Glappo
Encyclopedia
Glappo (baptized as Charles or Carolus) was the leader of Warmians
, one of the Prussian clans
, during the Great Prussian Uprising (1260–1274) against the Teutonic Knights
. In 1249 Pope Urban IV had installed the papal legate Jacob Pantaleon to aid the Teutonic Order and after the battle at the Durbe, the pope called for a crusade against the Prussians and sent knights who were on their way against the Tatars
back to the crusades against the Prussians. During those crusades and as a result the unbaptized parts of the Prussians began uprisings and Glappo and his men successfully captured Braunsberg
. When Glappo ambushed and killed forty people who left the castle to gather firewood and fodder, the Bishop of Warmia decided against trying to defend the town and abandoned it. In 1266 large reinforcements for the Teutonic Knights, led by Otto III and John I, co-rulers of Brandenburg
, arrived to Prussia. They built a castle on the border of Warmian and Natangian lands between Balga
and Königsberg
and named it Brandenburg (now Ushakovo). When a native woman informed Glappo that most of the soldiers were away on a raid and the place is practically unguarded, Warmians attacked and captured the outer walls and the towers. When Teutonic soldiers returned, they did not try to recapture the castle. The very next year Duke Otto was back to rebuild the castle. Glappo was killed trying to recapture Brandenburg. In 1273, at the very end of the uprising, Warmians besieged Brandenburg, but did not put sufficient guards on the road from Königsberg. This allowed the Knights to attack the Prussians from the rear. Warmians suffered a crushing defeat and Glappo was captured. He was latter hanged on a hill outside Königsberg that is sometimes referred to as "Glappo's hill" (Glappenberg). He was the last important Prussian leader, and after his death only Pogesanians were left fighting.
Warmians
Warmians were one of the Prussian clans. They lived in Warmia , a territory since 1945 largely in Poland. It was situated between the Vistula Lagoon, Łyna and Pasłęka Rivers....
, one of the Prussian clans
Old Prussians
The Old Prussians or Baltic Prussians were an ethnic group, autochthonous Baltic tribes that inhabited Prussia, the lands of the southeastern Baltic Sea in the area around the Vistula and Curonian Lagoons...
, during the Great Prussian Uprising (1260–1274) against the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
. In 1249 Pope Urban IV had installed the papal legate Jacob Pantaleon to aid the Teutonic Order and after the battle at the Durbe, the pope called for a crusade against the Prussians and sent knights who were on their way against the Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
back to the crusades against the Prussians. During those crusades and as a result the unbaptized parts of the Prussians began uprisings and Glappo and his men successfully captured Braunsberg
Braniewo
Braniewo is a town in northeastern Poland, in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, with a population of 18,068 . It is the capital of Braniewo County...
. When Glappo ambushed and killed forty people who left the castle to gather firewood and fodder, the Bishop of Warmia decided against trying to defend the town and abandoned it. In 1266 large reinforcements for the Teutonic Knights, led by Otto III and John I, co-rulers of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
, arrived to Prussia. They built a castle on the border of Warmian and Natangian lands between Balga
Balga
Balga was a medieval castle of the Teutonic Knights. Its ruins are in the Pogranichny municipality, Bagrationovsky District in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia; located on the shore of the Vistula Lagoon north of Mamonovo, about southwest of Kaliningrad....
and Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
and named it Brandenburg (now Ushakovo). When a native woman informed Glappo that most of the soldiers were away on a raid and the place is practically unguarded, Warmians attacked and captured the outer walls and the towers. When Teutonic soldiers returned, they did not try to recapture the castle. The very next year Duke Otto was back to rebuild the castle. Glappo was killed trying to recapture Brandenburg. In 1273, at the very end of the uprising, Warmians besieged Brandenburg, but did not put sufficient guards on the road from Königsberg. This allowed the Knights to attack the Prussians from the rear. Warmians suffered a crushing defeat and Glappo was captured. He was latter hanged on a hill outside Königsberg that is sometimes referred to as "Glappo's hill" (Glappenberg). He was the last important Prussian leader, and after his death only Pogesanians were left fighting.