The First Peace of Thorn was a peace treaty concluded on February 1, 1411, in Thorn (Toruń), ending the Great War with the Teutonic Order (1409-1411). It was a consequence of the Polish-Lithuanian victory at the Battle of Grunwald and resulted in Poland regaining Dobrzyń Land and receiving war reparations.

The First Peace of Thorn was one of the most important events in the medieval history of Poland and the Teutonic Order. This landmark peace treaty was signed on February 1, 1411, in Thorn (Toruń), ending the Great War against the Teutonic Order (1409-1411).

This document was a direct consequence of the Polish-Lithuanian forces' victory at the Battle of Grunwald. Although it did not bring Poland all the expected territorial gains, it changed the balance of power in the region and significantly weakened the position of the Teutonic Order. This treaty became the foundation for later Polish-Teutonic relations and influenced the shaping of the political map of medieval Central Europe.

The Polish-Teutonic War of 1409-1411 broke out as a result of growing territorial conflicts between the Kingdom of Poland and the Teutonic Order. The main flashpoints were disputes over the Dobrzyń Land and control over Samogitia.

The Dobrzyń Land came under the control of the Teutonic Order in 1409 as a pledge from Duke Władysław of Opole. The Teutonic Knights refused to return the territory despite Poland's repayment of the pledge amounting to 40,000 florins. Control over this strategic area gave the Order the ability to exert pressure on the Kingdom of Poland through:

• Blocking Poland's access to the Baltic Sea

• Controlling trade routes on the Vistula River

• Threatening the northern borders of the Kingdom of Poland

• Strategic location between the Order's state and Livonia

• Multiple uprisings of local population against Teutonic rule

• Support for Samogitian rebels by Vytautas in 1409

• The Order's attempts at Christianization of the region as a pretext for territorial expansion

Aspect of Conflict	Teutonic Order	Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Dobrzyń Land	Retention of pledge	Demand for return after payment
Samogitia	Pursuit of subordination	Defense of Lithuanian interests
Strategic goal	Connection of territories	Preservation of independence

The Battle of Grunwald on July 15, 1410, was the decisive clash during the Great War against the Teutonic Order. The combined Polish-Lithuanian forces under the command of King Władysław Jagiełło defeated the Teutonic army led by Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen.

The Battle of Grunwald brought significant losses to the Teutonic Order:

• Death of 8 thousand Teutonic knights including the Grand Master

• Destruction of 51 Teutonic banners

• Taking control of 13 Teutonic castles

• Capture of significant amounts of weapons and military supplies

• Elimination of most high-ranking Order officials

• Loss of military authority in Europe

• 50% reduction in the number of Order knights

• Weakening of financial position through necessary compensation payments

• Loss of control over strategic trade routes

• Rise of anti-Teutonic sentiment in Prussian cities

• Destabilization of the Order's internal structure

Aspect	Before Battle	After Battle
Number of Order knights	3000	1500
Controlled castles	120	107
Annual income (in marks)	190000	95000

Peace negotiations in Toruń began in January 1411 at the initiative of King Sigismund of Luxembourg, who served as mediator between Poland and the Teutonic Order. The talks took place in an atmosphere of political tension following the Order's defeat at the Battle of Grunwald.

King Władysław Jagiełło adopted a moderate strategy during the peace negotiations in Toruń. The monarch focused on three key demands:

• Recovery of Dobrzyń Land without paying compensation
• Return of castles occupied by the Teutonic Knights during the war
• Obtaining high war reparations of 100,000 threescores of Prague groschen

Jagiełło demonstrated negotiation flexibility by abandoning territorial demands in favor of financial benefits. His attitude enabled achieving a diplomatic compromise between the conflicting parties.

Heinrich von Plauen, the new Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, took a defensive stance during negotiations. His actions were characterized by:

• Striving to minimize territorial losses of the Order
• Attempting to reduce the amount of imposed war reparations
• Seeking to maintain strategic trading points
• Efforts to preserve the Order's autonomy in internal affairs

Von Plauen agreed to pay compensation of 100,000 threescores of Prague groschen in four installments, considering it a lesser evil than further territorial losses. His pragmatic approach contributed to finalizing the peace treaty on February 1, 1411.

