... He knelt before the king of Margrave Albrecht along with 2 princes. He was handed a fresh flag of white adamascus, on which was a black eagle with golden claws, a gold crown on his neck, gold stripes on his wings, on his chest with the silver letter S. Albrecht swore to the King and the Polish Crown under this banner as a master and heir of the Duchy of Prussia. He took an oath of homage by putting 2 fingers on the Gospel, which the bishop [archicishop] of Gniezno [Jan Łaski] and the bishop of Kraków [Peter Tomicki] laid on the king's lap. erstwhile that happened, the 3 princes got up and went back a small bit.
The king took the sword, Albrecht kneeled before him again. Then the king struck him [sword] 3 times and matched [Albrecht] as a knight. The king then hung a gold chain worth six 100 guilders on the fresh prince's neck and handed him the flag. The prince accepted the banner with large thanks and gave it to 1 of his counsellors [Fryderyk] Heydeck.(...)
A fragment of the description of the solemn giving of Lenn to Prince Albrecht in 1525 according to the manuscript information in the Secret King's Archives (translation for Jan Malek Prussian holodeck in the royal relationship)
April 10 is 1 of the most crucial dates in Poland's history, it is simply a large day connected with 1 of the most prominent Polish politicians, the leader of the state, if not the biggest, it is surely at the forefront of leaders of over a 1000 years of past of our country. But let's start over. From the problem with Palestinian refugees, which this leader successfully solved.
Visitors with a cross
It started with the exile problem. Especially with refugees from the war-torn mediate East.
We were approached by via Hungary, where they had been hosting for 13 years, to aid the king there to repel the attacks of the Kumans on the Seven-garden, but erstwhile there was a problem with knowing the word "lenno" (which, as it shows, will be a reconnaissance sign of this group of refugees) they were asked to urgently distance in any direction, far away. There is no certainty, but possibly that is erstwhile this panic fear of refugees was born in the country of Madzers, so expressively demonstrated present by Viktor Orban.
A land rather far from Hungary turned out to be borderlands of Mazovia and Prussia...
The refugees I am writing about were, of course, the knights of the Order of the infirmary of the Virgin Mary of the German home in Jerusalem. The Order was created during the 3rd Crusade (1190) initially as a fraternity taking care of wounded Crusaders, in order to get knighthood position (1198) reasonably rapidly – due to the fact that in Palestine at that time a skilled and trained armed force was on the weight of gold. Like Templars or Joannites, the organization built a political and financial importance rather quickly, becoming a crucial player on the phase at the time. large masters were then people of political mainstream and knew that mediate east conquests could prove impermanent. Hence the protection of the goods given by the emperor in confederate Italy and Germany, hence the thought of uncovering a place of expansion in more favorable conditions.
The first thought was the 7 Garden, where an effort to change the position of King Andrew II (i.e. a real political submission) into a papacy lentil (i.e. almost independence) led Hungarians out of balance and caused the eviction of the Teutonic Knights from that country.
It is worth mentioning 2 words about the lenna institutions, which, on the 1 hand, reminded today's lease – as a form of land ownership, however, the political subject was added – the lentil was a constant, subordinate elder ally in his politics. Resigning from specified an alliance was punished by the taking distant of the land and the benefits of their rule. An example of specified a mechanics was the rapidly resolved Hungarian-Crucian dispute. Since nuns began to look for paths of evasion, they had to leave.
As always, in specified cases there is simply a force origin in the enforcement of laws – the Kingdom of Hungary had specified force at the time.
Another, twin-like to the above described, arrangement of the Teutonic Knights concluded with Konrad the prince of Mazovia. As it later turned out to be a weaker player than Hungarian Andrzej.
The Mazowsze bordered Prussia, a reasonably burdensome neighbour.
The Prusai had a alternatively unpleasant habit of coming uninvited to richer Mazovia or Pomeranian neighbors, always taking something from these expeditions as a souvenir. These neighbors felt that the solution to the problem would be Christianity and the conquest of these lands. Konrad Mazowiecki (with the support of his siblings from another districts) and Avenge, Duke of Gdańsk, and Cistercian Christianity were to be taken over. And they even took care, but for various reasons – disputes between the Piasts, conflicts with Pomerania (ah, those Kaszubi, you know...) – it was hard.The most determined Duke Konrad came up with the thought of agreeing with Palestinian refugees with black crosses on their coats and making them his lentils in the good and Michałów lands in exchange for eliminating the problem of the Prussian tribes.
