Note 92 — LETTER XLVI.

He succeeded Francis Lewis of Neubourg, Elector of Mentz, who was chose Grand Master the 12th of July 1694, In the Room of his Brother, Lewis Anthony of Neubourg; and he is the fourteenth Grand Master since the Defection of Prussia, formerly the Seat of this Order, which has existed ever since the Year 1190; when it was instituted in the Holy Land, by Henry King of Jerusalem. A Duke of Masovia, having invited to his House Herman de Salsza, the fourth Grand Master of the new Order, chose in 1210, he gave him, and his Knights, Lands upon the Frontiers of Prussia; the Inhabitants whereof being Pagans, did great Mischief to his Subjects, and he promised to leave them all the Lands that they conquered from those People, which the Emperor and the Pope confirmed. Before the Year 1250, they took Prussia, Courland, and a Part of Livonia; and put all the Pagans to Death that refused to turn Christian. The Teutonic Knights, being driven out of the Holy Land, by the taking of Acre, went and established the principal House of their Order at Marpurg, in the Beginning of the fourteenth Century; from whence they transferred it to Marienbourg in Prussia. The Order made such a rapid Progress, that in the Beginning of the following Century, it was in a Condition to oppose Jagellon, King of Poland, with an Army of eighty-three thousand Men; which that Prince, Anno 1410, cut in Pieces. After that time the Order was scarce ever at Peace, but was always at Variance, either with the Poles, or the Lithuanians, or with the Russians, or with its own Subjects; till it was obliged to make a dishonourable Peace in 1446, with Casimir King of Poland. The Grand Masters, from that Time to 1510, when Albert of Brandenbourg was chose Grand Master, could not repair their Losses. The latter having embraced the Protestant Religion, made a Bargain in 1515, with the King of Poland, and yielded all Russia to him, on Condition of holding of him in Fee, what was afterwards called Ducal Prussia, or Brandenbourg Prussia, which now forms the Kingdom of Prussia; and the rest was incorporated with Poland, and forms the Palatinates of Culm, Marienbourg, &c. Thus were the Teutonic Knights obliged to retire to Germany, where their Order is shared into twelve Provinces, each of which has its particular Commandeurs; and their oldest Commandeur is called the Provincial Commandeur. These twelve Commandeurs depend on the Grand Master, and have a Right to chuse him. The Grand Master’s Residence is at Marien-shal in Franconia, and his Revenue about twenty thousand Crowns. ’Tis said, the Order does not yet despair, that some Day or other, it will be able to recover its lost Dominions.