Natangians or Notangians (; ; ; ) was a Old Prussians clan, which lived in the region of Natangia, an area that is now mostly part of the exclave Kaliningrad Oblast, whereas the southern portion lies in the Poland Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship.
In the 13th century, when the Teutonic Knights began their crusade against the Prussians, some 15,000 people might have lived in the area between the Pregolya and Łyna rivers. The Natangian lands bordered with Sambia in the north, Warmia in the west and south, and Bartia in the southeast. They likely spoke a Baltic languages, now extinct, similar to Old Prussian language.
During the Great Prussian Uprising (1260–1274), the Natangians elected Herkus Monte, who was educated in Germany, as their chief. At first he was successful and defeated the Knights in the Battle of Pokarwis and Battle of Löbau. However, the rebels were unable to capture the brick castles built by the Knights and were defeated. Herkus, who had been one of the most prominent leaders of the Prussians, was captured and hanged in 1273. The Natangian nobles submitted to the Germans, who promised privileges and undisturbed ownership of their estates. Natangians, led by Sabynas and Stanta, rebelled for the last time in 1295. In 1454, the region was incorporated by King Casimir IV Jagiellon to the Kingdom of Poland. After the subsequent Thirteen Years' War, the longest of all Polish–Teutonic wars, since 1466, it formed part of Poland as a fief held by the Teutonic Order,Górski, p. 96–97, 214–215 and after 1525 held by secular Ducal Prussia.
When Ostsiedlung in the area, the Natangians kept their local language and customs up until the 17th century. Later on, their identity disappeared by the end of the 17th century or the beginning of the 18th century as they Germanisation with the German population, but the local populace still defined themselves as "Natangians" up to 1945 and even the local newspaper of Landsberg (Górowo Iławeckie) was called "Natanger Zeitung" after 1919.
W. Reichermann, "Ut Noatange - Plattdütsche Spoasskes", Königsberg 1892, In Natangen - Ein Bildband, Kreisgemeinschaft Pr. Eylau, Verden 1986
|
|