Kariera Michała Küchmeistra w zakonie krzyżackim w Prusach do 1410 roku
The Career of Michael Küchmeister in the Teutonic Order in Prussia until 1410

Summary/Abstract: The analysis of primary sources presented in this article determines that the career of Michael Küchmeister in the administrative structures of the State of the Teutonic Order in Prussia until 1410 at certain points significantly differed from what the scholarly literature previously assumed. His first office to appear in primary sources was the castle commander of the Commandry of Rhein, newly established in 1394. After that territorial administration unit was dissolved in 1397, Küchmeister held other offices in the Commandry of Balga, such as the companion of a local commander and the Pfleger of Rastenburg. However, in 1400 he certainly was not the Schäffer of Elbing. Immediately before the end of June 1402, Küchmeister was appointed the Großschäffer of Königsberg. Most likely he held this office until the end of September 1404. From this moment, he was probably the Pfleger of Gerdauen for a year and then in September 1405, he was granted the office of a Vogt in Samogitia which had been re-conquered by the Teutonic Order. He stayed there until August 1409. In September 1409, by command of Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen, he set out on a diplomatic mission to Hungary. Unfortunately, there is no record of his actions in the period of six months between August 1409 and April 1410. At the end of April 1410, he was appointed the Vogt in the Teutonic Neumark. The further steps in the career of Küchmeister, who eventually reached the office of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order in January 1414, are well known.

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