2nd Edition
The Archaeology of the Prussian Crusade Holy War and Colonisation
The Archaeology of the Prussian Crusade explores the archaeology and material culture of the crusades against the Prussian tribes in the 13th century, and the resulting society created by the Teutonic Order which endured into the 16th century.
It provides an updated synthesis of the material culture of this unique, hybrid society in the south-eastern Baltic region, encompassing the full range of archaeological data, from standing buildings through to artefacts and ecofacts, integrated with written and artistic sources. The work is sub-divided into broadly chronological themes, beginning with a historical outline, then exploring the settlements, castles, towns and landscapes of the Teutonic Order’s theocratic state, the character and tempo of religious transformation and concluding with the roles of the reconstructed and ruined monuments of medieval Prussia in the modern world, particularly within the context of Polish culture.
This remains the first work on the archaeology of medieval Prussia in any language, and is intended as a comprehensive introduction to a period and area of growing interest. This book represents an important contribution to promoting International awareness of the cultural heritage of the Baltic region, which has been rapidly increasing over the last few decades.
Preface and acknowledgements to the first edition; Preface to the second edition; Terminology and glossary; 1. Introduction: hitorical framework and sources; 2. Pre-Christian Prussia: early medieval Baltic society; 3. The ravages of holy war: crusade and colonisation in the thirteenth century; 4. A land of red castles: consolidating the Teutonic Order's state in the fourteenth century; 5. From colonisation to urbanisation: towns and international trade; 6. Converting Prussia: the Christianisation of the Teutonic Order's state; 7. From forest to field: the changing environment of medieval Prussia; 8. The end of holy war: from the decline of a crusader state in the fifteenth century to constructing memories of medieval Prussia in the twentieth century; 9. Conclusion: holy war and colonisation; Further reading; Bibliography; Index.
Biography
Aleksander Pluskowski is Professor in Medieval Archaeology at the University of Reading.
