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Duchy of Prussia

Duchy of Prussia
Herzogtum Preußen (de)
Księstwo Pruskie (pl)
Ducatus Prussiae (la)
Fief of the Kingdom of Poland
Part of Brandenburg-Prussia (from 1618)
1525–1701
Flag Coat of arms
The Duchy of Prussia (yellow)
Capital Königsberg
Languages German, Lithuanian, Polish, Old Prussian
Religion Lutheranism
Government Feudal monarchy
Duke
 •  1525–1568 Albert
 •  1568–1618 Albert Frederick
 •  1618–1619 John Sigismund
 •  1619–1640 George William
 •  1640–1688 Frederick William
 •  1688–1701 Frederick
Legislature Estates
Historical era Late Middle Ages
 •  Secularisation 10 April 1525
 •  Disestablished 1701
Preceded by
Succeeded by
State of the Teutonic Order
Kingdom of Prussia
Today part of  Russia
 Lithuania
 Poland
Wappen Mark Brandenburg.png
Wappen Preußen.png

History of Brandenburg and Prussia
Northern March
pre–12th century
Old Prussians
pre–13th century
Margraviate of Brandenburg
1157–1618 (1806)
Teutonic Order
1224–1525
Duchy of Prussia
1525–1618
Royal (Polish) Prussia
1466–1772
Brandenburg-Prussia
1618–1701
Kingdom in Prussia
1701–1772
Kingdom of Prussia
1772–1918
Free State of Prussia
1918–1947
Klaipėda Region
(Lithuania)
1920–1939 / 1945–present
Brandenburg
(Germany)
1947–1952 / 1990–present
Recovered Territories
(Poland)
1918/1945–present
Kaliningrad Oblast
(Russia)
1945–present

The Duchy of Prussia (German: Herzogtum Preußen, Polish: Księstwo Pruskie) or Ducal Prussia (German: Herzogliches Preußen, Polish: Prusy Książęce) was a duchy in eastern Prussia established during the Protestant Reformation in 1525. It was the first Lutheran duchy with a dominant German-speaking population, as well as Polish and Lithuanian minorities. In old texts and in Latin, the term Prut(h)enia refers alike to Ducal Prussia, its western neighbor Royal Prussia, and their common predecessor, Teutonic Prussia. The adjectival form of the name was "Prut(h)enic".

In 1525 during the Protestant Reformation, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, Albert, secularized the order's Prussian territory, becoming Albert, Duke of Prussia. His duchy, which had its capital in Königsberg (Polish: Królewiec, Lithuanian: Karaliaučius; modern Kaliningrad), was established as fief of the Crown of Poland. It was inherited by the Hohenzollern prince-electors of Brandenburg in 1618; this personal union is referred to as Brandenburg-Prussia. Frederick William, the "Great Elector" of Brandenburg, achieved full sovereignty over the territory in the 1657 Treaty of Wehlau, which was confirmed in the 1660 Treaty of Oliva. The Duchy of Prussia was elevated to the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701.


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