Between the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem and Burzenland in Medieval Hungary – The Teutonic Military Order status and rule in the poles of Christianity
Shlomo LOTAN
Original title: Entre o Reino Latino de Jerusalém e a Depressão dos Cárpatos húngara medieval (Burzenland) – o status e Regra da Ordem Teutônica nas fronteiras do Cristianismo
Published in The Middle Ages and the Crusades
Keywords: Burzenland, Cumans tribes, Herman von Salza, Medieval Hungary, Teutonic Order.
The 800th anniversary of the Teutonic Order's occupation of Burzenland (Barcaság) in the eastern part of the medieval Hungary (in the Brasov region in Transylvania – Romania) will be marked in 2011. It is significant because of the role of the Teutonic Military Order as defenders of the Hungarian borders from the invasion of the Cumans heathen tribes into the western part of Hungary. Another issue of significance is the relationship between the role of the Teutonic Order located in Burzenland and their presence in the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem during the thirteenth century, where they held their central headquarters and defended the Kingdom from its enemies. This article will emphasize the idea that the presence of the Teutonic Order in eastern Hungary, in Burzenland, had not been an attempt to divorce itself from the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, where it had its centre which continued to region the Order’s activities. It did serve the Military Order in furthering its institutional authority and standing amongst its membership. It also contributed to their image as defenders and promoted of the Christianity borders and it had reinforced their settlement in Eastern Europe. In this sense, their presence in Hungary was an introduction to the Teutonic tradition and military activities in the Baltic region. Burzenland was not candidate that could or would replace their Crusader Kingdom central religious and political focal place. In fact, their presence in the Latin East had remained and even was further accentuated, for their strengthening entire activity in both the Latin East and Eastern Europe as the defenders of Christendom.
Pilgrimage Processions, Religious Sensibilities and Piety in the City of Acre in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem
Shlomo LOTAN
Published in
Keywords: Acre, Crusades, Hospitallers, Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, Military Orders, Pilgrimage, Templars, Teutonic Order.
After the fall of Jerusalem in 1187, Acre became the formal capital of the Crusader Kingdom. During the 13th century, it became a pilgrimage site for many Christian pilgrims, who enriched the city with their religious ceremonies. Such as a procession called the Pardon d'Acre, which contributed greatly to our understanding of the religious places and military compounds in Frankish Acre. In this essay, I link the religious ceremonies that took place in Acre with the passages among the locations mentioned therein. All these contributed to the revival of the historical and religious space in medieval Acre.
Querimonia desolacionis terre sancte – The fall of Acre and the Holy Land in 1291 as an emotional element in the Tradition of Teutonic Order
Shlomo LOTAN
Original title: Querimonia desolacionis terre sancte – A perda de Acre e da Terra Santa em 1291 como um elemento emocional para a tradição da Ordem Teutônica
Published in Emotions in the Ancient and Medieval Mediterranean World
Keywords: Crusades, Fall of Acre 1291, Holy Land, Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, Teutonic Order.
The fall of Acre to the Muslim forces in 1291 was one of the devastated events in the history of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. The fall of main Crusader city in fact the capitol of the Latin Kingdom, was the last military episode in long history of the Crusader resistance in the Holy Land. The fall of Acre had a decisive influence on the Christian population, the Church and the nobility throughout Europe. It created also a forceful impact on the Military Orders, affecting their capability and strength. This article will focus on one of the main Military Orders in the Holy Land - the Teutonic Order, and on the manner in which the fall of the Holy Land had influenced the empowering of its tradition. Major chronicles of the Teutonic Order, written in the first half of the fourteenth century by its brethren Peter von Dusburg and Nicolaus von Jeroschin show it clearly. This critical event in which the Teutonic Knights also participated is treated as a central event. Despite the time that elapsed from the fall of the Latin Kingdom and the long distance from the Teutonic fighting in the Baltic region, this crucial event in the Holy Land had become a symbol destined as a lament (Klage in German). This lament represented an emotional and sense of pain caused by the great loss the suffering associated with the fall of the Holy Land. This article will further accentuate the assertion that even among the members of the Teutonic Order within the borders of Christianity in the Baltic region, well separated from Christian activity in the Mediterranean basin, the fall of the Holy Land had been fundamental. It had dominated the emotional state in the Teutonic order, affecting its evolving traditions. In had become the means throughwhich the Teutonic Order had expressed solidarity with the pain caused by the loss of the Holy Land, the place where their traditions began and was further shaped their medieval heritage.
