12th–15th centuriesReputable sourceWell documented
The Northern Crusades
On the timeline · around 12th–15th centuries ·
What happened
Crusading also turned north, against the last pagan peoples of the Baltic. German and Scandinavian crusaders — above all the Teutonic Knights — conquered and forcibly converted the Prussians, Livonians, and others, carving out a monastic state along the Baltic coast.
Why it matters
The Northern Crusades extended the crusading movement to the edge of Europe, reshaping the Baltic through conquest and conversion and building the Teutonic state whose legacy shaped the later history of Prussia and the region.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Northern Crusades · Reputable source