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![Olsztyn North of Poland-Nicolaus Copernicus was the first astronomer here. : Welcome to Olsztyn,
I was born here many years ago...
Here are some history facts about Olsztyn:
In 1346, ancient forests along the Alna River to make way for a new settlement for German settlers in Prussian Warmia. The Teutonic Knights began construction of an Ordensburg castle in 1347 to protect against Old Prussians, and the settlement of Allenstein was first mentioned the following year. The German name Allenstein meant stone [castle] on the Alle River; this became known to Masurian settlers as Olsztyn. The settlement received municipal rights from Johannes von Leysen, on 31 October 1353, and the castle was completed in 1397. Allenstein was captured by Polish troops in 1410 during the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War and in 1414 during the Hunger War, but was returned to the monastic state of the Teutonic Knights after hostilities ended.
Allenstein joined the Prussian Confederation in 1440. It rebelled against the Teutonic Knights in 1454 upon the outbreak of the Thirteen Years' War and requested protection from the Polish Crown.Nicolaus Copernicus (February 19, 1473 – May 24, 1543) was the first astronomer to formulate a scientifically based heliocentric cosmology that displaced the Earth from the center of the universe.Copernicus oversaw the defense of the castle of Olsztyn (Allenstein) at the head of Royal Polish forces when the town was besieged by the Teutonic Knights during the Polish-Teutonic War (1519–1521). He also participated in the peace negotiations.
Although the Teutonic Knights captured the town in the next year, it was retaken by Polish troops in 1463. The Second Peace of Thorn (1466) allocated Allenstein and the Bishopric of Warmia as part of Royal Prussia under the sovereignty of the Crown of Poland. From 1516–21, Nicolaus Copernicus lived at the castle as administrator of Allenstein and Mehlsack (Pieniężno); he was in charge of the defenses of the town and Warmia during another war with the Teutonic Knights. Allenstein was sacked by Swedish troops in 1655 and 1708 during the Polish-Swedish wars, and the town was nearly wiped out in 1710 from epidemics of bubonic plague and cholera.
Allenstein was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1772 during the First Partition of Poland. A Prussian census recorded a population of 1,770 people, predominantly farmers, in Allenstein, which was administered within the Province of East Prussia. It was visited by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807 after his victories over the Prussian Army at Jena and Auerstedt.](http://inmyviewnow.smugmug.com/Travel/PolskaPoland-2008/Olsztyn-North-of-Poland/i-hKXzH49/1/Ti/Olsztyn%202008%20158-Ti.jpg)
Olsztyn North of Poland-Nicolaus Cope...
Welcome to Olsztyn, I was born here many years ago... Here are some ...
Updated: Dec 03, 2008 11:45am PST
