Heinrich V von Plauen

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Heinrich von Plauen, the Elder (born circa 1370 in Lochstädt near Königsberg - died 1429 in Lochstädt) was the 27th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, famous for saving the Marienburg after the Order's defeat in the Battle of Tannenberg in 1410.

[edit] Other Heinrich von Plauen

Among the Order's Grandmasters, he is known as Heinrich V., and among his family members as Heinrich XII., as all male members of his family were baptized Heinrich. Two other Heinrich von Plauen were notable members of the order:

his brother Heinrich von Plauen the Younger (died around 1441) was komtur of Danzig
a distant relative, from the house of Reuss, Heinrich Reuß von Plauen was the 32nd Grand Master between 1469–1470

[edit] Career

Von Plauen arrived in Prussia around 1390 as the Order's guest, but later became its full member. He did not held any important positions and it was not until 1402 that he became the komtur of Nessau (Nieszawa) and of Schwetz (Świecie) in 1407.

Von Plauen did not take the part in the battle of Grunwald on July 15th, 1410, but upon receiving the news of the Order's defeat, he rushed with his warriors to Marienburg, correctly suspecting it would be Jagiełło's next target. Von Plauen made it on time and it was thanks to his energetic actions the Order was able to save its capital.

For his services in the defence of Marienburg, von Plauen was chosen the 27th Grand Master of the Order in 1410, omitting hierarchs of the Order with higher held positions, like Werner von Tettingen, Order's Minister of Diplomacy and the komtur of Elbing who saved himself from a certain death in the battle of Grunwald.

Von Plauen accomplished major diplomatic success in 1411, signing the First Treaty of Torun on February 1st on very good terms for the Order. At the same time, despite the fact, the Order was weakened by the defeat of 1410, von Plauen started preparations for another war with the Kingdom of Poland.

Despite his great services for the Order, von Plauen did not receive too much respect and support from other monks. He is believed to be very hot blooded and cruel, supporter of the iron fist rule. Von Plauen actively fought off the opposition of the Prussian towns and the Lizard Union.

In 1411 von Plauen discovered a plot by Georg von Wirsberg, komtur of Radzyń, and ordered the beheading of Mikołaj of Ryńsko (one of the four knights to form the Lizard Union) for helping the Poles. The execution took place in Graudenz, which brought him even less popularity.

Von Plauen was finally removed from the office in 1413 by Michael Küchmeister von Sternberg, the Grand Marshal and komtur of Königsberg, a supporter of further peace talk with the Kingdom of Poland, who became the 28th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.

Von Plauen was jailed along with his brother, known as Heinrich the Younger, a former komtur of Danzig.

He was released from jail after von Sternberg's death in 1422. At that time he became the procurator of his home town Lochstädt, where he died in 1429.