Information about the Battle of Woplawki in the Teutonic Order Chronicles

On 7 April, 1311, one of the largest battles of the 14th century in the Baltic region between the troops of the Teutonic Order and Grand Duchy of Lithuania took place near Woplawki in Prussia. The arm y of the Great Commander Heinrich von Plockau routed utterly the army of Grand Duke Vytenis. The result of the victory for the Тeutonic Knights was the strengthening of the position of the Order in Prussia. In its turn, Grand Duchy of Lithuania was forced to take a defensive position against the State of the Crusaders for some time. The victory of the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Woplawki and its political consequences drew a wide public response in Prussia. The news of the event spread with the speed of lightning all over towns, castles, and monasteries. It is not surprising that the battle of Wоplawki was reflected in numerous testimonies of Prussian chroniclers. At the same time, despite its historical significance, the battle has not become an object of special historical research until present. The paper reviews the information on the battle in the Teutonic Order chronicles. The author concludes that the most important narrative sources for detailed consideration of the issues related to the Battle of Woplawki are the works written by Peter von Dusburg, Nikolaus von Jeroschin, and Wigand von Marburg. We should rely on these “three pillars” of the Prussian chronicles in the reconstruction of the events that occurred at Woplawki in April 1311