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Chronicon Terrae Prussiae (Chronicle of the Prussian Land)/Book 4 · Tercia pars: De bellis fratrum domus Theutonice contra Pruthenos
Chapter 282ChrP.4.282

De adventu peregrinorum et vastacione territoriorum Waykine, Russig ene.

The Pilgrims Arrive in Prussia

In 1322, Duke Bernard of Wrocław and his Bohemian brother arrive in Prussia with a great company of soldiers and men-at-arms.

and Erogele. In the year of our Lord 1322, illustrious men and lords — Bernard, Duke of Wrocław from Poland, Count of Gerdisheckeb, firstborn son of the counts of Jülich and of Wildenberg on the Rhine, Lord of Lichtenberg and Phligta — came to the land of Prussia with his brother from Bohemia, along with many soldiers and men-at-arms.

Devastation of Waykinam, Russigenam, and Erogelam

The Teutonic brothers and their army sweep through the territories of Waykinam, Russigenam, and Erogelam, plundering, burning, and slaughtering the inhabitants.

When all these forces had gathered, along with the entire strength of the brothers' army from the land of Kulm, Brother Frederick of Wildenberg — acting in place of the master general — and the brothers entered the territory of Waykinam in the winter season, plundering and burning; they destroyed both the castle and other buildings by fire and pillage, and made such great slaughter among the people there that not even a man pissing against a wall would have survived. On the following day they entered the territory of Russigenam, and on the third day the territory of Erogelam, and they harassed both with fire.

The Siege and Surrender of Pista

The pilgrims fiercely besiege the castle of Pista; after a brutal assault and a night's repose, the garrison surrenders and pledges obedience to the Teutonic brothers.

On the evening of that third day they besieged the castle of Pista itself, attacking it most fiercely; but the pilgrims were so well armed that as they climbed toward the walls, the garrison soldiers could not hold them back from ascending — neither with lances, nor with swords, nor with any kind of weapon. At last, two or three or more of them took a spear and placed it against the chest or back of those climbing up, and pressing hard, threw them down from the walls. When the darkness of night fell, the brothers ceased from the attack. On the following day, when they wished to engage in battle again, the garrison soldiers gave hostages, promising to submit to the authority of the brothers.

A Pledge Broken Under Lithuanian Pressure

Under pressure from the king of Lithuania, the garrison of Pista fails to honor the pledge of submission it had given to the brothers.

But with the king of the Lithuanians pressing them, they did not afterward keep the pledge they had given.

Read the original Latin

et Erogele. Anno domini mcccxxii illustres viri et domini Bernardus dux Wratislaviensis de Polonia, comes de Gerodisheckeb, primogeniti filii comitum de Juliaco et de Wildenbergk de Reno, dominus de Lichtenbergkc et Phligta cum fratre suo de Bohemia cum multis militibus et armigeris venerunt ad terram Prussie. Cum hiis omnibus et tola potencia exercitus fratrum a terra Colmensi et infra frater Fridericus de Wildenbergk, gerens vicem magistri generalis, et fratres cl tem pore hyemali intraverunt territorium Waykinam; rapina et incendio tarn castrum quam alia edificia destruentes, tantam stragem fecerunt in populo illo, quod nec ibi mingens ad parietem superesset. Sequenti die intraverunte terri torium Russigenam, et tercia die territorium Erogelam, et utrumque incendio molestabant. In vespere hujus tercief diei obsederunt castrum Pistam ipsum fortissime impugnantes: sed peregrini adeo bene fueruntg armati, quod dum scanderent ad menia, castrenses nec lanceis, nec gladiis, nec aliquo genere armorum poterant ipsos ab ascensu prohibere. Tandem duo vel tres aut plures accepta hasta posuerunt eam ad pectus vel dorsum ascendencium, et sic premendo eos a meniis dejecerunt. Supervenientibus ergo tenebris noctis, cessaverunt fratres ab impugnacione. Sequenti die dum iterum vellent ad pugnam h accedere, castrenses dederunt obsides, promittentes se fratrum imperio subjacere.

Sed artante ipsos rege Lethowinorum, fidem prestitam postea non servabant *.

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