The Conquer Of The Teutonic Order In The Baltic

From the eleventh century beginning, Europe stepped into a new period, economic resurgence, urban renaissance, and trade becoming frequently, then, the Baltic Sea trade district rose gradually, as an important commercial route connecting East-West trade the in Middle Ages. Germany emigrations continuously moved to east Europe, reclaimed wasteland, and built new German villages and cities. Meanwhile, the merchant stimulated deeply the feudal princes to seek wealth and power by their block trade. So the Baltic Sea played an important role not only on economic system, but also political relation.Following the developing of the Crusades conception and the influence of the Northern Crusades in early stage, the Teutonic Order, as one of the three famous religious Order in the Middle Ages of Europe, had aimed at the Baltic Sea district too. By the crazy religious fervor and the great actuality interest, the Teutonic Order had conquered the Prussia and the Livonian in the Baltic with military force, then, they had invaded the Poland, Lithuania and Russia. Finally, they became the major force to exterminate the heathen and heresy for the Roman Catholic. Not only they relied on religious fervor, but depended on themselves advantages to make war, including authorization from the emperor of Germany and the Pope, continuous the crusaders, the fine relation with the Holy See, and strong financial guarantee. Of course it also included their political ideals about"Private Country", which was effected that the minority noblemen controlled the German political situation at that time.The Teutonic Order started a series of war in the Baltic from 1230, and compelled the local residents conversion. After the Acre fell in 1291,the Order retreated and stood on the defensive in the Europe, and then, they whole-heartedly engaged in the Baltic. Through so many years war, the Order took over the Livonian, conquered the Prussia, and became the biggest landholder and merchant from the Danzing to Tallinn. The power and influence of the Teutonic Order achieved highest level in the East Europe before the war of Tannenberg, and emerged a profound influence on polity, military and religion.A series of activities of the Teutonic Order accelerated the Baltic Catholicization and Germanization, broke its own development of the local civilization, and drastically changed the intrinsic structure of population, language, culture, economy and polity in there.