Thirteen Years’ War

Thirteen Years’ War, (1454–66), war between Poland and the Teutonic Knights that began as a revolt by the Prussian populace against their overlords, the Teutonic Knights, and was concluded by the Treaty of Toruń (Thorn; Oct. 19, 1466). In 1454 rebel Prussian groups petitioned Casimir IV of Poland for aid against the Knights. Casimir declared war on them, and in 1462 won the decisive Battle of Puck. In the Treaty of Toruń, the Teutonic Order surrendered the eastern part of Pomerania (Pomerelia) and western Prussia—eastern Prussia was a vassal state of the Polish crown, with its own diet and administration and capital at Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia)—and the order was opened to Poles.