Teutonic Knight Grand Master, Hermann Von Salza

Hermann von Slaza (1179-1239) as fourth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights guided the growth and destiny of these warrior monks in numerous crusades from Spain to the Holy Land and Eastern Europe. Von Salza was connected to the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II whom he represented at the Papal curia from 1222 till his death. It was from these curias the Pope Honorius III became impressed with the Grand Master and reestablished the Teutonic Knights on an equal status with the Templar and Hospitaller Knights, after the order had declined under the previous Grand Master. In 1230 he oversaw the initiation of the order’s expansion into Prussia. By 1237 he was able to secure the incorporation of the Sword Brethren into the Teutonic Knights. He retired to Salerno and died there in 1239.