War of the Priests
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The War of the Priests (1467-1479, German: Pfaffenkrieg, Polish: wojna popia, wojna księża) were battles and war, which broke out following the Second Treaty of Thorn (Toruń) and as results of disputes between the Bishopric of Warmia, which had claimed to had received Prince-Bishopric status by emperor Charles IV, and the Polish king Casimir IV [1].
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[edit] Political situation
The Bishopric of Warmia was in the 14th century part of the Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights, but enjoyed autonomy and was administrated as a prince-bishopric. The bishops, often members of the Teutonic Order, were loyal to the order even in early 15th century, when the Polish Kingdom had won the Battle of Grunwald in 1410. After their defeat, the Teutonic Knights raised the taxes to pay for the resulting costs. Eventually, the order's policies and tax increases led to the foundation of the Prussian Confederation in 1440 by Prussian cities who wanted to defend their rights against the order.
When the Prussian Confederation asked for aid and allied with the Polish King Casimir IV the Thirteen Years' War (1454-1466) broke out. The Bishop of Warmia Paul of Legendorf (1458-1467) joined the Prussian Confederation in the last year of the conflict (1466). The second Treaty of Thorn moved West-Prussia under the suzerainty of the Polish King but the Bishops of Warmia insisted on their prerogatives, namely the completely independent election of the bishop by the chapter.
[edit] Dispute
In 1467, the chapter did not accept the bishop nominated by Polish King Casimir IV, and instead elected Nicolaus von Tüngen. This resulted in a dispute in which the bishopric was supported by the Teutonic Order and Matthias Corvinus, the Hungarian king.
[edit] War
In 1478, Polish forces of king Casimir IV intervened militarily in Warmia, besieging Braunsberg. The city withstood [2].
[edit] Settlement
The first Treaty of Piotrków (in Piotrków Trybunalski) ended the feud in 1479. The Polish King accepted Nicolaus von Tüngen, who had been elected in 1467, as bishop, and granted several prerogatives of the bishopric. The bishop acknowledged the sovereignty of the Polish King over Warmia, obliged the chapter to elect only candidates "liked by the Polish King" and the Warmians had to pledge an oath of loyalty to him.
However, 10 years later, the election of the next bishop, Lucas Watzenrode the Younger revived conflicts between Warmia's chapter and Casimir IV. The Prince-Bishopric of Warmia in church organisation matters received exempt status, under directly authorisation of the pope, resisting attempts to subordinate it by the archbishopry of Gnesen. Politically it remained in connection to the Polish crown.
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