Comments: This is the main Teutonic document of the so-called Treaty of Torun concluding the Thirteen Years’ War waged between Poland and the Order. The document was issued on behalf of the Great Master, his dignitaries, the Prussian branch of the Order, the Bishop, the Chapter and the representatives of the estates of Sambia, and the estates of Sambia. The final draft of the treaty was mediated by the Papal Legate, Rudolf of Rüdesheim, between October 17-19, 1466. On the Polish side, the draft was endorsed (among others) by Jakub of Szadek, Wincenty Kiełbasa, Scibor Bazynski, and Jan Dlugosz or Longinus. Under the terms of the treaty, the Order ceded to Poland the districts of Chelm and Michalow, the region of Pomorze Gdanskie (Danzig Pomerania), and surrendered the northwestern part of Prussia including Marienburg (now Malbork) and Elbing (now Elblag). The Great Master became a duke and a senator-councillor of the Kingdom of Poland, and his future elected successors were to swear loyalty to the Polish king. The Order was obligated to provide military aid against the enemies of the Polish Kingdom. Out of the three bishoprics, the diocese of Chelm returned to the Polish Church, the bishopric of Warmia remained under the protection of the Polish king, and the Pomezanian diocese was given to the royal secretary Wincenty Kielbasa for lifelong administration.

The document regulated such issues as the release of prisoners of war or the exchange of castles and towns. The towns returned to Poland under the terms of the treaty included Sztum, Nowe Miasto on the river Drweca, Bratian, Chelmno, Brodnica, and Dzierzgon. The gains of the Order included Paslek, Pasym, Nidzica and Młynary. The Prussian estates were to swear an oath to keep the peace. Clearly, the provisions of the Treaty of Torun were an attenuation of the act of incorporation of Prussia (1454), leaving the eastern part of the former Order’s state in existence to remain as a dangerous trouble spot in the Baltic Sea region. Also, the fact that the Treaty required an endorsement from the Holy See meant that the papal Curia continued to hold at least a formal sway over Prussia. The most lasting effects produced by the Second Peace of Thorn proved to be the recognition of Polish control over Pomorze Gdanskie, the district of Chelm and Powisle, all of which were to remain indissolubly linked with the Crown for more than three hundred years to come. (Janusz Grabowski)

Description: Original, in Latin, libellus consisting of 3 parchment sheets sized 456x296 mm; 55 seals; signature of Papal Legate, Rudolf of Rüdesheim, and notarial signs of notaries Jan Ewich de Attendorn and Stanislaw Franke of Redkowice; 12 pp.

Collection: The Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw, Zbior dokumentow pergaminowych (Collection of Parchment Records), no. 1143.

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