Johann von Tiefen
Encyclopedia
Johann von Tiefen was the 35th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights
, serving from 1489 to 1497.
Von Tiefen's date of birth is unknown, although it is believed he hailed from Switzerland
. His beginnings in the Teutonic Order start in Elbing
, where he was the right hand man of the Grand Hospitaller, Heinrich Reuss von Plauen. In 1474 he became the Komtur of Memel
and two years later, the Grand Komtur. He represented the Teutonic Order on several diplomatic missions to many European courts.
During the times of Grand Master Martin Truchseß von Wetzhausen, von Tiefen tried to release the pressure between the Teutonic Order and the Kingdom of Poland
. In 1480 he became the Komtur of Brandenburg (Frisches Haff) and the Grand Hospitaller of the Order. On June 25, 1487, von Tiefen issued a charter
in Drengfurt
to establish a church in Alt Jucha
.
In 1489 the Order's Capitulum
named von Tiefen Grand Master. Immediately after being elected, he went to Poland and paid the required homage
as vassal to King Casimir IV Jagiellon
of Poland in Radom
on 18 November 1489.
Settling down the political situation with Poland helped him to concentrate on internal affairs of the Order. However, Lucas Watzenrode
, the Bishop of Warmia, tried to gain independence from the Polish Crown as well as from the Grand Master. In May 1490 von Tiefen sent a written request to Watzenrode to allow him to consecrate a chapel of John the Baptist
in Groß Stürlack, as well as to allow a priest from Schwarzstein to say mass.
In 1492, King John I Albert of Poland
suggested moving the Teutonic Order from Prussia
to Podolia
, but von Tiefen opposed the idea. He understood this would mean the end of the sovereignty of the Teutonic Order. He appealed to Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
, and the plan was abandoned.
Called upon by John I Albert, von Tiefen had to lead a crusade against the Ottoman Empire
in order to capture ports along the coast of the Black Sea
. He had an army of 400 knights, but illness started to spread within. Traveling along the river Dniestr, the Grand Master fell ill from dysentery
. He decided to return to Lemberg
, where he never recovered. Von Tiefen died in 1497 and was buried in Königsberg Cathedral
.
His legacy was the concept of electing an Imperial Prince as Grand Master, which as subject to the Emperor, could resist having to pay homage to Kings of Poland.
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...
, serving from 1489 to 1497.
Von Tiefen's date of birth is unknown, although it is believed he hailed from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. His beginnings in the Teutonic Order start in Elbing
Elblag
Elbląg is a city in northern Poland with 127,892 inhabitants . It is the capital of Elbląg County and has been assigned to the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. Before then it was the capital of Elbląg Voivodeship and a county seat in Gdańsk Voivodeship...
, where he was the right hand man of the Grand Hospitaller, Heinrich Reuss von Plauen. In 1474 he became the Komtur of Memel
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
and two years later, the Grand Komtur. He represented the Teutonic Order on several diplomatic missions to many European courts.
During the times of Grand Master Martin Truchseß von Wetzhausen, von Tiefen tried to release the pressure between the Teutonic Order and the Kingdom of Poland
Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)
The Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons was the Polish state created by the accession of Jogaila , Grand Duke of Lithuania, to the Polish throne in 1386. The Union of Krewo or Krėva Act, united Poland and Lithuania under the rule of a single monarch...
. In 1480 he became the Komtur of Brandenburg (Frisches Haff) and the Grand Hospitaller of the Order. On June 25, 1487, von Tiefen issued a charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
in Drengfurt
Srokowo
Srokowo , is a village in Kętrzyn County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland, close to the border with the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Srokowo...
to establish a church in Alt Jucha
Stare Juchy
Stare Juchy is a village in Ełk County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Stare Juchy...
.
In 1489 the Order's Capitulum
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
named von Tiefen Grand Master. Immediately after being elected, he went to Poland and paid the required homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
as vassal to King Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV KG of the House of Jagiellon was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440, and King of Poland from 1447, until his death.Casimir was the second son of King Władysław II Jagiełło , and the younger brother of Władysław III of Varna....
of Poland in Radom
Radom
Radom is a city in central Poland with 223,397 inhabitants . It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship , having previously been the capital of Radom Voivodeship ; 100 km south of Poland's capital, Warsaw.It is home to the biennial Radom Air Show, the largest and...
on 18 November 1489.
Settling down the political situation with Poland helped him to concentrate on internal affairs of the Order. However, Lucas Watzenrode
Lucas Watzenrode the Younger
Lucas Watzenrode the Younger was Prince-Bishop of Warmia and patron to his nephew, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.-Early life:...
, the Bishop of Warmia, tried to gain independence from the Polish Crown as well as from the Grand Master. In May 1490 von Tiefen sent a written request to Watzenrode to allow him to consecrate a chapel of John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
in Groß Stürlack, as well as to allow a priest from Schwarzstein to say mass.
In 1492, King John I Albert of Poland
John I Albert of Poland
John I Albert was King of Poland and Duke of Głogów .-Life:John was the third son of Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland, and Elisabeth of Austria, daughter of Albert II of Germany. As crown prince, he distinguished himself by his brilliant victory over the Tatars at Kopersztyn...
suggested moving the Teutonic Order from Prussia
Prussia (region)
Prussia is a historical region in Central Europe extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lake District. It is now divided between Poland, Russia, and Lithuania...
to Podolia
Podolia
The region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova, is also a part of Podolia...
, but von Tiefen opposed the idea. He understood this would mean the end of the sovereignty of the Teutonic Order. He appealed to Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
, and the plan was abandoned.
Called upon by John I Albert, von Tiefen had to lead a crusade against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in order to capture ports along the coast of the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. He had an army of 400 knights, but illness started to spread within. Traveling along the river Dniestr, the Grand Master fell ill from dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
. He decided to return to Lemberg
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, where he never recovered. Von Tiefen died in 1497 and was buried in Königsberg Cathedral
Königsberg Cathedral
Königsberg Cathedral is a Brick Gothic style building in Kaliningrad on an island in the Pregel . The island was called Kneiphof in German times.-14th Century to World War II:...
.
His legacy was the concept of electing an Imperial Prince as Grand Master, which as subject to the Emperor, could resist having to pay homage to Kings of Poland.