Royal Prussia

All you want to know about Royal Prussia

This article is about the former Polish province. For the German kingdom, see Kingdom of Prussia.
Prusy Królewskie (pl)
Königliches Preußen (de)
Royal Prussia
Province of the Kingdom of Poland
(Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569)
←
1466 – 1772 →
Flag Coat of arms
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Prussia
Map of Royal Prussia (light pink)
History
 - Established October 19, 1466
 - Loss of autonomy 1 July 1569
 - Annexed August 5, 1772

Royal Prussia (German: Königliches Preußen (help·info); Polish: Prusy Królewskie) was a province of the Kingdom of Poland from 1466 and then the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569 to 1772. Royal Prussia included Pomerelia, Chełmno Land (Kulmerland), Malbork Voivodeship (Marienburg), Gdańsk (Danzig), Toruń (Thorn), and Elbląg (Elbing). Royal Prussia is distinguished from Ducal Prussia: the Royal Prussia was a part of Poland and the Ducal Prussia was under Polish suzerainty as a Polish fief, independent since 1657 (personal union with Brandenburg).

Contents

History

Prior to the Teutonic Knights' invasion in the early 1300s, the region included Pomerelia and southwestern portions of Prussia.

Thirteen Years' War

During the Thirteen Years' War ("War of the Cities"), in February 1454, the Prussian Confederation, led by the cities of Danzig (Gdańsk), Elbing (Elbląg), and Thorn (Toruń), as well as gentry from Kulmerland (Chełmno Land) asked the Polish king for support against the Teutonic Order's rule and for incorporation of Prussia into the Polish kingdom. The rebellion also included major cities from the eastern part of the Order's lands, such as Kneiphof, a part of Königsberg. The war ended in October 1466 with the Second Peace of Thorn, which provided for the Order's cession to the Polish Crown of its rights over the western half of Prussia, including Pomerelia and the districts of Elbing, Marienburg (Malbork), and Kulm (Chełmno).

Kingdom of Poland

Royal Prussia enjoyed substantial autonomy in its affiliation to the Crown of Poland - it had its own Diet (see Prussian estates), treasury and monetary unit and armies[1]. It was governed by a council, subordinate to the Polish king, whose members were chosen from local lords and wealthy citizens. Prussians had also seats provided for them in Polish Diet, but they chose not to use this right until the Union of Lublin.

The Bishopric of Warmia had claimed the title of imperial Prince-Bishopric status, supposedly given by Emperor Charles IV. Although this claim seems unsupported by any document, it was in wide use in the 17th century. The bishopric continued defending this status until the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806.

The eastern part of Prussia remained under the rule of the Order and its successors, becoming the Duchy of Prussia in 1525 when the Order's Grand Master Albert of Brandenburg adopted Lutheranism and secularized the land as its hereditary ruler. In 1618 the duchy was inherited by John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg. It remained under Polish (and briefly Swedish) suzerainty and the rulers of Brandenburg had to swear formal allegiance to the Polish Crown. Brandenburg achieved sovereignty over the duchy in the Treaty of Wehlau (1657).

The Commonwealth


History of Brandenburg and Prussia
Northern March
pre-12th century		 Old Prussians
pre-13th century
Margraviate of Brandenburg
1157–1618 (1806)		 Ordensstaat
1224–1525
Duchy of Prussia
1525–1618		 Royal (Polish) Prussia
1466–1772
Brandenburg-Prussia
1618–1701
Kingdom in Prussia
1701–1772
Kingdom of Prussia
1772–1918
Free State of Prussia
1918–1947
Brandenburg
1947–1952 / 1990–

As a result of the Union of Lublin in 1569, Royal Prussia's autonomy was abolished and the region was united with the Polish Crown. Prussian electors became senators and representatives to the Polish parliament, the Sejm.[1]

After the incorporation to the Crown of the Polish Kingdom, local diets (Sejmik) were organised for:

The main task of the Sejmiks was the election of MPs for the Sejm of Poland. Royal Prussia was allocated 10 MPs (167 total).

The Partitions

During the First (1772) and Second (1793) Partitions of Poland, Royal Prussia was gradually annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia. Its territory largely made up the Province of West Prussia created in 1773.

See also

References

  1. ^ summary of The Other Prussia: Royal Prussia, Poland and Liberty, 1569-1772

Further reading

  • Karin Friedrich, The Other Prussia: Royal Prussia, Poland and Liberty, 1569-1772, Cambridge University Press, 2000, ISBN 0-521-58335-7 on Google Books
  • Gerard Labuda (ed.), Historia Pomorza, vol. I–IV, Poznań 1969–2003 (also covers East Prussia) (Polish)
  • W. Odyniec, Dzieje Prus Królewskich (1454–1772). Zarys monograficzny, Warszawa 1972 (Polish)
  • Dzieje Pomorza Nadwiślańskiego od VII wieku do 1945 roku, Gdańsk 1978 (Polish)

External links

v • d • e
Flag of Prussia Territories and provinces of Prussia (1525–1947)
Before 1701
After 1701
Post-Congress of
Vienna (1814–15)
Territorial reforms
after 1918
1 Became the Province of Posen in 1848.   2 From the Lower Rhine and Jülich-Cleves-Berg.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Prussia"

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