Chełmno Land

Culmland or Chelmno Land - (Polish: Ziemia Chelminska, German: Kulmerland) is a traditional name for the district around the city of Chełmno (German: Kulm or Culm) in northern Poland. Other German forms of the names are Kulmer Land, Culmerland or Culmer Land.

It is located on the right bank of the Vistula river, from the mouth of the Drwęca (German Drewenz) river to Chelmno. Where the Vistula river takes a sharp turn northward, the Drwęca forms the eastern border of the region, while its southern and western border is the Vistula river.

The name of Culmland, in Latin named Culmigeria, derives from the capital of this area - Chelmno (Latin: Culmen), from Old Polish: cholm - a hill (the old Chelmno was located on a hill). The first historical mention of the name of this area is known from a document issued in 1065 by Polish duke Boleslaus II of Poland for the Benedictine Monastery in Mogilno.

History

In 10th century Culmland (south of the Osa River) was inhabited by the lekhitic tribes of Kuyavians and Masovians. When this area was subdued by rulers of Polanes (10th century) Chelmno became a local centre of administration (kasztelania). Culmland was christianised already in 11th century.

After feudal fragmentation (1137) of Poland in line with the last will of duke Boleslaus III of Poland, Culmland became a part of duchy governed by his son Boleslaus IV the Curly and his descendands.

In the Middle Ages Culmland was a subject to constant raids of the pagan Prussians. To protect his land from invasions and under the guise of Christianization to conquer the territories of Prussians duke Conrad I of Masovia called upon the Teutonic Knights for help. They were to keep the Culmland as a fief in exchange for protecting Mazovia from Prussians, though some allege the grant to be a forgery. The Teutonic Order obtained an Imperial bull of the Emperor Frederick II before entering Prussia.

In 1243 Prussia was divided by the papal legate William of Modena into four dioceses under the archbishop of Riga. The four parts were called Culmland, Pomesania, Warmia (Ermland) and Sambia (Samland). Chelmno and Toruń (then called Thorn), at the Vistula river and north of the Drwęca river, lay on the border with Masovia.

Poland was able to recover this land in 1466 after the Thirteen Years War against the Teutonic Knights, when the Second Treaty of Thorn placed it under the Polish crown as a part of Royal Prussia.

In 1772 as a result of the First Partition of Poland Culmland (with an exemption of Torun) was seized by Prussia. Between 1807 and 1815 Culmland was a part of the Duchy of Warsaw. In January of 1920 following the Treaty of Versailles (1919), Culmland was recovered by Poland.