Luther von Braunschweig

Luther von Braunschweig (also known as Lothar; ca. 1275 – April 18, 1335) was the 18th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1331-35.

A member of the House of Welf, Luther was born to Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and Adelaide, the sister of a north Italian vassal, Boniface of Monferatto. He was the youngest of his siblings and was designated to join the military order. He joined the Teutonic Order in 1300 and his career started with a stint at the castle in Christburg and in 1308 he became the Komtur of Gollub. A year later he became the house komtur of Christburg and in 1313 the house Komtur of Marienburg. In 1314 he became the Grand Armourer and the Komtur of Christburg, founding several town and colonizing southern Prussia at the same time.

Luther became Grand Master during a war with Poland after the sudden death of Grand Master Werner von Orseln on February 17, 1331. Luther continued the conquest of Kuyavia and ordered Dietrich von Altenburg to invade Greater Poland. During the invasion, the Teutonic Knights went as far south as Kalisz (Kalisch), destroying the land around them. The Battle of Płowce of 1331 did not stop the Teutonic Order from further invasions. In May 1332, the crusading army captured Brześć Kujawski and Inowrocław and new komturships were formed in Kuyavia.

Despite the war, Luther tried to avoid any unnecessary military actions. He concentrated on reforming religious life as well as writing poems and theologic books. He ordered the redesign of Castle Marienburg to make it look more like the residence of an emperor rather than a monastery. Luther redesigned the Chapel of St. Anna and built the mausoleum of the Grand Masters underneath it.

Luther died in Stuhm and was buried in a cathedral in Königsberg.