Post originally by The Shizoid Man at 2005-06-08 01:41:02
Converted from Phorums BB System

I guess that sums it up, because everything i read here is inaccurate.

The order was fiercly cathlic, just like Poland and later Lithuania were, and had their share of wars with them. They also fought a lot of other peoples around there, including the prussians. This is not surprising, because east Europe of the 13th century was a war-torn region. Poland the powerhouse of the era was in decline, a fall that should continue for 300 years. Shifting alliances made allegiance switches common and often the allies of yesterday's battle were foes the next day.

At no point in time the Teutonic knights "exterminated" pagans in the genocide sense. They fought them, sure, but so did all other christian nations around them. The order's mission was to convert the pagans, a goal that they ultimately reached with the conversion of the lithuanian nobility to christianity. It didn't help them much because cathlic Poland allied with now cathlic Lithuania against the order. Tough luck, i guess.

Anyway, in contrast to other nations like Poland the Teutonic order always accepted new citizens, whatever their previous nationality, as long as they were cathlics. A huge part of the knights were actually dutch and french.
The order lost its geopolitical power in the 15th and 16th century when its subordinates and political leaders alike revolted against the strict cathlic outlook. In the 19th century the order was dissolved by Napoleon but secretly lived on through the french occupation. Today it is a charity organisation like most other orders i know of.

Sorry, no bloodthirsty children-molesters with a mission of extermination here. Just a regular, immoral, powerhungry nation with a short history.

But don't believe me: look it up!