A 1414 Polish-Lithuanian campaign against the Teutonic Knights that ended inconclusively but caused widespread famine and plague in Prussia.
Key Facts
- Year of conflict
- 1414
- Teutonic friars killed by plague
- 86 persons
- Friars killed at Grunwald (1410)
- ~200 persons
- Primary tactic
- Scorched earth by both sides
- Duration
- Summer 1414 (brief)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ongoing territorial disputes between the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania on one side and the Teutonic Knights on the other, unresolved after the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, prompted the allied Polish-Lithuanian forces to launch a new military campaign in 1414 to pressure the Order into concessions.
During the summer of 1414, Polish and Lithuanian forces allied against the Teutonic Knights in a brief military conflict. Both sides employed scorched earth tactics, systematically devastating the land rather than engaging in decisive pitched battles, giving the war its name — the Hunger War or Famine War.
The conflict ended without major political resolution or territorial changes. However, the widespread destruction left Prussia suffering from famine and plague. According to chronicler Johann von Posilge, 86 friars of the Teutonic Order died from plague in the aftermath, reflecting the severe humanitarian toll despite the war's military inconclusiveness.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent