the same year, the last Order castle in Lithuania was built – Friedeburg (SRP III 303).
The eastern border of the inhabited lands of the Order, along the edge of the Wild Heath, was protected by a network of Order castles - Angerburg (1335), Lötzen (until 1340), Eckersberg (around 1340), Johannisburg (1345) and the forward-looking Lyk (1398). The castles of the second line - Barten (1325), Rastenburg (1329) and Rhein (1377) can also be included here.
At the end of the 14th century, the Order, on the orders of the Marshal, conducted reconnaissance to study the routes and roads to various areas and castles of Lithuania. The result of this reconnaissance was a collection containing one hundred routes from the Order lands to Lithuania, with a description of natural obstacles and landmarks, as well as the length of the route and its passability. This collection was called "Die littauischen Wegeberichte" (SRP II 662). Almost all of the presented routes led to the aforementioned Lithuanian or Order castles and to the volosts of Samogitia and Lithuania. Route No. 39 "The Road from Insterburg to Marienwerder on the Neman" or route No. 62, leading to Grodno.
Some routes, on the contrary, led from the castles on the Neman deep into Lithuanian territory. Thus, route No. 31 was called "The road from Marienburg on the Neman to the northeast, to the Stenain volost" or route No. 70, leading from Kovno through Troki to Vilnius.
The participation of the Order's guests in the raises associated with the construction of castles and fortifications is significant and is covered in the sources. This dates back to the mid-13th century, when during the conquest of Prussia, under the protection of large armies and with the participation of European rulers, castles were founded - Königsberg in 1255 by Otto II (SRP I 92) and Brandenburg in 1267 by Otto III (SRP I 114).
In 1337, Duke Henry II of Lower Bavaria founded a castle in Lithuanian territory during the summer rise (SRP I 646; II 492-495). "... the Master and Duke of Bavaria Henry built a castle on a certain island opposite Velun and called it Beyern" (Canonici Sambiensis). The castle was named after the Duke's homeland, Bavaria. Henry II's cousin was the Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV of Bavaria. On 15 November 1337, the Emperor issued a bull in which he emphasized the future significance of the castle's foundation and set a condition: it had to be the main castle of Lithuania (castrum capitale tocius terre Lythowie). The castle, named "Bavaria", had to bear the Bavarian coat of arms, take first place in the military campaign against the Lithuanians with this coat of arms on the flags, and be the center of the future archbishopric (PrUB 3.134). The bull was decorated with an image of the emperor, with a scepter and orb, and before him kneeling the Grand Master with a vassal's banner.
Subsequently, similar castle-founding activities appeared either as a project or on a smaller scale. In the autumn of 1349, a group of forty English knights informed Pope Clement VI of their plan to build a castle in Lithuania with other benefactors and to endow it with five chaplaincies, and also asked for a full absolution for all who wished to participate personally or to donate a month's salary for a knight at Christmas. Clement VI granted a ten-year indulgence on 30 September of that year, but only for penance for one year and 40 days (PrUB 4.457, 738). But for a number of reasons, the castle was never built.
Jean II de Blois, who had visited Prussia many times and participated in Lithuanian raids, took part in the construction of Gotteswerder Castle during the campaign in the spring of 1369. His accounts for the campaign reflect the construction and supply of the new castle. De Blois even left his supplies in the castle, although he had previously promised them to the monastery in Löbenicht: “Item ghegeven Pelgherini heer Jans knecht van Langherak tot Jan breien bevelen van enen zacke meels die op thuus te Goodswaerder bleef en men van mijns heren weghen daer gaf” (HaNA 3.19.10 45 f.56).
The memoirs-biography of the marshal and traveler Jean II le Maingre, nicknamed Boucicaut, describes the construction of the Ritterswerder castle or "le Chastel des Chevaliers".
At the end of the 14th century, Boucicault travelled to Prussia a couple of times, where he took part in Lithuanian raisins. In 1391, together with Master von Wallenrod and Duke Vitovt, he took part in the construction of the Ritterswerder Castle near Kovno - "... in this Saracen country, in the Kingdom of Lithuania, a strong and beautiful castle was founded and erected on an island, in defiance of the enemies and their strength..." (Le Livre des faicts, p.69).
With the outbreak of the Great War of 1409-11, the construction of expansionist castles ceased and after the defeat of the Order, no more was carried out. Many castles were subsequently abandoned and ceased to exist. Today, only a few castles remain partially or in ruins.
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