Hochmeister Michael
Küchmeister von Sternberg
Michael Küchmeister von Sternberg (1360 or 1370 – 15 December 1423, Danzig
(Gdańsk)) was the 28th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1414 to 1422. Küchmeister was born in
Silesia, as a son of Saxon nobility. He was the procurator of Rastenburg (Rastembork) (1396–1402) and the Großschäffer
of Königsberg (1402–05). After the Peace of Raciąż of 1404 he held the position of Vogt of Samogitia
and from 1410 the Vogt of the Neumark (Nowy Targ). After the Battle of Grunwald, he tried with his army of mercenaries and
vassals to re-take the regions lost by the Teutonic Order. In September 1410, Küchmeister lost the Battle of Koronowo
and was captured by the Polish army, and was not released from prison until the summer of 1411. The defeat prompted the
signing of the Peace of Thorn (1411).
In the aftermath of the defeat at Grunwald,
the Teutonic Order lost much of its military and economic importance. The way of thinking of the Old Prussians had changed as well. It was not surprising that when Grand Master Heinrich
von Plauen was heading towards war with the Kingdom of Poland, his army (consisting of Prussian nobility and villagers) stationed
near the village of Lautenburg (Lidzbark Welski) refused to fight the Poles on 29 September 1413, and he was relieved from
his position as Grand Master by Küchmeister On
7 January 1414 Küchmeister was chosen as the 28th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. Although he preferred negotiations
over war, he strengthened Marienburg Castle (Malbork
Castle) with an extra wall on the north side. He resigned
in March 1422 before the Gollub War began. Küchmeister
died in Danzig (Gdańsk) and was buried in the mausoleum under the Chapel of St. Anna in Marienburg
Castle.
" Helfen - Wehren - Heilen "
