Johann von Tiefen
Johann (Hans) of depths ( * 1440, † August 25, 1497 ) was the 35th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1490 to 1497.
John's birthplace is unknown. He came from a noble family from the Thurgau. His career in the Teutonic Order began as a caregiver of Schaaken. He then worked in Elbing, where he was the right hand of the Supreme Spittler Heinrich Reuss von Plauen. In 1474 he was commander of Memel and appointed Grand Commander two years later. He represented the Order in numerous diplomatic missions in many European courts.
During the time of the Grand Master Martin Steward of Wetzhausen Johann attempted to resolve the tensions between the Teutonic Knights and the Kingdom of Poland. In 1480 he was commander of Brandenburg ( Vistula Lagoon ). On June 25, 1487 published a Charter Johann in Drengfurt to establish a church in Old Jucha.
1489 Johann was first appointed governor of the Grand Master. Immediately after his election as Grand Master on September 1, 1490, he went to Poland and paid tribute to the required homage to the Polish king Casimir IV Jagiello on November 18 in Radom.
To have adjusted the difficult relations with Poland in this way, helped him to focus on the internal affairs of the Order, although Luke Watzenrode, Bishop of Warmia tried to be independent of both the Polish Crown and the Grand Master. In May 1490 John sent a written inquiry to Luke Watzenrode to allow him to dedicate a chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist in the United Stürlack and to allow a priest from Black Stone to read the fair.
Otherwise, he continued the reform policies of his predecessor against the resistance of the rural Master of Livonia and Germany and a few other high religious functionaries. Protection measures in favor of the poorer classes increased the popularity of the Grand Master of the people. During his tenure, increased immigration from Mazovia and Lithuania began in depopulated by war and disease areas Prussia.
1492 suggested the Polish King John I to the Teutonic Order plan to move its headquarters from Prussia after Podolia, but Johann opposed this idea. He was aware that this would mean the end of sovereignty of the Teutonic Order. He appealed to Maximilian I and the plan was averted.
Established by Johann I, Johann led a crusade against the Ottoman Empire with the order to take ports along the coast of the Black Sea. He had an army of 400 knights along with their mounted companions. The journey across the Dniester, the Grand Master fell ill with dysentery. He decided to return to Lviv, which he did not reach alive. He was buried in Königsberg Cathedral.
His legacy was the concept of choosing a Prince Grand Master, to oppose the submission to the King of Poland and to obtain greater support from the Holy Roman Empire.