labored among them, and by their instruction,
and still more by their holy, self-denying lives, they succeeded in
winning many to forsake their idols and become Christians.

The order received an important accession to its ranks at this time
(1237) by the incorporation into it of the ancient Order of Christ, in
Livonia, which had considerable possessions. This was followed shortly
afterward by an agreement between the order and the King of Denmark,
by which the former undertook the defence of the kingdom against its
pagan neighbors.

In 1234 the order received into its ranks Conrad, Landgrave of
Thuringia and Hesse, a man who had led a wicked and violent life, but,
being brought to see his errors, made an edifying repentance, and
became a Teutonic Knight, and afterward was elected grand master. This
Conrad was brother to Louis of Thuringia, who was the husband of St.
Elizabeth of Hungary. After the death of Elizabeth, the hospital at
Marburg, where she had passed the latter years of her widowhood in the
care of the sick, was made over to the Teutonic Knights, and after her
canonization a church was built to receive her remains, and placed
under the care of the order.

In 1240 the knights received an earnest petition from the Duke of
Poland, for aid against the Turks, who were ravaging his dominions,
and by the enormous multitude of their hosts were able to defeat any
army he could bring into the field. The knights accepted the
invitation, and took part in a series of bloody and obstinate battles,
in which they lost many of their number. They had also a new enemy to
encounter in the Duke of Pomerania, who had been their ally, but who
now sided with the Prussians against them. In the war that ensued the
Duke was defeated, several of his strongholds were taken, and he was
obliged to sue for peace.

A few years afterward, however (1243), the Duke recommenced
hostilities, and with more success. Culm was besieged by him, and the
greatest miseries were endured by the inhabitants, the slaughter being
so great in the numerous conflicts before the walls that at last very
few men remained. The Bishop even counselled the widows to marry their
servants, that the population of the town might not become extinct.
The war was continued for several years with varying fortune, till a
peace was at last concluded, principally through the mediation of the
Duke of Austria.

About this time a disputed election caused a schism in the ord