Reszel

History

Reszel was originally a settlement built by the Bartian tribe of Old Prussians and conquered by the Teutonic Knights in 1241. The native Prussians later recaptured the settlement and held it for five years, but were eventually defeated by the German crusaders. Reszel received its town privileges in 1337 under Chełmno Law. After the Polish victory in the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, the town was briefly captured by Poles led by King Władysław II Jagiełło. an event that sparked the Thirteen Years' War. In 1455, the Teutonic Knights captured the town and in 1462 ceded their power to the Warmian bishop, who once more in 1464 recognized the Polish King as the rightful ruler of Warmia with Reszel. The incorporation of Reszel to the Kingdom of Poland was confirmed in a peace treaty signed in Toruń in 1466. In the 17th century, the Jesuits came to Reszel and established a college in 1632 and the Polish King John II Casimir Vasa created a scholarship fund for its students. In 1772 Reszel was annexed by Prussia in the First Partition of Poland, and became part of the Prussian Partition of Poland. In the late 18th century the local parish priest was Marcin Krasicki, and he was often visited by his brother Ignacy Krasicki, leading Polish Enlightenment poet and prince-bishop of Warmia. The trial is sometimes described as the last burning of witches in Europe. From 1871 the town was part of Germany and as a result of the treaty of Versailles on 11 July 1920 the 1920 East Prussian plebiscite was organized under the control of the League of Nations, which resulted in 3,260 votes to remain in Germany and none for Poland, which just regained independence. After German surrender at the end of World War II, sovereignty over the town was ceremoniously transferred to Polish authorities on…