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The Chronicle of the Prussian Land as Evidence of Multiethnicity in 13th- and early 14th-Century Prussian Towns

Matthew Stevens Orcid Logo

Societies in Late Medieval Prussia: vol. 1, Ethnicities (London: Routledge, 2026), Volume: 1

Swansea University Author: Matthew Stevens Orcid Logo

Abstract

This chapter employs the Chronicon Terrae Prussiae by Peter von Dusburg and its contemporary translation to Middle High German by Nicolaus von Jeroschin to investigate the participation of non-Germans, namely Poles and native Prussians, in thirteenth- and early fourteenth-century Prussian towns. It...

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Published in: Societies in Late Medieval Prussia: vol. 1, Ethnicities (London: Routledge, 2026)
ISBN: 9781032820866
Published: London Routledge 2025
Online Access: https://www.routledge.com/Societies-in-Late-Medieval-Prussia-Ethnicities/Kwiatkowski-Biskup/p/book/9781032820866
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70410
first_indexed 2025-09-19T22:01:53Z
last_indexed 2025-11-04T15:02:02Z
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spelling 2025-11-03T09:47:17.0824514 v2 70410 2025-09-19 The Chronicle of the Prussian Land as Evidence of Multiethnicity in 13th- and early 14th-Century Prussian Towns 24e42c4652a3104d12bc7424d475408d 0000-0001-8646-951X Matthew Stevens Matthew Stevens true false 2025-09-19 CACS This chapter employs the Chronicon Terrae Prussiae by Peter von Dusburg and its contemporary translation to Middle High German by Nicolaus von Jeroschin to investigate the participation of non-Germans, namely Poles and native Prussians, in thirteenth- and early fourteenth-century Prussian towns. It interprets the evidence of non-German urban participation in the chronicle in the light of comparable evidence of non-German and non-English urban residents’ similar experiences in the new towns of medieval Livonia and Wales, respectively. Aspects of discourse in the Chronicon Terrae Prussiae and its translation are considered, including negative depictions of non-Germans and the likely rising impact of passive discrimination on the chroniclers’ views. A nuanced interpretation of urban participation is proposed, in which non-Germans’ wealth, status and gender shaped highly varied experiences as urban residents. It is concluded that, for native Prussians in particular, their experiences likely ranged from that of urban citizen, to non-citizen craftsmen or labour, to domestic servant or even slave. The chronological backdrop to these experiences was one of decreasing openness to non-German urban participation as new urban creations became more firmly established towards the early fourteenth century, a shift indicative of growing passive discrimination. Book chapter Societies in Late Medieval Prussia: vol. 1, Ethnicities (London: Routledge, 2026) 1 Routledge London 9781032820866 18 12 2025 2025-12-18 https://www.routledge.com/Societies-in-Late-Medieval-Prussia-Ethnicities/Kwiatkowski-Biskup/p/book/9781032820866 COLLEGE NANME Culture and Communications School COLLEGE CODE CACS Swansea University 2025-11-03T09:47:17.0824514 2025-09-19T17:29:29.8145102 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Culture and Communication - History Matthew Stevens 0000-0001-8646-951X 1
title The Chronicle of the Prussian Land as Evidence of Multiethnicity in 13th- and early 14th-Century Prussian Towns
spellingShingle The Chronicle of the Prussian Land as Evidence of Multiethnicity in 13th- and early 14th-Century Prussian Towns
Matthew Stevens
title_short The Chronicle of the Prussian Land as Evidence of Multiethnicity in 13th- and early 14th-Century Prussian Towns
title_full The Chronicle of the Prussian Land as Evidence of Multiethnicity in 13th- and early 14th-Century Prussian Towns
title_fullStr The Chronicle of the Prussian Land as Evidence of Multiethnicity in 13th- and early 14th-Century Prussian Towns
title_full_unstemmed The Chronicle of the Prussian Land as Evidence of Multiethnicity in 13th- and early 14th-Century Prussian Towns
title_sort The Chronicle of the Prussian Land as Evidence of Multiethnicity in 13th- and early 14th-Century Prussian Towns
author_id_str_mv 24e42c4652a3104d12bc7424d475408d
author_id_fullname_str_mv 24e42c4652a3104d12bc7424d475408d_***_Matthew Stevens
author Matthew Stevens
author2 Matthew Stevens
format Book chapter
container_title Societies in Late Medieval Prussia: vol. 1, Ethnicities (London: Routledge, 2026)
container_volume 1
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
isbn 9781032820866
publisher Routledge
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Culture and Communication - History{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Culture and Communication - History
url https://www.routledge.com/Societies-in-Late-Medieval-Prussia-Ethnicities/Kwiatkowski-Biskup/p/book/9781032820866
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description This chapter employs the Chronicon Terrae Prussiae by Peter von Dusburg and its contemporary translation to Middle High German by Nicolaus von Jeroschin to investigate the participation of non-Germans, namely Poles and native Prussians, in thirteenth- and early fourteenth-century Prussian towns. It interprets the evidence of non-German urban participation in the chronicle in the light of comparable evidence of non-German and non-English urban residents’ similar experiences in the new towns of medieval Livonia and Wales, respectively. Aspects of discourse in the Chronicon Terrae Prussiae and its translation are considered, including negative depictions of non-Germans and the likely rising impact of passive discrimination on the chroniclers’ views. A nuanced interpretation of urban participation is proposed, in which non-Germans’ wealth, status and gender shaped highly varied experiences as urban residents. It is concluded that, for native Prussians in particular, their experiences likely ranged from that of urban citizen, to non-citizen craftsmen or labour, to domestic servant or even slave. The chronological backdrop to these experiences was one of decreasing openness to non-German urban participation as new urban creations became more firmly established towards the early fourteenth century, a shift indicative of growing passive discrimination.
published_date 2025-12-18T05:32:37Z
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