of
their dominions, retaining only a part of Eastern Prussia, with
Koenigsberg for their capital, the grand master acknowledging himself
the vassal of the King of Poland, with the title of Prince and
Councillor of the kingdom.

In 1497 the order lost its possessions in Sicily through the influence
of the Pope and the King of Aragon, who combined to deprive it of
them. It still retained a house at Venice, and some other property in
Lombardy. In 1511 Albert de Brandenberg was elected grand master. He
made strenuous efforts to procure the independence of the order, and
solicited the aid of the Emperor to free it from the authority of
Poland, but without success. The grand master refused the customary
homage to the King of Poland, and, after fruitless negotiations, war
was once more declared, which continued till 1521, when peace was
concluded; one of the results of which was the separation of Livonia
from the dominion of the order, and its erection into an independent
state.

All this time the doctrines of Luther had been making progress and
spreading among all classes in Prussia and Germany. In 1522 the grand
master went to Nuremberg to consult with the Lutherans there, and
shortly afterward he visited Luther himself at Wittenberg. Luther's
advice was decided and trenchant. He poured contempt upon the rules of
the order, and advised Albert to break away from it and marry.
Melancthon supported Luther's counsels. Shortly after, Luther wrote a
vigorous letter to the knights of the order, in which he maintained
that it was of no use to God or man. He urged all the members to break
their vow of celibacy and to marry, saying that it was impossible for
human nature to be chaste in any other way, and that God's law, which
commanded man to increase and multiply, was older than the decrees of
councils and the vows of religious orders. At the request of the grand
master he also sent missionaries into Prussia to preach the reformed
doctrines. One or two bishops and many of the clergy accepted them,
and they spread rapidly among the people. Services began to be said in
the vulgar tongue, and images and other ornaments were pulled down in
the churches, especially in the country districts.

In 1525 Albert met the King of Poland at Cracow, and formally resigned
his office as grand master of the Teutonic order, making over his
dominions to the King, and receiving from him in return the title of
hereditary Duke of Prussia. Shortly aft