Royal Prussia

Prusy Królewskie (pl) Königliches Preußen (de) Royal Prussia Province of the Kingdom of Poland (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569) ← 1466 – 1772 → Flag Coat of arms Map of Royal Prussia (light pink) History  - Established October 19, 1466  - Loss of autonomy 1 July 1569  - Annexed August 5, 1772

Royal Prussia (German: Königliches Preußen (help·info); Polish: Prusy Królewskie) was a province of the Kingdom of Poland from 1466 and then the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569 to 1772. Royal Prussia included Eastern Pomerania, Chełmno Land (Kulmerland), Malbork Voivodeship (Marienburg), Gdańsk (Danzig), Toruń (Thorn), and Elbląg (Elbing). Royal Prussia is distinguished from Ducal Prussia: the Royal Prussia was a part of Poland and the Ducal Prussia was under Polish suzerainty as a Polish fief, independent since 1657 (personal union with Brandenburg).

History

Prior to the Teutonic Knights' invasion in the early 1300's, the region included Pomerelia and South-West portions of Old Prussia.

Thirteen Years' War

During the Thirteen Years' War ("War of the Cities"), in February 1454, the Prussian Confederation, led by the cities of Danzig (Gdańsk), Elbing (Elbląg), and Thorn (Toruń), as well as gentry from Kulmerland (Chełmno Land) asked the Polish king for support against the Teutonic Order's rule and for incorporation of Prussia into Polish kingdom. The rebellion also included major cities from the eastern part of the Order's lands, such as Kneiphof, a part of Königsberg. The war ended in October 1466 with the Second Treaty of Toruń, which provided for the Order's cession to the Polish crown of its rights over the western half of Prussia, including Eastern Pomerania (Pomerelia) and the districts of Elbing, Marienburg (Malbork), and Kulm (Chełmno).

Kingdom of Poland

Royal Prussia enjoyed substantial autonomy in its affiliation to the crown of Poland - it had its own Diet, treasury and monetary unit and armies. It was governed by a council, subordinate to the Polish king, whose members were chosen from local lords and wealthy citizens.

The Bishopric of Warmia had claimed the title of imperial Prince-Bishopric status, supposedly given by Emperor Charles IV. Although this claim seems unsupported by any document, it was in wide use in the 17th century. The bishopric continued defending this status until the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806.

The eastern part of Prussia remained under the rule of the Order and its successors, becoming the Duchy of Prussia in 1525 when the Order's Grand Master Albert of Brandenburg adopted Lutheranism and secularised the land as its hereditary ruler. In 1618 the duchy was inherited by John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg. It remained under Polish (and briefly Swedish) suzerainty and the rulers of Brandenburg had to swear formal allegiance to the Polish Crown. Brandenburg achieved sovereignty over the duchy in the Treaty of Wehlau (1657)

The Commonwealth

History of Brandenburg and Prussia
Northern March pre-12th century		Old Prussians pre-13th century
Margraviate of Brandenburg 1157–1618 (1806)		Ordenstaat 1224–1525
		Duchy of Prussia 1525–1618	Royal (Polish) Prussia 1466–1772
Brandenburg-Prussia 1618–1701
Kingdom in Prussia 1701–1772
Kingdom of Prussia 1772–1918
Free State of Prussia 1918–1947
Brandenburg 1947–1952 / 1990–

As a result of the Union of Lublin in 1569, Royal Prussia's autonomy was abolished and the region was united with the Polish crown. Prussian electors became senators and representatives to the Polish parliament, the Sejm.[1]

After the incorporation to the Crown of the Polish Kingdom, local diets (Sejmik) were organised for:

• Chełmno Voivodeship with seat in Radzyń,
• Malbork Voivodeship with seat in Sztum and
• for following powiats of Pomeranian Voivodship:
  • Powiat Człuchów with seat in Człuchów or Chojnice,
  • Powiat Mirachowo with seat in Mirachowo,
  • Powiat Puck with seat in Puck,
  • Powiat Świecie with seat in Świecie,
  • Powiat Tczew and Powiat Gdańsk with seat in Starogard Gdański,
  • Powiat Tuchola with seat in Tuchola.

The main task of the Sejmiks was the election of MPs for the Sejm of Poland. Royal Prussia was allocated 10 MPs (167 total).

The Partitions

During the First (1772) and Second (1793) Partitions of Poland, Royal Prussia was gradually annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia. Its territory largely made up the Province of West Prussia created in 1773.

See also

• Prussia
• Duchy of Prussia
• Kingdom of Prussia
• Pomerelia
• Warmia

Further reading

• Karin Friedrich, The Other Prussia: Royal Prussia, Poland and Liberty, 1569-1772, Cambridge University Press, 2000, ISBN 0-521-58335-7.
• Gerard Labuda (ed.), Historia Pomorza, vol. I–IV, Poznań 1969–2003 (also covers East Prussia) (Polish)
• W. Odyniec, Dzieje Prus Królewskich (1454–1772). Zarys monograficzny, Warszawa 1972 (Polish)
• Dzieje Pomorza Nadwiślańskiego od VII wieku do 1945 roku, Gdańsk 1978 (Polish)

External links

• Detailed Map of Prussia from about 1635 containing Ducal and Royal Prussia (German)

Territories and Provinces of Prussia (1525 – 1947)
Before 1701	Duchy of Prussia · Margraviate of Brandenburg Farther Pomerania · Magdeburg · Halberstadt · Cleves · Mark · Ravensberg · Minden Colonies of Brandenburg-Prussia: Groß Friedrichsburg · Arguin · Crab Island · Tertholen
After 1701	Neuchâtel · Hither Pomerania · East Frisia · Silesia (1740) · Glatz (1763) · Polish Prussia, Netze District (1772) · South Prussia (1793) · New East Prussia, New Silesia (1795)
Reorder after 1814–5	East Prussia & West Prussia (1824–78 joined to Province of Prussia) · Brandenburg · Pomerania · Posen · Saxony · Silesia · Westphalia · Rhine Province (1822, Lower Rhine & Jülich-Cleves-Berg) · Hohenzollern (1850) · Schleswig-Holstein, Hanover, Hesse-Nassau (1866–8)
Territorial reforms after 1918	Lower Silesia, Upper Silesia (1919) · Greater Berlin, West Prussia (district) (1920) · Posen-West Prussia (1922) Halle-Merseburg, Magdeburg, Electoral Hesse, Nassau (1944)

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