In this sweeping study, leading expert William Urban explores the Teutonic Order’s conquest of the southern Baltic lands in the 13th century, alongside the struggles of Poland, whose support was periodically interrupted by confrontations with Lithuania and the Mongols. Drawing on contemporary chronicles, as well as German and Polish sources, it traces the dramatic course of these military campaigns and political conflicts – and how they reshaped the medieval frontiers of Europe.The book builds on the author’s other seminal works on the Teutonic Order, including _The Teutonic Knights,_ The _Teutonic Knights Strike East_ and _The Last Years of the Teutonic Knights_. Together, they combine scholarly insights with a clear, accessible narrative to bring the history of this complex and diverse region vividly to life. Concluding with an overview of recent historiographical trends, it offers both specialists and general readers an authoritative and engaging account of this transformative era in history.
