Editing Elbląg (section)

=== Prussian Crusade ===
{{Main|Prussian Crusade}}
[[File:Elbląg Warszawska 55 willa nr 644843 fota 7.JPG|thumb|right|Brick manors, built in the [[Neogothic]] style, can be seen in the outer suburbs of Elbląg]]
[[File:Elbląg Świętego Ducha 25.JPG|thumb|right|Holy Ghost Street, ''ulica Świętego Ducha'', possesses several pre-war examples of social housing]]
Attempts to conquer Prussian land began in 997, when [[Bolesław I the Brave]], at the urging of the Pope, sent a contingent of soldiers and a missionary ([[Adalbert of Prague]]) to the pagan Prussians, a non-Slavic people, on a crusade of conquest and conversion. The crusade encompassed much of the Baltic Sea coast east of the Polish city of [[Gdańsk]], up to [[Sambia]]. Starting in 1209 additional crusades were called for by [[Konrad I of Masovia|Konrad of Masovia]], who mainly sought to conquer Prussian territory, rather than actually convert the [[indigenous peoples|indigenous]] Prussians. Despite heroic efforts, Old Prussian sovereignty would eventually collapse after a succession of wars instigated by [[Pope Honorius III]] and his frequent calls for crusade.

Before the Prussians were finally brought to heel, Polish rulers and the [[Duchy of Masovia]], both by then [[Christianity|Christianised]] peoples, would be continually frustrated in their attempts at northern expansion. Aside from minor border raids, major campaigns against the Prussians would be launched in 1219, 1220, and 1222. After a particularly sound defeat by Prussian forces in 1223, Polish forces in [[Chełmno]], the seat of [[Christian of Oliva]] and the [[Masovia|Duchy of Masovia]], were forced onto the defensive.

In 1226 Duke [[Konrad I of Masovia]] summoned the [[Teutonic Knights]] for assistance; by 1230 they had secured [[Chełmno]] (Culm) and begun claiming conquered territories for themselves under the authority of the [[Holy Roman Empire]], although these claims were rejected by the Poles, whose ambition had been to conquer Prussia all along. The Teutonic Order's strategy was to move down the Vistula and secure the delta, establishing a barrier between the Prussians and Gdańsk. The victorious Teutonic Knights built a castle at Elbing.

The [[Chronicon terrae Prussiae]]<ref>3.14</ref> describes the conflict in the vicinity of Lake [[Drużno]] shortly before the founding of Elbing:

:{{Lang|la-x-medieval|Omnia propugnacula, que habebant in illo loco, qui dicitur (list) ... circa stagnum Drusine ... occisis et captiis infidelibus, potenter expugnavit, et in cinerem redigendo terre alteri coequavit.}}

:"All the little redoubts that they had in that place, which are said to be (list) ... and around the Drusine marsh ... he (frater Hermannus magister) assaulted and levelled by rendering them into ash, after the infidels had been killed or captured."

Truso did not disappear suddenly to be replaced with the citadel and town of Elbing during the Prussian Crusade. It had already burned down in the tenth century, with the population dispersed in the area.