Michael Küchmeister von Sternberg (1370 –
December 15,
1423) was the 28th
Grand Master of the
Teutonic Knights, serving from 1414-22.
Biography
Küchmeister was born in
Silesia. He was the
procurator of
Rastenburg (1396–1402) and the
Großschäffer of
Königsberg (1402–05). After the
Peace of Raciąż of 1404 he held the position of
Vogt of
Samogitia and from 1410 the Vogt of the
Neumark. After the
Battle of Grunwald (or Tannenberg), he tried with his army of
mercenaries and
vassals to re-take the regions lost by the Teutonic Order. In September 1410, Küchmeister lost the
Battle of Koronowo and was captured by the Polish army, and was not released from prison until the summer of 1411. The defeat prompted the signing of the
Peace of Thorn (1411).
In the aftermath of the defeat at Tannenberg, the Teutonic Order lost much of its military and economic importance. The way of thinking of the
Old Prussians had changed as well. It is not surprising that when Grand Master
Heinrich von Plauen was heading towards war with the
Kingdom of Poland, on
September 29,
1413, his army (consisting of Prussian nobility and villagers) stationed near the village of
Lautenburg refused to fight the Poles, and he was relieved from his position as Grand Master by Küchmeister.
On
January 7,
1414 Küchmeister was chosen as the 28th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. Although he preferred negotiations over war, he strengthened
Marienburg Castle with an extra wall on the north side. He resigned in March 1422 before the
Gollub War began.
Küchmeister died in
Danzig and was buried in the
mausoleum under the Chapel of St. Anna in Marienburg Castle.
Category:1370 birthsCategory:1423 deathsCategory:Grand Masters of the Teutonic KnightsCategory:Silesian GermansCategory:German nobilityCategory:Burials in the Chapel of St. Anne, Marienburg (Malbork)de:Michael Küchmeister von Sternbergit:Michael Küchmeister von Sternberglt:Mykolas Kiuchmeisterishu:Michael Küchmeister von Sternbergpl:Michał Küchmeister von Sternberg