Poland's historiography of course sees a disaster in this arrangement. As in all story, where Germans appear or, worse, Prusace immediately appears a dignifiedly threatening face of Bismarck, and immediately after that, the crazy look of Hitler. But hola, hola (I will most likely repeat it not again in this text): we are the 13th century, respective 100 years before there is simply a sociological phenomenon called a nation, with all the benefits and misfortunes resulting from it. In the 13th century we have local, linguistic, spiritual communities and interests of emperors, kings and princes.
In general, this arrangement had the intended effect – in little than 30 years, the Teutonic Knights had eliminated the Prussian threats to Mazovia and Pomerania. In 1283, after the fall of the Second Prussian Uprising, we can talk about the end of Prussia, with which the Piasts tried to fight so unsuccessfully.
Of course, there have been another problems – like the 1 mentioned with the tendency of the Teutonic Knights to alternatively loosely interpret their responsibilities, which was due to the rule known to politicians since the beginning of this profession: playing as the opponent allows. The Piast state, which has been sharing for any time the increasingly tiny organisms, was not a demanding opponent for well-established European contacts (then it meant global) monks with well sharpened swords. Władysław Lokietek, who was busy fighting for the royal crown, was besides not specified an opponent.
The Teutonic Knights who exported the structure and mentality of conquest and colonization from Palestine, after subordination of Prussia were eager to look for further goals of expansion. The natural ones were Lithuania and weak Polish principalities. Of course, they did much worse here, although they were successful.
The end of the hossy on the actions of the Order
Prosperita began to end with the enthronement of Poland by Kazimierz Wielki, who actually rebuilt the Polish state with its structures and ability to respond to threats, while being a monarch, possibly not the first European line, but already recognized and with good contacts, allowing for active diplomacy and the demolition of the Teutonic alliances – including the most dangerous with the Czech Republic. Peter of Byczyna (née Czech) wrote about him, possibly laying the foundation stone under the prevailing opinion of the king:
"It was in his day a man of the top foresight in secular matters, loved peace and brought to good condition the Kingdom of Poland, willingly built churches, and for peace he rebuilt the castles lying on the borders of the Kingdom and was a very powerful man."
This Kazimierz was all very small Polish according to today's criteria. He didn't scream, he didn't suck, he didn't insult everyone, he worked, he worked, he worked. And he fought – not in Polish, that is, with everyone, but with the chosen ones, and preferably weaker, opponents. After his father, he took over a somewhat hull state with an area of ca 100 1000 sq km (meaning little than 1/3 of the area of present Poland) so that after the conquests in northern Wielkopolska, parts of Mazowsza and Rusi Halicka and Włodzimierska, he would place them in decline 3 times larger. Not bad for a peace-lover.The later succession of Jadwiga, her matrimony to Jagiełła and the union of Krąska in fact reversed the proportions of forces – the Order Prussia became an island surrounded by the permanently connected 2 states – well organized on the best medieval models of Poland and modernized on her model Lithuania. Even then, the possible difference resulted from the inevitable defeat of the Order, as long as it continued its aggressive policy. And this disaster came – in the fields of Grunwald in 1410. Our dreary historians usage textbooks to comment on an untapped victory, not noticing that, like 30 years after the arrival of the Teutonic Knights, the threat from the Prussian tribes disappeared, so 25 years after the Union of Blood the spiritual state ceased to be a real threat to the Polish lands. Of course, another large masters did not take note of it, believed in the greatness of their and the imperial-Pope allies, but from the point of view of the strengthening Jagiellonian monarchy their order from a problem at the state level fell into a local, third-rate role.
The last spiritual retreat was a 13-year-old war, which lasted so long not due to the strength of black crosses on white coats, but due to the fact that Kazimierz Jagiellończyk had to pact constantly with the nobility and persuade her to apply herself to the fight. erstwhile he went to his senses and alternatively of spending further privileges under the force of a common move, he opened the pouch, dense troops (also bribed crusaders) rapidly settled the war.Its effect was an additional weakening of the Order by the actual resection of his heart – the formation of the Royal Prussia included, among others, Malbork, the capital of the spiritual state, and the form of the cut-out Warmia decomposed the full layout of the industriously built castles and fortresses, which constitute a coherent defence system. The Grand Master transferred the capital to the Kingship as a lentil of the Polish king.
