Ludolf König von Wattzau

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludolf_K%C3%B6nig_von_Wattzau

Ludolf König von Wattzau (* between 1280 and 1290; † 1348 in Engelsburg ) was the 20th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1342 to 1345 . He came from a Saxon noble family.

life

Ludolf König von Wattzau, also written as Weizau, was the chief Tressler (treasurer) of the Teutonic Order from 1331 to 1338. In 1338 he became Grand Commander and developed the region of Marienburg on a large scale . In January 1342 the Chapter of the Order elected him Grand Master.

After persistent efforts by the Order's diplomacy for a peaceful settlement with Poland with the support of Pope John XXII. and Clement VI. and the bishops of Kraków , Meissen and Kulm , the Treaty of Kalisch was signed with the Polish kingdom on July 8, 1343 .

Like many grand masters before him, he led a campaign against the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . Reprisals by the Lithuanians in 1345 caused great damage in Prussia and, according to some chronicles of the order, plunged Ludolf König into mental illness. He resigned as Grand Master and became Commander of Engelsburg . According to the chronicles, he recovered from his depression but died as early as 1348.

Ludolf König von Wattzau was originally buried in the Sankt Annenkapelle of the Marienburg . In May 2007, archaeologists discovered Wattzau's coffin in a crypt under the presbytery of the cathedral in Marienwerder (former West Prussia ). Along with his final resting place, the remains of two other Grand Masters were also found, namely Werner von Orseln and Heinrich the Elder von Plauen .

After dendrochronological examinations of the wood used for the coffins and after DNA analyzes of the remains of the bones, it is 96% clear that these are the people named.