| Ulrich von Jungingen | |
|---|---|
| Hochmeister | |
 17th-century depiction byChristoph Hartknoch | |
| Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights | |
| Reign | 1407–1410 |
| Predecessor | Konrad von Jungingen |
| Successor | Heinrich von Plauen |
| Born | 1360 (1360) Hohenfels |
| Died | 15 July 1410(1410-07-15) (aged 50) Grunwald,State of the Teutonic Order |
| Burial | |
| House | House of Jungingen |
Ulrich von Jungingen (1360 – 15 July 1410) was the 26thGrand Master of theTeutonic Knights, serving from 1407 to 1410. His policy of confrontation with theGrand Duchy of Lithuania and theKingdom of Poland would spark thePolish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War and lead to disaster for his Order, and his own death, at theBattle of Grunwald.
A scion of theSwabian noble house of Jungingen, he was probably born atHohenfels Castle nearStockach, as the ancestral seat atJungingen had been devastated in 1311. Ulrich and his elder brotherKonrad von Jungingen, as younger sons excluded from succession, took the vow of the Teutonic Knights and moved to theOrder's State inPrussia. Ulrich resided in Schlochau (Człuchów) and wasKomtur ofBalga (1396–1404). His career profited from the patronage of his elder brother Konrad, who was elected Grand Master in 1393. After the Knights had expelled theVictual Brothers fromGotland in 1398, Ulrich distinguished himself in the negotiations for the possession of the island with QueenMargaret I of Denmark, as well as on diplomatic missions to Poland and to Lithuania in connection with the conclusion of the 1398Treaty of Salynas concerning theDuchy of Samogitia.
In 1404 Ulrich was appointed the Order's Marshal (i.e. military leader) and Komtur ofKönigsberg. He had to deal with severalSamogitian uprisings, which he fought both with strict suppression and bribery of the local nobles. Upon the sudden death of Grand Master Konrad von Jungingen in 1407, Ulrich on 26 June, was chosen for his succession.
Unlike his brother, Ulrich's diplomatic capability was limited. The situation in Samogitia remained tense, incited by Grand DukeVytautas the Great of Lithuania, who intended to make use of the turmoils to regain the ceded lands. Furthermore, the new Grand Master had inherited the rising conflict with Vytautas' cousin KingJagiełło of Poland overDobrzyń Land and the pawnedNeumark region. The Polish ambassador ArchbishopMikołaj Kurowski declared, that any attack on Lithuania would inevitably entail an armed conflict with Poland. Despite the threat of atwo-front war, Ulrich prepared for apreemptive strike. He forged an alliance with KingSigismund of Hungary, levied mercenaries in theHoly Roman Empire, and on 6 August 1409 declaredwar against Poland.
Though Ulrich received no help from his ally King Sigismund, who was stuck in the conflict with his cousinJobst of Moravia over the election asKing of the Romans, the Order's forces at first successfully campaigned Dobrzyń andKuyavia and laid siege toBydgoszcz. Sigismund's brother KingWenceslaus IV of Bohemia arranged a temporary truce and mediated between the belligerents, though without result. On 2 July 1410, the Grand Master at the head of his army leftMalbork Castle for the final battle against the united Polish and Lithuanian forces. Both sides met on 15 July between the villages ofGrunwald (Grünfelde) andStębark (Tannenberg). As noontide approached, none of the armies made a move, until Ulrich, according to the annals ofJan Długosz, hadtwo swords delivered to King Jagiełło with the remark that he and Vytautas may live or die by them.
This act, seen as a bold provocation, sparked the Polish-Lithuanian attack, at first repulsed by the Knights but soon followed by a second strike by Jagiełło's forces. Battle luck changed, after Ulrich, sure of victory, decided to personally lead his remaining regiments against the Polish troops. He nearly got hold of the king, but at the same time lost oversight of the Order's military operations. After the allied Prussian forces of theLizard Union underNicholas von Renys broke away, the Grand Master had to face the superior numbers of the Polish-Lithuanian union. When the Lithuanians attacked him from the rear, Ulrich's troops were routed and he himself waskilled in action. According to Polish chroniclerJan Długosz he was met and defeated by the Polish knightMszczuj of Skrzynno. King Jagiełło arranged the transportation of his body to Malbork Castle before he began theSiege of Marienburg.
Based on Długosz's description, later generations have imputed Ulrich von Jungingen with hot-bloodedness and arrogance. The paintingBattle of Grunwald byJan Matejko supposedly illustrates the moment when Ulrich, dressed in white with a black cross, trying to attack Grand Duke Vytautas, is killed by two Polish infantrymen, equipped with an executioner's axe and a replica of theHoly Lance reminiscent of theCongress of Gniezno. The tradition was resumed byHenryk Sienkiewicz in his 1900 novelThe Knights of the Cross, originally modeled on the measures of theRussian occupants inVistula Land, describing Ulrich as an impulsive and aggressive commander. The book was made into afilm byAleksander Ford in 1960. On the other hand, 19th century German historiography portrayed Ulrich as a man of chivalric virtues, who succumbed to the cunning of his enemies, as rendered by the authorErnst Wichert in his novelHeinrich von Plauen.
Ulrich's successor Heinrich von Plauen had a lady chapel erected on the former battlefield in 1413, which was probably destroyed byLipka Tatar orCrimean Tatar forces campaigning in the region in 1656. In 1901 aglacial erratic (Jungingenstein), commemorating a "hero's death in the struggle for German spirit and German law", was set up at the behest of the German authorities inEast Prussia. The stone is still in its place but has toppled over with the result that the inscription is no longer readable. A more recent second memorial stone nearby marks the place of Jungingen's death ("Miejsce śmierci Wielkiego Mistrza Ulricha von Jungingena"). The surrounding area is today the site of an annualhistorical reenactment.
| Grand Master of the Teutonic Order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Hochmeister 1407–1410 | Succeeded by |
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