Burkhard von Hornhausen (before 1252 - 13 July 1260, in the Battle of Durbe) was from 1257 to 1260 Landmeister in Livonia of the Teutonic Order. He was the first commander and directed the construction of the Königsberg Castle.[1]
Burkhard von Hornhausen | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the Livonian Order with the inscription "(Sigillum) (Com)MENDATORIS DOM(us) (the)VTO(nic)I IN LIVONIA" - "Seal of the Commander of the Teutonic Order in Livonia". | |
| Died | 13 July 1260 |
| Cause of death | killed in action |
Burkhard von Hornhausen appeared in Prussia around 1252. In 1254 he became Commander of the Samland and was the first Commander of the Königsberg Castle (1255–1256) and from 18 January 1255 to 1257 Vice-Landmeister of Prussia. In 1257 Burkhard became Landmeister Livonia. In 1255 he and his troops joined the Ottokar II of Bohemia and took part in the winter campaigns of 1254 and 1255.
During the campaign from 1256 to 1257 he had a number of castles built on the site of Prussian fortresses: Allenburg, Groß Wonsdorf and Georgenburg, and had Welau Castle rebuilt. As landmaster of the Teutonic Order in Livonia, he acquired extensive land. On 13 July 1260, during the Battle of Durbe between the knights of the order and local fighters, he fell together with about 150 knights.[1] The Teutonic Order suffered a defeat.[2][3]
References
edit- ^ a b Walter James Wyatt The History of Prussia. From the Earliest Times to the Present Day. Tracing the Origin and Development of Her Military Organization 1876 ISBN 1527633691 ISBN 978-1527633698
- ^ Karl Eduard von Napiersky: Index corporis historicodiplomatici Livoniae, Esthoniae et Curoniae , Volume 2, Riga and Dorpat 1835, S. 348
- ^ Nicholas Edward Morton Chapter 7 The Division of Resources between the Holy Land and the Baltic pp. 118-130 in the book The Teutonic Knights in the Holy Land, 1190-1291 Boydell Press 2009 ISBN 1783271817 ISBN 978-1783271818 https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7722/j.ctt81rdj