Key Facts
- Duration
- February–March 1326 (~1 month)
- Prisoners taken
- 6,000
- Furthest advance
- Frankfurt and Berlin
- Papal stance
- Pope John XXII approved and encouraged the raid
- Teutonic Knights role
- Observed peace treaties; did not interfere
Strategic Narrative Overview
In February 1326, a combined Polish–Lithuanian army crossed into the Margraviate of Brandenburg. The force raided widely across the region for approximately one month, penetrating deep into Brandenburg territory and reaching as far as Frankfurt an der Oder and Berlin. The Margraviate's defenders were unable to halt the incursion. The raiders seized 6,000 prisoners before withdrawing, demonstrating the vulnerability of Brandenburg's eastern march.
01 / The Origins
Pope John XXII opposed Louis V of Germany's ambitions to become Holy Roman Emperor, providing political cover for action against him. King Władysław I of Poland regarded Neumark (East Brandenburg) as rightfully Polish territory and sought to assert that claim by force. Lithuania's ruler Gediminas joined the alliance chiefly in pursuit of plunder. The Teutonic Knights, under papal pressure, remained neutral despite their proximity to the theater of operations.
03 / The Outcome
The Polish–Lithuanian army withdrew after roughly a month of raiding, carrying prisoners and plunder. No significant territorial transfer resulted from the operation. Brandenburg suffered considerable human and material losses but retained its lands. The raid underscored the political isolation of Louis V at the time, as papal opposition had neutralized the Teutonic Knights and enabled his enemies to strike with relative impunity.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Władysław I of Poland, Gediminas of Lithuania.
Side B
1 belligerent
Louis V of Germany.