Royal Prussia

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) rose successfully (February 1454) with Polish support against the Order's rule.

The resulting 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, the Elblag, Malbork (Marienburg) and Chelmno (Culm or Kulm) districts and the bishopric of Warmia (Ermeland).

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.

Until the 1569 Union of Lublin, Royal Prussia enjoyed substantial autonomy in the Kingdom of Poland - it had its own Diet, treasury and monetary unit. During the First (1772) and Second (1793) Partitions of Poland the area was incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia and became the province of West Prussia.

In the second half of the 16th century, Royal Prussia lay mostly west of the Vistula river, Ducal Prussia lay east of this river

Royal Prussia

Further reading