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Poles in the Crusades to the Holy Land


Filios1 8 | 1,336
20 Oct 2010 #1
I'm having trouble finding some kind of secondary source to learn about Polish knights (from Polish knights Hospitallers, or Order of Malta) who took part in the Crusades to the Holy Land. Whether that be the first, second, third, fourth etc.. does not matter. Anyone come into contact with such a book?

Thank you.
Trevek 26 | 1,700
20 Oct 2010 #2
Do you mean Polish knights who were members of these orders (Knights hospitallers etc/). I thought the only Polish order (founded in Poland) was the Order of Dobrzyn, which was concerned with the Northern Crusades (Prussia/Lithuania)
OP Filios1 8 | 1,336
20 Oct 2010 #3
Trevek, either or. Polish knight serving in foreign orders, or Polish orders themselves (but only if they relate to the Crusades to the Holy land, (not Northern Crusade against *pagans* in the East)
SeanBM 35 | 5,806
20 Oct 2010 #4
I'm having trouble finding some kind of secondary source to learn about Polish knights (from Polish knights Hospitallers, or Order of Malta) who took part in the Crusades to the Holy Land.

Interesting.

I took a quick look, there were many crusades

The specific crusades to restore Christian control of the Holy Land were fought over a period of nearly 200 years, between 1095 and 1291.

Crusades(Wiki)

The Wendish Crusade (German: Wendenkreuzzug) was an 1147 campaign, one of the Northern Crusades and also a part of the Second Crusade, led primarily by the Kingdom of Germany inside the Holy Roman Empire and directed against the Polabian Slavs (or "Wends").

So maybe Poland was not part of the crusades to Jerusalem?

I would have to read more about it but this is a very interesting topic, nice one.

Edit*

Polish order (founded in Poland) was the Order of Dobrzyn

The Order of Dobrzyń... was a military order created in the borderland of Masovia and Prussia (today's Dobrzyń Land, Poland) during the 13th century Prussian Crusade to 'defend against Baltic Prussian raids'.

Wiki
Trevek 26 | 1,700
20 Oct 2010 #5
The Teutons were in the Holy Land before heading to the growth industry of the North. Perhaps German speaking Polish knights rode with them.

According to the mighty wiki, the Order of Dobrzyn was the only military order founded in Poland.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Dobrzy%C5%84
OP Filios1 8 | 1,336
20 Oct 2010 #6
would have to read more about it but this is a very interesting topic

I somewhat have the feeling that Polish knights, if they did serve, would have served under the order of a foreign order. Whether that be because the King feared the loss of these nobles and their men might weaken the kingdom, or if he simply did not want these close contacts with an enemy (Germany-Teutonic knights etc), I don't know.

Or maybe they simply were not invited by the Pope? :) Or not worthy enough Christians?
Trevek 26 | 1,700
20 Oct 2010 #7
Try this: chivalricorders.org/orders/smom/maltpold.htm
Ksysia 25 | 430
20 Oct 2010 #8
Poles were not participating. Had enough trouble with border conflicts. Imagine moving the knights down south - who would mind the border?
SeanBM 35 | 5,806
20 Oct 2010 #9
if they did serve, would have served under the order of a foreign order.

I am not sure they did serve anyone.

According to Bernard of Clairvaux, the goal of the crusade was to battle the pagan Slavs "until such a time as, by God's help, they shall either be converted or deleted". However, the crusade failed to achieve the conversion of most of the Wends. The Saxons achieved largely token conversions at Dobin, as the Slavs returned to their pagan beliefs once the Christian armies dispersed; Albert of Pomerania explained, "If they had come to strengthen the Christian faith ... they should have done so by preaching, not by arms".

Sounds more like pillaging than converting, it didn't work not then anyway by the looks of it.

The campaigns started with the 1147 Wendish Crusade against the Polabian Slavs (or "Wends") of what is now northern and eastern Germany. The crusade occurred parallel to the Second Crusade to the Holy Land, and continued irregularly until the 16th century.

/wiki/Northern_Crusades#Wendish_Crusade

I believe this also includes Poland.
rock - | 429
20 Oct 2010 #10
Come one by one if you can please. lol

In March 1095 at the Council of Piacenza, ambassadors sent by Byzantine Emperor Alexius I called for help with defending his empire against the Seljuk Turks. Later that year, at the Council of Clermont, Pope Urban II called upon all Christians to join a war against the Turks, promising those who died in the endeavor would receive immediate remission of their sins.[17]
David_18 66 | 969
20 Oct 2010 #11
I do know that the early ancestors of the Polish Dabrowa clan fought in The holy land.

When this early ancestor of the Clan Dabrowa distinguished himself by his courage at Jerusalem, Godfrey de Bouillon, was King of Jerusalem. This gallant foreign knight had bestowed on him, via Godfrey Bouillon, a new coat of arms. The coat of arms was a rendition of Calvary Hill (Golgotha). Golgotha was the hill upon which Our Lord Jesus Christ's was crucified with two thieves. The new arms would bear three crosses patée, in the center; and one cross patée fitched on each side of the middle cross. These crosses were called "Dabrowa," in Polish.

