# Balga

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{{Short description|Medieval castle of the Teutonic Knights in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia}}
{{other uses}}

thumb|250px|Balga castle ruins in 2006

'''Balga''' ({{langx|ru|замок Бальга}}; {{langx|de|Burg Balga}}; {{langx|lt|Balga}}; {{langx|pl|Balga}})<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dir.icm.edu.pl/pl/Slownik_geograficzny/Tom_I/86|title=Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom I - wynik wyszukiwania - DIR|website=dir.icm.edu.pl|access-date=2019-09-16}}</ref> was a [medieval](/source/medieval) [castle](/source/castle) of the [Teutonic Knights](/source/Teutonic_Knights) in [Kaliningrad Oblast](/source/Kaliningrad_Oblast), [Russia](/source/Russia). The castle [ruins](/source/ruins) are located on the shore of the [Vistula Lagoon](/source/Vistula_Lagoon), north of [Mamonovo](/source/Mamonovo) in the Pogranichny municipality of [Bagrationovsky District](/source/Bagrationovsky_District), about {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} southwest of [Kaliningrad](/source/Kaliningrad).

==History==
The hill of Balga had been the site of an [Old Prussian](/source/Old_Prussians) ([Warmian](/source/Warmians)) fortress called Honeda. The fort had been unsuccessfully besieged by the [Wettin](/source/House_of_Wettin) margrave [Henry III of Meissen](/source/Henry_III%2C_Margrave_of_Meissen) on his 1237 [Prussian Crusade](/source/Prussian_Crusade), but was eventually conquered in 1239 by the forces of the [Teutonic Order](/source/State_of_the_Teutonic_Order), led by [Grand Marshal](/source/Grand_Marshal) Dietrich von Bernheim. Balga was the oldest [Ordensburg](/source/Ordensburg) constructed by the Teutonic Order in the region of present-day [Kaliningrad Oblast](/source/Kaliningrad_Oblast), and was built from 1239 to control naval traffic on the [Vistula Lagoon](/source/Vistula_Lagoon). With the assistance of Duke [Otto I of Brunswick-Lüneburg](/source/Otto_I%2C_Duke_of_Brunswick-L%C3%BCneburg), the Teutonic Knights defeated the Old Prussians along the coastline of [Warmia](/source/Warmia) and [Natangia](/source/Natangians). The subjugation of these [pagan](/source/Paganism) peoples led Duke [Świętopełk II of Pomerania](/source/Swietopelk_II%2C_Duke_of_Pomerania) to declare war against the Teutonic Order during the 1242 [Prussian uprising](/source/Prussian_uprisings), although he was eventually forced to abandon his participation in the uprising.<ref name="Christiansen">Eric Christiansen. ''The Northern Crusades''. Penguin Books. London, 1997. {{ISBN|0-14-026653-4}}</ref> From 1250, Balga was the administrative centre of ''[Kommende](/source/Commandry_(feudalism)) Balga'' and the seat of a [Komtur](/source/Komtur) of the [Teutonic Knights](/source/Teutonic_Knights). Many Komturs at Balga like [Winrich von Kniprode](/source/Winrich_von_Kniprode) or [Ulrich von Jungingen](/source/Ulrich_von_Jungingen) later rose to the office of the [Grand Master](/source/Grand_Masters_of_the_Teutonic_Knights), the highest position in the Teutonic Order.

[[File:Balga3.jpg|thumb|left|130px|Balga ruins in their 1930s condition, before damage during [World War II](/source/World_War_II)]]

In 1499, Grand Master [Friedrich von Sachsen](/source/Duke_Frederick_of_Saxony) had the Kommende dissolved, and upon the [Prussian Homage](/source/Prussian_Homage), Balga was part of the Polish [Duchy of Prussia](/source/Duchy_of_Prussia) in 1525, and the castle became the residence of [George of Polentz](/source/George_of_Polentz), Bishop of [Samland](/source/Sambia_Peninsula).

From 1627, parts of the castle were broken down at the behest of King [Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden](/source/Gustavus_Adolphus_of_Sweden) during the [Polish–Swedish War](/source/Polish%E2%80%93Swedish_War_(1626%E2%80%931629)) in order to gain building material for the construction of the [star fort](/source/star_fort) in Pillau (now [Baltiysk](/source/Baltiysk)), a strategically important [port](/source/port) town occupied by the Swedes. Balga was located in the [Duchy of Prussia](/source/Duchy_of_Prussia) from 1525 and the [Kingdom of Prussia](/source/Kingdom_of_Prussia) from 1701, where between 1772 and 1829 it belonged to the [province](/source/province) of [East Prussia](/source/East_Prussia). The province was unified with [West Prussia](/source/West_Prussia) into the [Province of Prussia](/source/Province_of_Prussia) until 1878, when it separated once again and Balga remained in East Prussia until 1945.

During [World War II](/source/World_War_II) the castle ruins were the site of one of the final battles between the German [Wehrmacht](/source/Wehrmacht) and the Soviet [Red Army](/source/Red_Army), with the latter advancing during the [East Prussian Offensive](/source/East_Prussian_Offensive). The German defenders destroyed numerous vehicles by sinking them in the lagoon next to the ruins, and the battle extensively damaged the castle remains. Following the war Balga was in the section of East Prussia allocated to the [Soviet Union](/source/Soviet_Union) at the [Potsdam Conference](/source/Potsdam_Conference), and included in the area that was organized into [Kaliningrad Oblast](/source/Kaliningrad_Oblast) of the [Russian SFSR](/source/Russian_SFSR). The area around Balga became a popular site for [grave robbers](/source/grave_robbers) and [treasure hunters](/source/treasure_hunters) hoping to dig up valuables left behind by the castle's previous occupants and the German and Soviet soldiers who died in World War II.

Balga was also the name of a nearby village, which after Soviet sovereignty over the area was renamed Vesyoloye. It is now abandoned.<ref>850 inhabitants in 1906</ref>

==See also==
* [List of castles in Russia](/source/List_of_castles_in_Russia)

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{commons category|Balga Castle}}
*{{cite book |last=Krahe|first=Friedrich-Wilhelm|title=Burgen des deutschen Mittelalters. Grundriss-Lexikon|language=German|publisher=Flechsig|year=2000|page=693|isbn=3-88189-360-1}}
{{coord|54|33|09|N|19|58|10|E|display=title|region:RU_type:landmark_source:dewiki}}

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1239
Category:Buildings and structures in Kaliningrad Oblast
Category:Former populated places in Kaliningrad Oblast
Category:Ruined castles in Russia
Category:Cultural heritage monuments of regional significance in Kaliningrad Oblast
Category:Bagrationovsky District

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Balga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balga) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balga?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.