In order to further their war efforts against the (pagan) Lithuanian state, the Teutonic Knights instituted a series of crusades, enlisting support from other European countries. The Prussians fought against takeover of their territory. They built many towns, including Culm Chełmno. They were just a handful and were therefore ineffective, so by papal order they were combined with the Teutonic Order. The Order of Dobrin was established by Konrad of Masovia previously and had received land around Plock. They later received the territory of further north Baltic coastal regions of what are now Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and showed every sign of further expansion. The Teutonic Order received the territory of Prussia via golden bulls from the Emperor and papal edict, which gave them effective carte blanche as owners of a new 'Christianized' state of Prussia, instead of the 'pagan' native land of Terra Prussiae. The Teutonic Order was called in to stabilize the territory between the Prussians and the Duchy of Masovia. Preceding that were several years of attacks and conquest attempts by Konrad on the Prussians, which were unsuccessful. In the thirteenth century, the Teutonic Knights, subject directly to the Pope, had been requested by Konrad of Masovia to come to the lands surrounding Culm (Chełmno) to assist in the Crusade against the ( pagan) Prussians.
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