duchy · Germany and Central Europe

Duchy of Prussia

1525 CE – 1701 CE · capital Königsberg

The first officially Lutheran state, created in 1525 when the Teutonic Order's grand master turned duke and vassal of Poland.

Origins

After defeats by Poland, the State of the Teutonic Order was reduced to East Prussia. In 1525 Grand Master Albert of Brandenburg-Ansbach, advised by Luther, secularised the order's state and, by the Treaty of Kraków, did homage to his uncle King Sigismund I of Poland as hereditary Duke of Prussia.

Prussia was the first state to adopt Lutheranism officially. Albert founded the University of Königsberg in 1544 and supported printing in German, Polish and Lithuanian. The estates were strong, and the land exported grain through Königsberg. After Duke Albert Frederick fell mentally ill, the electors of Brandenburg ruled as regents and in 1618 inherited the duchy, creating Brandenburg-Prussia.

Elector Frederick William, the Great Elector, won full sovereignty from Poland by the Treaty of Wehlau in 1657. Because Prussia lay outside the Holy Roman Empire, his son Frederick crowned himself King in Prussia at Königsberg in 1701, founding the Kingdom of Prussia.

Duchy of Prussia was a vassal of Kingdom of Poland (1385-1569)1525 CE – 1569 CE
Duchy of Prussia was a vassal of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth1569 CE – 1657 CE
Margraviate of Brandenburg in personal union with Duchy of Prussia1618 CE – 1701 CE
Duchy of Prussia in personal union with Margraviate of Brandenburg1618 CE – 1701 CE

Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Duchy of Prussia. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-prussia
MLA: “Duchy of Prussia.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-prussia. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Duchy of Prussia.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-prussia.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Duchy of Prussia’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-prussia (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