A land of red castles: consolidating the Teutonic Order’s state in the fourteenth century

The Teutonic Order's state in fourteenth-century Prussia, centered around the Castle of Marienburg (Malbork), developed as a unique medieval entity blending papal and imperial structures. This study reveals that while the Order's governance was embedded in traditional medieval frameworks, it functioned with distinct characteristics, particularly in its military campaigns against Lithuania and its role in colonization and trade. The research synthesizes over a century of scholarship, focusing on settlement patterns, castle hierarchies, and resource exploitation to understand the Order's political and economic integrity. It also explores the ideological shift following Lithuania's Christian conversion and union with Poland, challenging the Order's crusading purpose.

(Ed.). (2013). A land of red castles: consolidating the Teutonic Order’s state in the fourteenth century. The Archaeology of the Prussian Crusade, 160–215. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203079867-11