The next kings Jan Olbracht and Alexander did not consider the spiritual problem to be noticed – they focused on the fights with Moscow, Turks, they ran on the steppes and hills of the east and south in a closer undetermined intent and without peculiar successes. Even erstwhile Jan Olbracht managed to provoke a coalition against himself from Moscow through Hungary to Maximilian Habsburg erstwhile the second demanded return of Prussia to the Royal Order – no 1 took it seriously. The Monarchy, whose area then reached a million square kilometers, no Baltic, even a prosperous state, was able to seriously threaten.
Sigismund, who became Old due to the fact that he was besides young
Kazimierz Jagiellończyk was a evidence holder of our past in the category of breeding rulers (and not only). He has 1 king of Bohemia and Hungary (Wladyslaw) and 3 kings of Poland (Jan Olbracht, Alexander and Sigismund)
Sigismund was the penultimate male descendant on whom – let's be honest – there was not much idea. The older brothers reigned, or in case of failure to search a kingdom they died of tuberculosis to become a saint and patron of Lithuania (like Kazimierz). Although the younger Frederick was not a saint, he was close as Archbishop and Cardinal. And Sigmund...
Sigismund had been hanging around for years without allocation, a bit at the court of the older brother in Budapest, a bit as politician of the same in Silesia, only at the age of 40 was rather unexpectedly endowed with the Lithuanian principality and Polish crown. Hence the nickname “old” due to the fact that he was besides young to get this occupation before 40.
The deficiency of allocation did not mean that Sigismund was poorly prepared for the royal function – as each of the Jagielloński's sons was well educated, lived in the planet and raised in a household of power leaders whose dynasty ruled most of Central and east Europe.
He began by reigning in Lithuania and performing the ritual beating of Moscow – the Jagiellos had a customized that each of them had to at least erstwhile during his word beat up the east neighbour, which for centuries had a wonderful effect on the peace and maintenance of order in our part of the world. The rejection of this beneficial customized is inactive causing unpleasant complications.But then Sigmund no longer dealt with (because he did not have to) especially the east, he was a European with blood and bones with global ambitions. In interior policy, the legalist, present we would say – guardian of the regulation of law and lover of order. In abroad politics, his horizons were beyond the sight of many then reigning, and surely the overwhelming majority of his subjects. We most likely owe this aversion to 1 of the finest (maybe the most outstanding) in our Queen's past – Bona Sforza. In her opinion, she is simply a megier who tormented the king's husband with vegetables (maybe even suitable for the patron saint of vegans). In practice, this matrimony brought news to Krakow from the center of civilization of the emerging Renaissance, specified as Italy, not only in the fields of art or culture, but besides in the economy, finance and banking. By the way, a number of large and smaller Jagiello interests were joined by those related to the legacy of Bona - Milan, Bari and Rosano and claims to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Ambitious and well-educated she was an excellent partner for Zygmunt, she besides built a fresh model of the queen – independent, strong, with her own opinion. To this day, specified women are not liked by many barristers. As in social media now, so in their jarmar counterparts they gave speech to anti-female messages.
With refugees fight last
And here we go back to the problem of our mediate east refugees. A fresh large master appears on stage, in any ways akin to Sigismund. possibly a small physically (he was the king's nephew, so they bathed in Jagillon) but surely the starting position. Albrecht Hohenzollern was besides young, so far in line for the Brandenburg succession, he might have become a bishop, but it was invented that it would be better to work as a large master of the Teutonic Order.
This order was only a shadow of itself 200 years ago. This is simply a medium-sized, well-organized and strong interior discipline of the state, which was full of Europe at the time.
But Albrecht was not average, and his ambitions could barely be limited to the pieces of Europe. He rode, assembled alliances, yet in 1519 he decided to revolt openly against Uncle Sigismund and declared a war to reconstruct your Order's independence. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, there were times erstwhile Poles did not fight a ellipse for independence, only Poles were fought to drop their dominance.
Our historiography likes to present this war as a breakthrough, deciding future fate, due to the fact that Bismarck, due to the fact that Hitler! It is the 16th century, the Jagillons are in control of a large part of Europe, the Baltic lentils revolted, and the subjects of the battles and disputes are Good City, Nice, Morag, Olszynek, of which respective thousandths, besieged by the Teutonic Knights, Elbląg is simply a megametropolis. Do you truly think that the king moving politics from London, Paris to Moscow and Constantinople, competing with the emperors, spent his eyes on the problem of Miłomłyn?Of course, this war was inscribed in the context of the dispute with the Habsburgs, but from the king's point of view it was a local problem, a insignificant episode. The Jagiellonian State was a European power, and Sigismund was not Elbows, chasing from town to town and extinguishing rebellions, for which he would most likely be a good prey and a large success.