After this knight returned from Palestine, he took the same path through Poland. He was fond of the scenery so he settled in Poland and his descendants still exist there today

angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/DabrowskiClans.html

But i don't know about any book...
SeanBM 35 | 5,806
20 Oct 2010 #12
That's a good one:

Polish Knight who served in the fight against the Infidel for at least six months was exempt from the requirement of pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Edit*

Here's a book:

Orders in Poland (in Polish).
opoka.org.pl/biblioteka/D/DZ/marecki/bracia_dobrzynscy.html
Trevek 26 | 1,700
20 Oct 2010 #13
There were orders of the Hospitallers in Silesia, Poznan and elsewhere.
SeanBM 35 | 5,806
20 Oct 2010 #14
Were there? From what I am reading now it seems that

Drohiczyn... At the peak of the Order of the development consisted of 35 knights. It was the only order of knights, which was created and formed in the Polish lands.

opoka.org.pl/biblioteka/D/DZ/marecki/bracia_dobrzynscy.html - (Book) Orders in Poland[/url]

Maybe they were not created and formed in Polish lands?
Trevek 26 | 1,700
20 Oct 2010 #15
Story about Leszek the White and telling the Pope Polish knights couldn't crusade cos there was no mead in Holy Land beer100.com/history/meadhistory.htm
southern 74 | 7,074
20 Oct 2010 #16
No way Slavs participated in crusades.
Trevek 26 | 1,700
20 Oct 2010 #17
Were there? From what I am reading now it seems that

It was the only order formed in Poland but the other orders had branches.

This book has a few interesting chapters

books.google.com/books?id=1m4fbJyQ4pkC&pg=PA433&lpg=PA433&dq=Polish+knights+crusades&source=bl&ots=YSWUiz7sHm&sig=jw0aMg2eR_yRhGbcIolh4KKI9BE&hl=en&ei=sle_TMXzBIWXOu32xTI&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CC4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Polish% 20knights%20crusades&f=false

Interesting comment in first paragraph about lack of interest in crusades by Polish society

web.ceu.hu/medstud/events/ev004/starnaw.htm
rock - | 429
20 Oct 2010 #18
Turks were in defence when crusaders came. That is from 1095 to 1272.

They saw that christains are not good friends.

Then, Turks wanted to show their power and attacked between 1308-1679.

See what happened. Turks captured even some cities in England, Ireland and Iceland.

History shows that Turkey and west of Turkey have a lot in common.

It is like thesis anti-thesis.

Admit or not Turks are a European nation.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ottoman_sieges_and_landings
SeanBM 35 | 5,806
20 Oct 2010 #20
Turks captured even some cities in England, Ireland

Turks captured cities in Ireland???
I have never in all my years heard of anything like that... Are you sure?
Trevek 26 | 1,700
20 Oct 2010 #21
Turks captured cities in Ireland???

It would explain the kebab houses.
Barney 15 | 1,590
20 Oct 2010 #22
I have never in all my years heard of anything like that... Are you sure?

They never captured any towns but kidnapped lots of people......the white slave trade.....
By turks I think he means Ottomans. It was Algerians who kidnapped an entire Irish village.

Barbary pirates in Ireland: The Sack of Baltimore, Co. Cork
Trevek 26 | 1,700
20 Oct 2010 #23
I suppose there is always William Joyce (goldsmith and supposed founder of claddagh ring) who was captured by pirates and sold to Turkish (or Moorish, I forget) master.
Barney 15 | 1,590
20 Oct 2010 #24
William Joyce (goldsmith and supposed founder of claddagh ring) who was captured by pirates and sold to Turkish

I had never heard that but its a good story.
SeanBM 35 | 5,806
20 Oct 2010 #25
This topic just gets more interesting.

Damn you PF, damn you to hell, I don't have time for... I will just check one last thing and then I am definitely ... :p
rock - | 429
20 Oct 2010 #26
By turks I think he means Ottomans

Interesting statement. Who were the Ottomans ? Chinese ? lol.

Algeria was one of the most important bases of Ottoman navy at that time. This does not mean that Algerians were captured some cities in Ireland etc. Algeria was in Ottoman rule and Turkish marins were working there and possibly use some Algerians too.

If a navy from Falkland attacks Argentina, will you say they are not British but Falklanders.lol

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Turkish_navies

This thread is wandering from the original title
Barney 15 | 1,590
20 Oct 2010 #27
This topic just gets more interesting.

Yeah I had found a link to a review of The End of the World and the Forging of Christendom which looks like a good read some day....

I found a link to Leszek the White and his beer thing but Trev had posted
rock - | 429
20 Oct 2010 #28
This thread is wandering from the original title

I know I know sorry.

But you have to admit that some posters find it very interesting :)
Amathyst 19 | 2,702
20 Oct 2010 #29
See what happened. Turks captured even some cities in England

Can you provide a credible link for that?
rock - | 429
21 Oct 2010 #30
I will try my best if mods let me :)

''credible link'' What are the criterias for you ?


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