Kneiphof

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kneiphof (Polish Knipawa) is the name of one of the three cities in the Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights, that became the city of Königsberg. Kneiphof was originally Knypabe (Kneip-ape), meaning in Old Prussian language 'area flushed by water - surrounded by a stream, river (ape).

As did many other Prussian cities it rebelled against the Teutonic Order rule in 1454 and acknowledged temporary overlordship of Polish King Casimir IV, but without help from Poland, it surrendered. The last Prussian city loyal to the Polish king, Kneiphof, was regained after a long siege by Teutonic Knights commanded by Heinrich Reuß von Plauen on June 14, 1455.

In 1525 the Teutonic Order State was changed to Ducal Prussia and in 1724 the town of Kneiphof was united with Königsberg. In 1945 the territory was conquered by the Soviet Union and became the Kaliningrad Oblast.