Duchy of Prussia: Map & History
Duchy of Prussia is mapped in the atlas for 1526 CE – 1618 CE, with a peak mapped extent of about 38,518 km².
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The Duchy of Prussia or Ducal Prussia was a duchy in the region of Prussia established as a result of secularization of the Monastic Prussia, the territory that remained under the control of the State of the Teutonic Order until the Protestant Reformation in 1525.
Modern Countries Once Part of Duchy of Prussia
At its mapped extent, Duchy of Prussia covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Duchy of Prussia's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Duchy of Prussia in Depth
History
As Protestantism spread among the laity of the Teutonic Monastic State of Prussia, dissent began to develop against the Roman Catholic rule of the Teutonic Knights, whose Grand Master, Albert, Duke of Prussia, a member of a cadet branch of the House of Hohenzollern, lacked the military resources to assert the order's authority.
After losing a war against the Kingdom of Poland, and with his personal bishop, Georg von Polenz of Pomesania and of Samland, who had converted to Lutheranism in 1523, and a number of his commanders already supporting Protestant ideas, Albert began to consider a radical solution.
Overview
The duchy became the first Protestant state when Albert, Duke of Prussia formally adopted Lutheranism in 1525. It was inhabited by German, Polish (mainly in Masuria), and Lithuanian-speaking (mainly in Lithuania Minor) populations.
In 1525, during the Protestant Reformation, in accordance to the Treaty of Kraków, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, Albert, secularized the order's prevailing Prussian territory (the Monastic Prussia), becoming Albert, Duke of Prussia.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Duchy of Prussia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Duchy of Prussia Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Duchy of Prussia appears, with the other states of the time.
Duchy of Prussia Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 38,518 km² in 1615 CE.
Duchy of Prussia: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Duchy of Prussia exist?
Duchy of Prussia is dated to 1526 CE – 1618 CE, in the Early Modern & Age of Discovery era.
What was the capital of Duchy of Prussia?
The capital of Duchy of Prussia was Königsberg.
How large was Duchy of Prussia at its peak?
At its peak in 1615 Duchy of Prussia covered about 38,518 km².
Other Sovereign Realms
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Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
Industrial Era • Capital: London
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi