Heinrich Stange (died 1252, Germau,

Sambia Sambia (russian: Самбийский полуостров, lit=Sambian Peninsula, translit=Sambiysky poluostrov) or Samland (russian: Земландский полуостров, lit=Zemlandic Peninsula, translit=Zemlandsky poluostrov) or Kalini ...

) was a Teutonic

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

who served in the land of

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

administered by the

Teutonic Order The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...

as the

Komtur Commander ( it, Commendatore; french: Commandeur; german: Komtur; es, Comendador; pt, Comendador), or Knight Commander, is a title of honor prevalent in chivalric orders and fraternal orders. The title of Commander occurred in the medieval mili ...

of Christburg from 1249 to 1252, simultaneously holding the position of the Vice

Landmeister of Prussia Landmeister of Prussia was a high office in the Teutonic Order. The Landmeister administered the land of Prussia of the Teutonic Order. It was in existence as a separate office from 1230 to 1309, later being held in union with the office of Grand ...

. In 1252, by order of

Dietrich von Grüningen, Heinrich Stange led a campaign against the

Sambians The Sambians were a Prussian tribe. They inhabited the Sambia Peninsula north of the city of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad). Sambians were located in a coastal territory rich in amber and engaged in trade early on (see Amber Road). Therefore, the ...

and died in the battle near the village of Germau in Sambia, as reported by

Peter of Dusburg Peter of Dusburg (german: Peter von Dusburg; la, Petrus de Dusburg; died after 1326), also known as Peter of Duisburg, was a Priest-Brother and chronicler of the Teutonic Knights. He is known for writing the ''Chronicon terrae Prussiae'', which des ...

and

Nikolaus von Jeroschin Nikolaus von Jeroschin (c. 1290 – 1341) was a 14th-century German chronicler of the Teutonic Knights in Prussia. Nikolaus joined the Teutonic Order as a chaplain of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic Knights, during the time of Grand Master Gottf ...

in both versions of '' The Chronicle of the Prussian Land'',

The
brother A brother is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-familia ...
known as Heinrich Stange, the commander of Christburg and a magnificent hero in battle, assembled a large troop of
brothers A brother is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-familia ...
and armed men on the orders of the
master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...
, marched out in battle against the Sambians in the name of the Lord and entered their territory across the sea at the point where there is now a castle called Lochstädt (this was during the winter) and devastated the land far and wide, robbing, burning and killing with great ferocity as far as the village of Germau. The Sambians mounted their defence there and pressed them so hard that the brothers and their army turned and fled. When the commander saw this he set off against the enemy with the intention of holding them off for long enough that his men could escape unharmed. He fought like a lion, showing no fear and wounded many of them. Finally, however, the heathens surrounded him and beat him ferociously, keeping it up until they had knocked him from his horse. When his
brother A brother is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-familia ...
, Brother Hermann, saw this it caused him great distress to see his own flesh and blood being slaughtered in this way. He was seized by a great anger and he ran up and hit out at them valiantly, stabbing and slashing until many of the heathens lay at his feet, some dead, others wounded. In this way he protected his brother and they both inflicted great distress on many a Sambian. Finally they lay dead together on the battlefield. In the meantime the other men retreated without any difficulty and reached home safely.''The Chronicle of Prussia''
by
Nikolaus von Jeroschin Nikolaus von Jeroschin (c. 1290 – 1341) was a 14th-century German chronicler of the Teutonic Knights in Prussia. Nikolaus joined the Teutonic Order as a chaplain of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic Knights, during the time of Grand Master Gottf ...
, Lines 9,729–98; III, 68

References

{{Reflist Teutonic Knights Medieval German knights

See also

References