Golub War
Part of thePolish–Teutonic War and theLithuanian Crusade
Golub Castle
Date 17 July – 27 September 1422 Location Chełmno Land inState of the Teutonic Order Result Treaty of Melno
Belligerents
Kingdom of Poland Grand Duchy of Lithuania Principality of Moldavia	Teutonic Order and mercenaries and various knights from the rest of Europe

TheGolub War was a two-monthwar of theTeutonic Knights against theKingdom of Poland and theGrand Duchy of Lithuania in 1422.^[1] It ended with theTreaty of Melno, which resolved territorial disputes between the Knights and Lithuania overSamogitia that had dragged on since 1398.

TheFirst Peace of Thorn of 1411 had ostensibly ended conflicts between the warring powers of thePolish-Lithuanian–Teutonic War, although the border between Samogita andPrussia was not determined. Poland also contestedPomerania,Pomerelia, andCulmerland (Chełmno Land).^[2] When numerous attempts at negotiations failed, a briefHunger War broke out in summer 1414. Since Poles and Lithuanians were unable to capture strongly fortifiedOrdensburgen of the Knights, parties agreed to mediate their dispute in theCouncil of Constance.^[3] The council established theSamogitian Diocese inVarniai and appointedMatthias of Trakai as its first bishop. However, it did not solve the underlying territorial disputes by the time it ended in 1418.

A new, but futile, round of negotiations started in May 1419 inGniewków with papal legate Bartholomew Capri,archbishop of Milan, as mediator.^[4] The dispute was then passed toSigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, for further mediation. On January 6, 1420 inWrocław the emperor delivered his decision that the Peace of Thorn was valid and fair.^[4] That meant that Samogitia belonged to Lithuania only for the lifetime ofVytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithuania, andJogaila, King of Poland. After their deaths Samogitia was to return to the Teutonic Knights. Other territorial claims were also rejected. The emperor granted the Knights even more rights than they demanded in negotiations.^[4] This decision was probably influenced by the fact that Sigismund hoped to receive support from the Teutonic Knights in hiswar with the Hussites, who were supported by Vytautas. Vytautas and Jogaila categorically refused to accept this decision. Jogaila unsuccessfully appealed toPope Martin V.^[3]

In July 1422, Emperor Sigismund and the Teutonic Knights devoted resources to a war against theHussites, who attacked and devastated large parts of Germany. The pope called for strong measure to "get rid of this plague".Vytautas andJogaila used the preoccupation with the defence against the Hussite raids by attacking Prussia and the Order.^[3] Teutonic Grand MasterMichael Küchmeister von Sternberg was forced to resign in March. His successorPaul von Rusdorf released most of the hired mercenaries; the Order was left with very few soldiers to defend itself.^[5]

Joint Polish and Lithuanian forces marched north toOsterode, Teutonic forces retreated toLöbau. When it became clear that siege engines would not arrive, Jogaila ordered an advance towards the Order's fortified capital ofMarienburg.^[5] His army capturedRiesenburg and pillaged surrounding villages. Heading south toChełmno Land, the Poles and Lithuanians then capturedGolub, but failed to takeSchönsee.^[5] Jogaila decided to end the war quickly before the overwhelmed Prussian troops of the Order could receive reinforcements from the Holy Roman Empire that Paul von Rusdorf had requested.^[6]

A truce was signed on September 17, 1422, and the war concluded ten days later with theTreaty of Melno. This ended the territorial disputes and fights between Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights. Poland, however, resumed fighting with the Order once againin 1431–1435 when the Order supportedŠvitrigaila, not the Polish-backedSigismund Kęstutaitis, as the successor ofVytautas.

• 1422 in Europe
• 15th century in Lithuania
• Wars involving the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
• Wars involving Poland
• Wars involving Moldavia
• Wars involving the Teutonic Order
• 15th century in Poland
• Wars of the Middle Ages
• Conflicts in 1422
• 15th century in the State of the Teutonic Order
• Polish–Teutonic wars

• CS1 Polish-language sources (pl)
• Articles with Lithuanian-language sources (lt)
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata