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| - The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem (Official names: , ), commonly the Teutonic Order (Today: German Order = Deutscher Orden, also Deutschherrenorden or Deutschritterorden), is a German medieval military order, and became in modern times a purely religious Catholic order. It was formed to aid Christians on their pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to establish hospitals. Its members have commonly been known as the Teutonic Knights, since they also served as a crusading military order in the Middle Ages. The military membership was always small, with volunteers and mercenaries augmenting the force as needed.
- The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem (Official names: Latin: Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Hierosolymitanorum, German: Orden der Brüder vom Deutschen Haus St. Mariens in Jerusalem, or for short the Teutonic Order (Today: German Order), is a German Roman Catholic religious order. It was formed to aid Catholics on their pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to establish hospitals to care for the sick and injured. Its members have commonly been known as the Teutonic Knights, since they also served as a crusading military order during the Middle Ages. The membership was always small and whenever the need arose, volunteers or mercenaries augmented the military forces.
- They took their name from "Teuton," a name sometimes used for the Germanic people, such as Tommy Teutone. The Romans called them Teutoni, as they had trouble with words like "Kraut." The Teutonic Knights were modeled after earlier organizations, such as the Knights Templar, Knights Hospitallers, and Knights Soda-jerk. They shared secret handshakes and elected Grand Pooh-bahs from among their members.
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| abstract
| - The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem (Official names: , ), commonly the Teutonic Order (Today: German Order = Deutscher Orden, also Deutschherrenorden or Deutschritterorden), is a German medieval military order, and became in modern times a purely religious Catholic order. It was formed to aid Christians on their pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to establish hospitals. Its members have commonly been known as the Teutonic Knights, since they also served as a crusading military order in the Middle Ages. The military membership was always small, with volunteers and mercenaries augmenting the force as needed.
- They took their name from "Teuton," a name sometimes used for the Germanic people, such as Tommy Teutone. The Romans called them Teutoni, as they had trouble with words like "Kraut." The Teutonic Knights were modeled after earlier organizations, such as the Knights Templar, Knights Hospitallers, and Knights Soda-jerk. They shared secret handshakes and elected Grand Pooh-bahs from among their members. Unfortunately, the Holy Land thing did not work out for the Teutonic Knights; and in the 1200s, they shifted their emphasis toward the simpler task of taking over the Baltics, as modern players still do when they get to Park Place and Boardwalk only to find them occupied. During the Third Reich, the northeastern campaign of Adolf Hitler had the inspiring phrase, "Ve vill be like der Teutonic Knights (except that we won't fall on our faces, convert to a social club, and deny we were out for foreign plunder in the first place)."
- The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem (Official names: Latin: Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Hierosolymitanorum, German: Orden der Brüder vom Deutschen Haus St. Mariens in Jerusalem, or for short the Teutonic Order (Today: German Order), is a German Roman Catholic religious order. It was formed to aid Catholics on their pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to establish hospitals to care for the sick and injured. Its members have commonly been known as the Teutonic Knights, since they also served as a crusading military order during the Middle Ages. The membership was always small and whenever the need arose, volunteers or mercenaries augmented the military forces. Formed at the end of the 12th century in Acre, in the Levant, the medieval Order played an important role in Outremer, controlling the port tolls of Acre. After Christian forces were defeated in the Middle East, the Order moved to Transylvania in 1211 to help defend Hungary against the Cumans. They were expelled by force in 1225 after allegedly attempting to place themselves under Papal instead of Hungarian sovereignty. In 1230, following the Golden Bull of Rimini, Grand Master Hermann von Salza and Duke Konrad I of Masovia launched the Prussian Crusade, a joint invasion of Prussia to Christianize the Baltic Old Prussians. The Order then created the independent Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights in the conquered territory, and subsequently conquered Courland, Livonia, and Estonia. The Kings of Poland accused the Order of holding lands rightfully theirs. The Order lost its main purpose in Europe with the Christianization of Lithuania. The Order became involved in campaigns against its Christian neighbours, the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Novgorod Republic (after assimilating the Livonian Order). The Teutonic Knights had a strong economic base, hired mercenaries from throughout Europe to augment their feudal levies, and became a naval power in the Baltic Sea. In 1410, a Polish-Lithuanian army decisively defeated the Order and broke its military power at the Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg). In 1515, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I made a marriage alliance with Sigismund I of Poland-Lithuania. Thereafter the Empire did not support the Order against Poland. In 1525, Grand Master Albert of Brandenburg resigned and converted to Lutheranism, becoming Duke of Prussia. Estonia and Livonia soon followed, and also the Order's holdings in Protestant areas of Germany. The Order kept its considerable holdings in Catholic areas of Germany until 1809, when Napoleon Bonaparte ordered its dissolution and the Order lost its last secular holdings. The Order continued to exist as a charitable and ceremonial body. It was outlawed by Hitler in 1938, but re-established in 1945. Today it operates primarily with charitable aims in Central Europe. The Knights wore white surcoats with a black cross. A cross pattée was sometimes used as their coat of arms; this image was later used for military decoration and insignia by the Kingdom of Prussia and Germany as the Iron Cross. The motto of the Order was:"Helfen, Wehren, Heilen" ("Help, Defend, Heal").
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