Pomeranian dukes in the face of the conflict between Poland-Lithuania and the German order in 1409-1410 (the contribution to the conditions of the activity of the rulers in the late middle ages)

The article concerns the attitude of Pomeranian dukes towards the Polish-Lithuanian- Teutonic conflict in the period from the summer-autumn of 1409 until the moment prior to the Prussian expedition of the Polish king in the summer 1410. The author attempts to explain the relationship between Pomeranian dukes, the Polish Kingdom and the Teutonic Order by analysing the activities of monarchs in the context of certain events. He rejects the analytical formula of examining the activities of rulers in terms of long-term “political strategies”. He is interested exclusively in cultural conditions. The author examines the activities of Świętobor I [Latin: Suatobor] and Bogusław VIII. He presents the significance of the alliance concluded by them on 20-24 August 1409 with the grand master. The articles reveals the premises allowing us to assume that they supported the Teutonic Order militarily at the beginning of October 1409. The author refutes the opinions held by older researchers that Bogusław VIII was to support both the Teutonic Order and the Polish Kingdom at the end of 1409 and at the beginning of 1410. The activities undertaken by this ruler may be interpreted as a result of his attitude, unchanged since the autumn of 1409. He attempted to remain neutral in the Polish-Teutonic conflict. The author shows that in the spring of 1410 Bogusław VIII, who had fallen out with the grand master at that time, was far from making an alliance with the Polish king, which placed him in a very unfavourable position. He realised that had the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic conflict not finished amicably, he would have had to support the Teutonic Order. In this situation the Duke of Słupsk started to act as a mediator between the two sides of the conflict. Together with Świętobor I and Ulrich I he sent an envoy to the Polish king, which was one of the elements of extensive mediation activity undertaken by Sigismund of Luxembourg. For Pomeranian dukes, including Bogusław VIII. It was an opportunity to gain recognition and good fame in the Reich, particularly in the regional system connecting rulers, which extended the scope of his reign