Luder von Braunschweig (d. 1335)

Luder (or Luther) von Braunschweig was grand master of the Teutonic Order (1331-1335) and a great patron of its literary activity.

Luder was born around 1275, the son of Albrecht I Magnus (the Great), duke of Brunswick, and Alessina of Mont-ferrat. Luder was a brother of the Teutonic Order in Prussia by 1297. After the murder of Grand Master Werner von Orseln (1330), Luder was elected as his successor on 17 February 1331. His origins in a German princely family were exceptional among grand masters.

During his mastership Luder sought an understanding with Poland, which had been quarreling with the order over the possession of Pomerelia since 1308-1309. A permanent peace, however, was not concluded. Campaigns against Lithuania ceased during his mastership. Luder initiated much building, notably the cathedral of Konigsberg (mod. Kaliningrad, Russia) and the chapel of St. Anne at Marien-burg (mod. Malbork, Poland), which was to become the burial site for many future grand masters. Luder also strongly supported literary activities, notably the translation of Peter von Dusburg’s Latin chronicle of Prussia into German verse by Nicolaus von Jeroschin. Luder also wrote religious literature himself; a legend of St. Barbara written by him is now lost. He died on 18 April 1335 and was buried at Konigsberg cathedral.

-Axel Ehlers

See also: Teutonic Order

Bibliography

Arnold, Udo, “Luther von Braunschweig,” in Die Hochmeister des Deutschen Ordens, 1190-1994, ed. Udo Arnold (Marburg: Elwert, 1998), pp. 65-70.