Die inneren Voraussetzungen der Säkularisation des Deutschen Ordens in Livland
Journal Title: Ordines Militares Colloquia Torunensia Historica. Yearbook for the Study of the Military Orders - Year 2017, Vol 22, Issue
Abstract
In 1562 the last Master of the Teutonic Order in Livonia Gotthard Kettler dissolved the Order in Livonia and became as a vassal of the kingdom of Poland the first Duke of Curonia. Formal parallels with the Grand Master Albrecht of Brandenburg and duchy of Prussia are evident, although Kettler operated in totally other preconditions. In the course of Livonian War most of Livonia was already lost for Kettler, when he finally secularized the land. The aim of this paper is to survey the dynamics of the Teutonic Order as a corporation during these fatal years in Livonia and to establish the turning points. The Order had to cope with melting of its property as well as with internal disagreements concerning the means to confront peril. In these circumstances Kettler made his career, sometimes with dubious methods. But he remained the head of the corporation, who had to take account the wishes and attitudes of his fellow officials, which could be seen in the decisions of the chapter in April 1560. The real possibility for secularization opened up for Kettler only in autumn the same year, when the most of his potential rivals were killed or imprisoned in battle or retired.
Authors and Affiliations
Juhan Kreem
Keywords
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- EP ID EP306356
- DOI 10.12775/OM.2017.004
- Views 98
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