Royal Prussia: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Royal Prussia (Polish: Prusy Królewskie, German: Königliches Preussen) was a Polish province formed from the western part of the Lands of the Teutonic Order following the Thirteen Years War or "War of the Cities".

During the war, the Prussian Confederation, led by the cities of Gdansk (Danzig), Elblag (Elbing) and Torun (Thorn) and gentry from Chelmno Land rose (February 1454) with Polish support against the Order's rule. The rebelion inlcuded also a major cities from the Eastern part of Teutonic Order state i.e. Kneiphof.

The resulting war ended with Second Treaty of Thorn (October 1466) provided for the Order's cession to the Polish crown of its rights over the western half of Prussia - Gdansk Pomerania, Elblag, Malbork and Chelmno districts and the bishopric of Warmia.

The eastern part of Prussia remained under the rule of the Order and its successors, until 1660 under Polish suzerainty as a Polish fief, becoming the Duchy of Prussia in 1525 when the Order's Grand Master Albert of Brandenburg adopted Lutheranism and secularised his land as hereditary ruler. In 1618 the Duchy of Prussia was inherited by Johann Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg.

Until the 1569 Union of Lublin, Royal Prussia enjoyed substantial autonomy in its affiliation to the crown of Poland - it had its own Diet, treasury and monetary unit and armies. In 1569 the province was directly included into the Polish Crown. During the First (1772) and Second (1793) Partitions of Poland Royal Prussia was incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia.

Royal Prussia included Eastern Pomerania (Pomeranian Voivodship), Chelmno Land, Malbork Voivodship, Gdansk, Torun and Elblag.

Map of Royal Prussia:

See external links to Maps of Prussia for locations and description throughout the centuries.

See also:

• Brandenburg
• Brandenburg-Prussia
• Prussia
• Ducal Prussia
• Warmia
• Masuria
• Kaliningrad
• Hohenzollern
• History of Poland
• History of Germany
• Province of West Prussia
• East Prussia
• Poland
• Germany
• Pomeranian Voivodship
• Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship
• Gdansk
• Elblag
• Torun
• Bydgoszcz
• Braniewo
• Frombork
• Olsztyn
• Lidzbark Warminski
• Maps of Prussia

Further reading

• Gerard Labuda (ed.), Historia Pomorza, vol. I–IV, Poznań 1969–2003 (also covers East Prussia)
• W. Odyniec, Dzieje Prus Królewskich (1454–1772). Zarys monograficzny, Warszawa 1972
• Dzieje Pomorza Nadwiślańskiego od VII wieku do 1945 roku, Gdańsk 1978