2. Introduction of Christianity. —We here substan- tially give the account found in Wetzer u. Welte, Kir- chen-Lt xikon, s. v.
"Several attempts to introduce the Christian religion into Prussia had been fruitless. St. Adalbert, bishop of Prague, died April •J::, (.>97, a martyr to bis faith, while en- deavoring to convert the people to Christianity. Bruno, of the family of the Barons von Qtierfurt, who, after re- nouncing his canonry and entering the Benedictine con- gregation of Camaldoli, had repaired to Prussia in 100S, to preach there the Gospel and convert those pagan tribes, also suffered martyrdom (Feb. 11, 100S). The endeavors of the Polish princes to Christianize the Prussians by force were still more unsuccessful. As the acceptance of the Christian religion had been made a condition of peace l.v Boleshis, duke of Poland, about 1018, they considered the Christian communion as an obnoxious consequence of unhappy warfare, as a yoke imposed by the foe, and they shook" it, off every time when they felt strong enough to do so. Thus the disinclination to the new worship increased continually, until it leached the very pitch of
PRUSSIA
T20
PRUSSIA
l •]'-_■■:--. Meanwhile Otto, bishop of Bamberg (1124), preached with Buccess iu Pomerania, and Christian- ity by degrees reached the banks of the Vistula. The
first christian ruler in Pomerania, Suhislas I, founded in Dantzic, the; monastery ofoiiva, which became si ed of the Christian faith was in - - ia's soiL
lishmenl of Oliva's monastery the Prussians, however, had succeeded (iu 11C1) in mak- ing a sta t ] I ileslas IV of Polaud, and for a time maintained n rude and savage kind of independence, which the disturbed condition of Poland prevented its ora breaking down. The fear of losing their freedom if they adopted Christianity made the Prussians obstinately resist every effort for their conversion ; and it
I till the middle of the 13th century, when the knights of the Teutonic Order entered upon their famous crusade against them, that the Christian faith was for- tafa ish( 1 among them. The aggressive inroads of the p iir.-in I'm — inns on the territories of th< tian neighbors, and their advance Into Pomerania, were 1 1 1 lt causes of this important movement. Chris- tianity was by the reverses of the Polish princes thrown SO vastly upon the defensive that the Pomeranian duke Grimislas, of Stargard and Scbnrtz, called in 119S some knights of St. John into his dominions, and delivered into their hands his castle of Stargard and some adjoin- ing territories for operations against the Prussians. The intimate commercial relations between Brunen and Livo- nia facilitated the work of the missionaries, and gave
cess to the latter country. After the Christian religion had been introduced into Pomerania and Li- vonia, and an order of Christian knighthood had been founded for its aid and maintenance," the prospects in Prussia also seemed to brighten. Although the exer- tions of Got i fried, abbot of the monastery of Cistercians of Lukina (1207), in Poland, and of his fellow-monk Philip, who suffered martyrdom, were not attended with any enduring success, yet were two of the native princes converted. A few veal's afterwards appeared the man to whom was reserved the glorious achievement of intro- ducing Christianity into Prussia. It was the Cistercian monk Christian, of the monastery of OH va, a man distin- guished by every virtue, and speaking fluently the Ger- man, Latin, Polish, and Prussian languages. In 1210 he obtained permission from pope Innocent III to go to Prussia with some chosen companions, and his efforts were crowned with such brilliant success that in the fall of 1214, or at the beginning of 1215, he was appointed bishop of Prussia, the new converts having hitherto been committed to the pastoral care of the archbishop of Gne- sen. The number of the converted Prussians was consid- erable, and two of their princes, Warpodo, the ruler of the land of l.ansania, and Suavobuno, who reigned in the land of Lobau, bad made provisions for the maintenance of the bishop.
"This partial triumph of Christianity excited the anger of the heathenish Prussians, who were, besides, maddened by the expeditions of Conrad, duke of Masovia. Help from abroad was sorely needed. Crusades, however, could not afford any lasting protection. The Order of the Knights of Christ, called also Brother-knights ofDo- brin. founded in Livonia in 1226 by bishop Christian, on the pattern of the Knights of the Sword, was no match for the savage fury of the Prussians: at the very begin- ning of the war all the knights, save live, were killed in battle near the spot where Strasburg was afterwards built. By bishop christian's advice, the Teutonic Order was applied to Tor assistance (1226). The grand-master, Hermann von 8alza, asked consent of Fiederick II, who not only granted the request, bui also promised his help. and confirmed the donations of land formally made to
ti rder by duke Conrad of Masovia. After four years
of negotiations, duke Conrad made a solemn grant to the order of the whole land of Culm, between the Vistula, Drewenz, and Ossa, with all the conquests they should add to it; while at the same time bishop Christian, and Guutber, bishop of Plock, renounced in their favor all their possessions, revenue-, and patronal rights in those
Countries, reset ving only their episcopal jurisdiction and