Teutonic Order (Chaos)

Originally one of several monastic orders who fought in the crusades, the Teutonic Order would later conquer its own country, which became synonymous with the name of the Order.

In 1227, the Teutonic Order came into the Kulmer Land (East Prussia, at the Vistula), after they had been thrown out of Romania. In 1237, they united with the Livonian Brotherhood of the Sword. The OTL battle of Liegnitz (where many knights fell) never happened, so the Order hadn't to pay a high blood toll; OTOH, the stronger Russia also deterred them from attacking, so there never was an Alexander called Nevsky.

Since 1247, they interfered in the, supporting and her son Heinrich "the Child". 1254, they defeated and killed Count, so his brother got all of.

But most of their work was done in pagan and. They were supported in this by, after whom the city of (at the site of OTL Königsberg) was named in 1255. For example, he helped them personally suppressing a big uprising of the Prussians in 1257. In 1260, the latter were subjugated.

1263, the (converted) Lithuanian leader was murdered by his own people, who became pagan again. The stronger settlement of Germans in Prussia made them feel threatened. Although they probably could've been quite successful if they had hidden in their dense forests, they dared to leave them and attack the Teutonic knights on their own turf. This only lead to their defeat. 1270, the Teutonic Knights decided to subjugate the Lithuanians too, as they had done with the Prussians. For a start, in 1277, Zemgale and Samogitia were conquered by them.

All the time, the headquarter of the Order had still been in Akko, Palestine. Only after the fall of the in 1281, they moved it from Akko to, and in 1300 they went to  at the Vistula.

1289, all of Lithuania was subjugated and since then administered by the Teutonic Knights. Later, it would become the province of Littauen. At the moment, however, the Teutonic Knights were mostly restricted to the valley of Memel / Nyemen river.

1301, started to feel threatened by the Order (which they had once called) and the Przemyslids. tried to fight them to break free, so a coalition of the Teutonic Order,, and the HRE under king  formed against him. In 1308, the war between Germans and Poles didn't end in the latter's favor. In the peace, the Teutonic Order acquired Pommerellen (OTL West Prussia, the Poles also call it Eastern Pomerania), cutting Poland off from the sea.

Into Russia
1315, the Teutonic Order decided to go one step further and invade. The situation was good, since the Russian princedoms were more divided than ever. 1322, the princedom of was conquered by them. Parts of the population fled. The former princedom was germanized through the centuries, since the Germans still quelled to the East. Polozk itself became later known under the name of.

One generation later, in 1348 was conquered as well, and although the area never was fully germanized, the former capital became the German city of. The Order became even mightier when they 1360 bought from. And 1375, in an alliance with, the Teutonic Order conquered the princedom of , which was divided between them. The Teutonic part became object of German immigration and germanization too, and later formed the province of.

Slight regress
1396, the lands of the Teutonic Order were struck by. Poland had been luckier in this way; thus, king attacked them 1404, won the ; Pommerellen became Polish again. 1426, allied with  Eriksson of  against the Teutonic Order, and 1432 they were victorious again; Poland kept its conquests from the last war and also got Wolhynien, Sweden got Estonia (that's only the northern half of OTL Estonia, though). Only the mediocrity of later Polish kings saved the Order from worse.

In the
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