The local rebellion of the unruly nephew was completed rather rapidly by respective uncles spanking, without cruelty and violence, but according to the then pedagogical doctrine which ordered the usage of the rod. But naturally the taste, connected with betrayal and seeking alliances with hostile Poland emperor and pope, remained. Polish historians like to emphasize that the order could have been transferred to Podole (yes, there were ideas) to show itself in the fight against the Tatars, to eliminate, to exterminate.
One step at a time. The order was about 400 knights, mostly dreaming of stabilizing and moving from the war rate to the ground-nobility. The force of the Order came from a budget allowing for hiring mercenaries. What would be the usage of the 400 on the Sub-Loll without that budget?
The Prusai community would remain. The mixed community, post-archive elites were German-speaking, willingly imported settlers are a full pallet from different parts of Europe, where crucial groups are inflowing populations from Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland. The only connecting component was the spiritual administration – its liquidation would origin chaos. And Prussia, urbanized by colonists, became a different land, rather rich and powerfully connected economically to Poland. How to eat Prussia and have Prussia?
April 10 – celebration of the large sovereign Poland
Sigismund was a prudent politician, looking forward to the future, knowing that permanent systems should be created and the burning points avoided. With the arrangement symbolized by tribute to 1525, he led to:
1. The full political submission of Prussia to the Crown;
2. Full economical integration (matched customs policy, dictated from Krakow monetary policy);
3. Subordination of the judiciary to the Polish King
4. The liquidation of the Order, which meant the end of recourse to the aid of Papacy and dual loyalty;
5. Consent to the Protestant conversion, which has long prevented recourse to the militant Lutheran doctrine of Habsburg;
6. Satisfying the nephew's ambition and subordination of his energy (which was a valuable resource) to his own interests.
It is interesting that the secularization and Protestant conversion of Prussia was carried out by the king, who in interior politics powerfully limited Luther's improvement of thought, issuing bans on teaching or, as in the case of Gdańsk, limiting Protestant rights. But – something that is simply a hard phenomenon most likely to realize by a large part of today's Poles – Zygmunt was the leader of Poland, not a servant of this or another church. He was not a fanatical Catholic Vasa, manipulated by the Jesuits, nor a associate of Ordo Iuris, had 1 loyalty—to the state he led. And if Protestantism in Prussia was beneficial to Poland, then Prussia became Lutheran.These are the most crucial provisions that were in force without crucial problems until the Swedish invasion of 1655, or 130 years. And we owe their relaxation not so much to the peculiar ideas or policies of the Hohenzollerns, but to the actual fall of the Republic of Jan Kazimierz, from which we never truly recovered.
From today's position in a country that celebrates the restoration of independency for 20 years on 11 November, a harsh criticism of over a century of submission Prussia is simply a small funny.But it's the power of pop culture. Matejko based his pictorial historianism on writings of an excellent historian, though a flawed interpreter of history, Michał Bobrzyński. Hence the sad Stanian predicting problems with Hohenzollerns. Neither Sigismund Stary nor Stańczyk saw the position of the Kraków School, experienced in dissection and watching the planet of the Jagiellonian power from the position of the Minister for Galicia, they would never understand.
* Oh, my God *
April 10 is simply a forgotten vacation of political wisdom, full Europeanization of Polish politics, a turn to rationality and wisdom. It was on 10 April 1525, Monday after palm Sunday, in the Kraków market, King Sigismund I agreed to fulfill Albrecht Hohenzollern's humble request and accept his tribute, his lands, his economy and his subjects. He provided peace, improvement and the chance to enrich the people of Prussia and the citizens of the northwest ends of the kingdom. He reversed the vector of interest in his older brothers loving the race and occupying the deserted steppes in the east for active European politics, the regulation of urbanized areas, rich services and production, not just honey and harvests of hunting and gathering.
On 10 April this should be our large holiday, the feast of wise, far-sighted Poland, without complexes of material and moral strength, of European Poland and of importance in the world.
This year 500 years have passed since that tribute – are Poland and the Kraków marketplace ready to celebrate this anniversary?
Marcin Celiński
The text was published in No. 03/04/2025 "Kraków and the World" Magazine