Negotiation Aspect	Value
War Reparations	100,000 threescores of Prague groschen
Number of Payment Installments	4
Duration of Negotiations	1 month

The First Peace of Thorn of 1411 specified detailed conditions for ending the war between the Kingdom of Poland and the Teutonic Order. The treaty contained three main provisions regarding territories and war reparations.

The peace treaty restored Dobrzyń Land to the Kingdom of Poland without requiring additional compensation. The Teutonic Knights committed to transferring control of all castles and cities in this territory within 4 weeks of signing the agreement. The transfer included strategic defensive points: Bobrowniki, Rypin, and Lipno.

Samogitia remained under Teutonic Order control until the death of Vytautas and Jogaila. The treaty prohibited the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from supporting Samogitian uprisings. The Teutonic Knights retained trading rights in this territory and control over trade routes leading to Baltic ports.

The Order committed to paying Poland compensation amounting to:

Payment Details	Value
Total sum	100,000 scores of Prague groschen
Number of installments	4
First installment	25,000 scores of groschen
First payment due	July 25, 1411
Payment location	Toruń

The Teutonic Knights also had to release all prisoners of war without ransom and return valuable items seized during the war.

The First Peace of Thorn brought significant political and economic consequences for Central Europe. The treaty affected the balance of power between states and changed the dynamics of international relations.

Poland's position in the international arena was significantly strengthened after signing the treaty. The Kingdom of Poland gained the status of a major political player in Central-Eastern Europe. The recovery of Dobrzyń Land strengthened Poland's control over trade routes on the Vistula River. Receiving substantial war reparations (100,000 scores of Prague groschen) increased the Polish state's financial capabilities.

Aspect of Position Strengthening	Result
Trade Control	Increased revenue from Vistula trade
International Prestige	Recognition of Poland's military power
Financial Resources	+100,000 scores of Prague groschen
Political Status	Dominant position in the region

The Treaty of Thorn introduced a new quality in Polish-Teutonic relations. The Order lost its position as the dominant trading partner in the region. The military weakening of the Order (loss of 50% of knights) reduced its ability to conduct aggressive policies. The introduction of an installment system for war reparations created a mechanism of long-term financial dependence of the Order on Poland. The retention of Samogitia by the Teutonic Knights left a point of contention in bilateral relations.

Change in Relations	Effect
Military	Reduction of Order's combat potential
Economic	Financial dependence of the Order
Territorial	New border arrangement
Political	Limitation of Order's independence

• The First Peace of Thorn was concluded on February 1, 1411, as a consequence of Poland's victory at the Battle of Grunwald
• The main provisions of the treaty included the return of Dobrzyń Land to Poland and the payment of compensation by the Teutonic Knights amounting to 100,000 scores of Prague groschen
• Samogitia remained under the control of the Teutonic Order until the deaths of Vytautas and Jagiełło, with a prohibition on the Grand Duchy of Lithuania supporting local uprisings
• The treaty significantly weakened the position of the Teutonic Order, which lost about 50% of its knights and fell into financial dependence on Poland
• The Kingdom of Poland strengthened its position in Central-Eastern Europe, gaining control over important trade routes and international prestige

The First Peace of Thorn of 1411 was a pivotal moment in the history of Polish-Teutonic relations. This treaty, which followed the victory at Grunwald, brought Poland not only territorial gains in the form of recovered Dobrzyń Land but also significant financial benefits.

Although not all strategic objectives were achieved, the peace treaty changed the balance of power in Central Europe. The weakening of the Teutonic Order's position and the strengthening of Poland's role in the international arena became the foundation for future political transformations in the region.

The effects of the First Peace of Thorn extended far beyond the treaty provisions themselves, shaping relations between states for centuries to come and influencing the economic development of the entire Baltic region.