De vastacione terre Nattangie per dominum Theodoricum marchionem.
The Lord's Mercy and the Margrave's Coming
In 1272, moved by the Lord's mercy like the Exodus, Margrave Theodoricus of Meissen came to Prussia with a great force and found a fortified enemy stronghold blocking his advance into Natangia.
Meissen. In the year of the Lord 1272, when the Lord saw the affliction of his people in Prussia, and the fullness of time had come in which he willed to have mercy on his own, Theodoricus, margrave of Meissen, son of the illustrious prince Lord Henry — who was mentioned above in the war of the Pomesanians — came to the land of Prussia with a multitude of fighters. When he wished to attack the enemies, having taken to himself the master and the brothers, he found a fortress fortified in the interior of the land of Natangia with many armed men, who were blocking the entry of the said prince.✦
The Fortress Destroyed
Theodoricus and Guntherus of Regenstein stormed and destroyed the fortress, killing or capturing all its defenders.
But the brothers — Theodoricus and Guntherus, German-born men from Regenstein — having taken to themselves brothers and armed men, destroyed the aforesaid fortress after all its defenders had been killed and captured.
Fire and Sword Through Natangia
Like a fearless lion, Theodoricus advanced through Natangia with fire and plunder for three days, inflicting such slaughter that the people submitted again to the Christian faith.
This done, the said prince, following in the sacred footsteps of his father, like a fearless lion who fears the encounter of no one, advanced with his army, entering the land of Natangia all the way to the market-place called Gerkine, where he remained three days and nights, each day traversing Natangia with fire and plunder.✦ And he made such a slaughter among them that in the following year they submitted themselves again to the faith and to the brothers.
The Cost of War and a Devoted Offering
The margrave returned home at the cost of 200 of his men, and then devoted noble recruits from his own household to the Teutonic Order, equipping them for religious and military life in Prussia.
These things thus carried out, the same lord margrave returned to his own regions, though not without danger to his men, because from his own people 150 men fell killed by the Prussians in the first assault on the fortress, and 50 in the devastation of the land of Natangia. Here the God-devoted prince, besides many other benefits which he was bestowing on the brothers for the welfare of the land of Prussia, made xxnn noble men, valiant in arms, from his own household be clothed in the order of the Teutonic House, and providing for them abundantly in all things which had been necessary for religious life and military service, he left them in the land of Prussia.
Read the original Latin
Misnensem. Anno domini mcclxxii dum videns videret dominus afflictionem populi sui in Prussia, et jam venisset plenitudo temporis, in quo sui voluit misereri, do minus Theodoricus marchio Misnensis 3, filius illustris principis domini Henrici, de quo in bello Pomesanorum superius est premissum, venit ad terram Prussie cum multitudine pugnatorum, et dum assumptis sibi magistro et fratribus hostes vellet aggredi, invenit propugnaculum in introitud terre Nattangie firmatum multis armigeris, qui ingressum dicto principi prohibebant. Sed fratres Theo doricus et Guntherus germani de Regenstein assumptis sibi fratribus et armi geris dictum propugnaculum occisis et captis omnibus destruxerunt. Hoc facto dictus princeps sequens sacra patris sui vestigia, tancpiam leo intrepidus, qui ad nullius pavet occursum, cum exercitu suo processit, intrans terramNattangie, usque ad forum, quod dicitur Gerkine, ubi mansit tribus diebus et noctibus, singulis diebus perlustrans Nattangiam incendio et rapina. Tantamque fecit in eis stragem, quod sequenti anno se fidei et fratribus iterum subdiderunt. Hiis itaque sic gestis, idem dominus marchio rediit ad partes suas, non tarnen sine suorum discrimine, quia de populo suo in prima impugnacione propugnaculi cl et in vastacione terre Nattangie l viri a Pruthenis ceciderunt interfecti. Hie deo devotus princeps preter multab alia beneficia, que pro statu terre Prussie fratribusc impendebat, xxnn viros nobiles et in armis strenuosd de familia sua vestiri fecit in ordineme domus Theutonice, et providens eis habundanter in omnibus, que ad reJigionem et miliciam fuerant necessaria, reliquit in terra Prussie.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Exod.3.7 — Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sufferings.
- ↩1Pet.5.8 — Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
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