The Teutonic Order was an order of knights which arose in 1190 during the crusades in the Holy Land. After the defeat of the Old Prussians, the Order established a well-to-do country with many towns, castles and an administration that was quite modern for that time. In 1525 Grand Master Albert changed the country into a secular Protestant duchy.
The Order’s priests and knights were subject to the monks’ vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, the protection of pilgrims as well as the fight against the heathens. The "Order of the Brothers of the German Hospital of St. Mary in Jerusalem" – its full name – was called by the Polish Duke Konrad I of Masovia to help with the fight against the Old Prussians. By concluding treaties with both the emperor and the Pope, Grand Master Hermann von Salza secured the rule in the conquered region for the Order. After the fusion with the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, the Teutonic Order became the sovereign of Livonia.
The defeats at the hands of the united Polish and Lithuanian forces in 1466 resulted in the division of the country and the Order became dependent on Poland. While the Order exists today as a Catholic religious institution, its land was for a long time used for nationalist purposes.
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In the entire empire and beyond the Teutonic Order disposed of substantial estates which were divided into "Balleien" (bailiwicks) and "Kommenden" (smallest administrative units). They were important sources of revenue also in securing its rule and conquests in the East. The "German Master", i.e. the responsible country master for the bailiwicks of the Holy Roman Empire, and later also for Italy and thus the Grand Master’s representative there, was one of the highest offices in the Teutonic Order. The official residence of the Grand Master was in Venice until 1309 but was later moved to the Marienburg (today Malbork Castle).