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Chapter 7ChrP.3.7

De novo bello fralnim domus Theutonice contra gentern Pruthenorum.

A New War Begins

The Teutonic Knights launch a new campaign against the Prussians, who had long resisted foreign domination.

Long ago, many wars were waged against the Prussians, as the old histories tell us — first by Julius Caesar, then by nine Germans from Sweden who were called the Gampti, then by Hugh called Potyre, and lastly by Brother Christian, bishop of Prussia, and by the military brothers of Grisli, who were called the brothers of Dobrin. But once the opportunity arose, the Prussians killed their commanders and the others who had been set over them, or drove them far from their territory, and so they shook off the yoke of servitude. The brothers of the house of the Teutonic Knights of Jerusalem now begin new wars against them.

Victory Through Prayer

The new war is waged not only with swords but with spiritual weapons—prayer—as shown by biblical examples of Israel's victories.

These are the new wars that the Lord has chosen, to bring down the gates of the enemy: because if they were to kill one or more commanders or officers in a single day, or destroy them, then on that same day or the next, others just as capable or better would rise up in place of the fallen. And the novelty is not only in the war itself, but also in a new way of waging it: the enemy is overcome not merely with physical weapons, but with spiritual ones — that is, by prayer. It was by prayer that Israel was victorious.✦ It is also written about Moses himself in the Book of Wisdom that he conquered the crowds not by bodily strength nor by the power of his armor, but by the word — that is, by prayer. And of him it is said in the Book of Judges: 'Remember, servants of God, that Amalech, who trusted in his shields, was overcome not by fighting but by prayers and by intercession.'✦ It is also read about the Maccabees that they cried out in prayer and put the enemy camp to flight.

When Prayer Was Withheld

Judas Maccabeus failed in battle when he did not pray, showing that even great leaders depend on God's help.

And concerning Judas Maccabeus it is said that in two wars he did not pray. 6 u. 9. Namely, against Antiochus Eupator — and on that occasion he did not prevail, but turned aside; in the second, against Bacchides and Alcimus, and on that occasion he himself fell in battle, and the camp of the sons of Israel was put to flight.

The Conquest of Patience

True victory also comes through patient suffering, as the martyrs and saints demonstrate by enduring injustice with faith.

There is also another new kind of conquering — namely, patience — in which the martyrs of Christ possessed their own souls. Concerning this the poet says: 'Noble is the kind of conquering that is patience; the one who suffers conquers. If you wish to conquer, learn to suffer.' And elsewhere: 'The greatest of virtues, patience, conquers the unarmed and is often accustomed to conquer armed men.'✦ Concerning this patience Gregory says: without sword and flames we can be martyrs, if we truly preserve patience in our soul. To the same point, Jerome: which of the saints is crowned without patience? From the cradles of the church there has never been a lack of iniquity oppressing and justice suffering.

Spiritual Arms for Spiritual War

The chapter closes by affirming that the Teutonic Knights fight a new kind of war using spiritual weapons against the enemies of faith.

So we face a new war and a new way of fighting it, in which we overcome the enemies of the faith and of the church with spiritual weapons.

Read the original Latin

Multa bella antiquitus gesta sunt contra Pruthenos, ut veteres narrant historie, per Julium Cesarem, item per ix germanos' de Swecia, qui dicebantur Gampti, item per Hugonem dictum Potyre, ultimo per fratrem Cristianum episcopum Prussie et per fratres milites Grisli, qui vocabantur fratres de Dobrin. Sed habita oportunitate Prutheni capitaneos et alios, qui eis prefuerant, occiderunt, aut a se longius fugaveruntb, et sic jugum servitutis excuciebant a cerviMarie domus Theutonicorum Jerosolimitani incipiunt noVa bella contra ipsos. Hec sunt illa nova bella, que elegit dominus, ut subvertat portas hostium, quia si unum vel plures capitaneos vel prefectos occiderent uno die vel delerent, eodem vel sequenti die in loca occisorum alii meliores surgerent vel equales. Nec tantum est novitas in bello, sed eciam in novo genere bellandi, quia non solum materialibus, sed armis spiritualibus vincitur hostis, scilicet oracione. oracione, Israel vincebatur. Scribitur eciamc de ipso Moyse in libro sapiencie, quod vicit turbas non in virtute corporis nec in armatura potencie, sed verbo, scilicet oracionis. Et de eodem dicitur in libro judicumd: memores estote servi deie, quia Amalech confidentem in clipeis suis non pugnando sed precibus orando devicitf. Legitur et de Machabeis, quod exclamaverunt in oracione et fugaverunt castra.

Et de Juda Machabeo dicitur, quod in duobus bellis non oravitjMac. 6 u. 9. scilicet contra AntiochumEupatorem, et tune non vicit, sed divertit; in secundo contra Bachidem et Alchimum, et tune ipse cecidit in prelio, et in fugam castra filiorum Israel sunt conversa. Est et aliudg novum genus vincendi scilicet paciencia, in qua martires Cristi animas suas possederunt, de qua poeta dicit: Nobile vincendi genus est paciencia; vincit Qui patitur; si vis vincere, disce pati; et alibi: Maxima virtutum paciencia vincit inermes, Armatosque viros vincere sepe solet. De hac paciencia dicit Gregorius: sine ferro et flammis martires esse possumus, si pacienciam in animo veraciter conservamus. Ad idem Jeronimus: quis sanctorum sine paciencia coronatur? A cunabulis ecclesie non defuit iniquitas premens, et justicia paciens.

Sic habemus novum bellum et novum genus bellandi, quo armis spiritualibus hostes fidei et ecclesie superamus.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Exod.17.8-Exod.17.16 — Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. Exod.17.9 — Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us, and go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." Exod.17.10 — Joshua did as Moses had told him, to fight against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Exod.17.11 — And it was, when Moses raised his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. Exod.17.12 — Moses' hands grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and his hands were steady until the sun went down. Exod.17.13 — And Joshua disabled Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Exod.17.14 — Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this as a record in the book and place it in the ears of Joshua, for I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." Exod.17.15 — And Moses built an altar and called its name, "The LORD Is My Banner." Exod.17.16 — And he said, 'A hand upon the throne of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'
  2. ↩Exod.17.8-Exod.17.16 — Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. Exod.17.9 — Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us, and go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." Exod.17.10 — Joshua did as Moses had told him, to fight against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Exod.17.11 — And it was, when Moses raised his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. Exod.17.12 — Moses' hands grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and his hands were steady until the sun went down. Exod.17.13 — And Joshua disabled Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Exod.17.14 — Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this as a record in the book and place it in the ears of Joshua, for I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." Exod.17.15 — And Moses built an altar and called its name, "The LORD Is My Banner." Exod.17.16 — And he said, 'A hand upon the throne of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'
  3. ↩Luke.21.19 — By your endurance you will gain your lives.

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