Prussian Homage

See also:Prussian Homage (painting)

The Prussian HomagebyJan Matejko

The Prussian coat of arms with the letter "S" (Sigismundus) and a crown around the eagle's neck, reflecting that Ducal Prussia was a fief of the Polish king and crown.

ThePrussian HomageorPrussian Tribute(German:Preußische Huldigung;Polish:hołd pruski) was the formalinvestitureofAlbert, Duke of Prussia(1490-1568), with hisDuchy of Prussiaas afiefof theKingdom of Polandthat took place on 10 April1525in the then capital ofKraków,Kingdom of Poland. This ended the rule of theTeutonic Orderin Prussia, which became a secularProtestantstate.

Fighting in thePolish-Teutonic War(1519-1521),Thirteen Years Warof1454-1466ended with an armistice. A year later in 1522, Albert, also theGrand Master of the Teutonic Orderand a member of the Royal dynasty of theHouse of Hohenzollern,became aProtestant,as did many other members of theTeutonic Orderand Prussian nobles at the suggestion of Dr.Martin Luther(1483-1546), to Albert.

Luther was a formerRoman Catholicpriest, continued as a theological professor at theUniversity of Wittenbergin the town ofWittenberg,Saxonyand a monk in theAugustinianreligious order. A reformer, author and eventual leader ofEvangelical Lutheranism,espousing doctrine and theology since1517,along with gathering many other supporters among laity, clergy, academics, and nobility, initiating the beginnings ofEvangelical.He debated / argued with other reformers such as Swiss theologianUlrich Zwingli,French / SwissJohn CalvinorJohn Knoxin theKingdom of Scotlandon their slightly different emphases ofReformed/Calvinism/Presbyterianismmovements in the largerProtestantismof theReformationinWestern Christianityduring the16th century.

Albert agreed that Prussia should submit to Poland and become officially a Protestant state. KingSigismund I the Oldof Poland (1467-1548,reigned1506-1548), (who happened to be Albert's uncle) accepted this, because it was better for Poland for strategic reasons rather than have the independent State of the Teutonic Order in Prussia, formally subject to theHoly Roman EmpireinCentral EuropeandGermanyand itsEmperorand thebishopsof theRoman Catholic Churchand thePapacyinRome.

These terms were included in theTreaty of Kraków,which officially ended the Polish–Teutonic War on 8 April1525.A week later, on 10 April, in theMain Square of the then Polish capital Kraków,Albert resigned as Grand Master and received the title "Duke of Prussia" from Polish King Sigismund. Thus the Duchy of Prussia became the first Protestant state, anticipating the terms three decades later of thePeace of Augsburgof1555.

As a symbol of vassalage, Albert received a standard with the Prussian coat of arms from the Polish king. The black Prussian eagle on the flag was augmented with a letter "S" (for Sigismundus) and had a crown placed around its neck as a symbol of fealty to Poland.

Earlier homages of Grand Masters of the Teutonic Knights

The tradition ofPrussian Homagesdates back to the year 1469, when, after theThirteen Years' War (1454–66)and theSecond Peace of Thorn (1466),each new Grand Master was obliged to pay homage to Polish rulers within six months of his election. Some Grand Masters refused to do so, claiming that the Order was underPapalsovereignty. Among those who refused wereMartin Truchseß von Wetzhausen,Frederick of Saxony(who referred the matter to the 1495Imperial Diet), and Albert. Five Grand Masters did comply:

• 1 December 1469, at aSejminPiotrków Trybunalski,Grand MasterHeinrich Reuß von Plauenpaid homage to KingCasimir IV Jagiellon.
• 20 November 1470, at a Sejm in Piotrków Trybunalski, Grand MasterHeinrich Reffle von Richtenbergand Conrad Von Wilczyński paid homage to King Casimir IV.
• 9 October 1479, atNowy Korczyn,Grand MasterMartin Truchseß von Wetzhausenpaid homage to King Casimir IV.
• 18 November 1489, atRadom,Grand MasterJohann von Tiefenpaid homage to King Casimir IV.
• 29 May 1493, Grand Master Johann von Tiefen paid homage to KingJohn I Albert.

Subsequent homages of Dukes of Prussia

TheDuchy of Prussiawas created in 1525, and the homage of Duke Albert of Prussia took place on 10 April 1525 at Kraków. The last homage took place on 6 October 1641 in front of theRoyal Castle, Warsaw.Following theTreaty of Bromberg(1657), Prussian rulers were no longer regarded asvassalsof Polish kings.

• 19 July 1569, at a Sejm inLublin,Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia,paid homage to KingSigismund II Augustus.This event was observed, among others, byJan Kochanowski,who described it in the poemProporzec albo hołd pruski.
• 20 February 1578, in front ofSt. Anne's Church, Warsaw,George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach,paid homage to KingStephen Báthory.
• 16 November 1611, in front of St. Anne's Church, Warsaw,John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg,paid homage to KingSigismund III Vasa.
• September 1621,George William, Elector of Brandenburg,paid homage to King Sigismund III.
• 21 March 1633, envoys of Elector George William paid homage to KingWładysław IV Vasa.
• 6 October 1641, in front of Warsaw's Royal Castle,Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg,paid homage to King Władysław IV.

References

• Vetulani A.Lenno pruskie od traktatu krakowskiego do śmierci księcia Albrechta 1525-1568.Studium historyczno-prawne, Kraków 1930.
• Marian Biskup. "Geneza i znaczenie hołdu pruskiego 1525 r."Komunikaty Mazursko-Warmińskie,1975, nr 4.
• Bogucka M.Hołd Pruski.Warszawa 1982.
• Boockman Hartmut.Zakon krzyżacki: Dwanaście rozdziałów jego histori.Warszawa, 1998.
• Bogdan Wachowiak, Andrzej Kamieński.Dzieje Brandenburgii-Prus na progu czasów nowożytnych (1500-1701).ISBN83-7177-195-9