Johannes von Leysen (also Leyssen, Laissen, Layß, pl, Jan z Łajs; 1310 – 1388) was the first

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

of Allenstein (

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

: Olsztyn),

Warmia Warmia ( pl, Warmia; Latin: ''Varmia'', ''Warmia''; ; Warmian: ''Warńija''; lt, Varmė; Old Prussian: ''Wārmi'') is both a historical and an ethnographic region in northern Poland, forming part of historical Prussia. Its historic capital ...

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 ...

(now in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

) in 1353. Leysen originated from a well-known family, recognized in colonizing southern

within the

State of the Teutonic Order The State of the Teutonic Order (german: Staat des Deutschen Ordens, ; la, Civitas Ordinis Theutonici; lt, Vokiečių ordino valstybė; pl, Państwo zakonu krzyżackiego), also called () or (), was a medieval Crusader state, located in Cent ...

. His grandfather Martin came to

in 1304 as a free peasant. He was a founder and then Schultheiß of Layß (Łajsy) near Mehlsack (Pieniężno). His father Gerico inherited the position of Schultheiß from his father. Johannes's brother Heinrich von Leysen was the founder of Wartenberg (Wartembork, since 1946 Barczewo) and a village, Skaibotten (Skajboty). On 13 October 1353, Leysen received a settlement privilege from the

Bishopric of Warmia The Prince-Bishopric of Warmia ( pl, Biskupie Księstwo Warmińskie; german: Fürstbistum Ermland) was a semi-independent ecclesiastical state, ruled by the incumbent ordinary of the Warmia see and comprising one third of the then diocesan ar ...

. In 1372 he was promoted to the

German nobility The German nobility (german: deutscher Adel) and royalty were status groups of the medieval society in Central Europe, which enjoyed certain privileges relative to other people under the laws and customs in the German-speaking area, until the b ...

, adding the preposition ''

von The term ''von'' () is used in German language surnames either as a nobiliary particle indicating a noble patrilineality, or as a simple preposition used by commoners that means ''of'' or ''from''. Nobility directories like the ''Almanach de ...

''.

Literature

* Anton Funk: ''Geschichte der Stadt Allenstein 1348–1943.'' Scientia-Verlag, 1979,

External links

*http://www.ostpreussen.net/index.php?seite_id=12&kreis=20&stadt=01 1310 births 1388 deaths German untitled nobility People from the Kingdom of Prussia People from the State of the Teutonic Order People from Olsztyn City founders {{Germany-noble-stub