Teutonics, they don't like it hot!!

[Coeur de Lion]

This is not in any way a criticism as I love this mod, it is the best grand medieval era mod for M2TW, however, I would like to enquire about the decision to give Acre to the Teutonic knights? It's mere curiosity as I like to think I know quite a bit about the crusades and the holy land and I'm pretty certain Acre was a Templar stronghold.

Can any Devs shed some light on this?

[The Pied Piper]

Nope, it actually belonged to the Teutonic Order in real life.

From wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teutonic_order

Formed at the end of the 12th century in Acre, in the Levant, the medieval Order played an important role in Outremer, controlling the port tolls of Acre. After Christian forces were defeated in the Middle East, the Order moved to Transylvania in 1211 to help defend Hungary against the Cumans. They were expelled in 1225 after allegedly attempting to place themselves under Papal instead of Hungarian sovereignty.

[Morty]

Nope, it actually belonged to the Teutonic Order in real life.

The Teutonic Order never controlled Acre. Further down in the wikipedia link you supplied you can find "Originally based in Acre, the Knights purchased Montfort (Starkenberg), northeast of Acre, in 1220. This castle, which defended the route between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean Sea, was made the seat of the Grand Masters in 1229..."

Further down you can find "the Teutonic Knights were never as influential in Outremer as the older Templars and Hospitallers."

Heres that link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teutonic_Knights

If you check out the official Vatican website http://www.chivalricorders.org/vatican/teutonic.htm
you will see that the Teutonic order was never "officially" independent of the Hospitallers until the middle of the 14th. century by the Holy See.

...controlling the port tolls of Acre.

Translation = Harbormasters

Their purchase of Montfort castle nearby suited them perfectly in their service to the Kingdom of Jerusalem due to its location.

Heres a link to a book you can read in full online titled: Crusader castles of the Teutonic Knights, subtitled: The red-brick castles of Prussia 1230-1466 http://books.google.com.mx/books?id=...+knights&hl=en

If you like to view images check out Malbork castle, they're stunning.

Morty

[Xtiaan72]

There are tons of threads about this and there has been quite a lot of debate about it. In the end, it was a design decision that gives experienced players a challenging faction to play. TO is generally considered one of the toughest factions to play..... It's nice in DLV that all factions are not created equal

Checkout this thread and contribute if you like

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=224392

[Morty]

Acre is one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in the world dating back to pharaoh Thutmose III 1500 B.C.

1104 It was first taken from the Abbasid Caliphate by Baldwin I King of Jerusalem shortly after the first crusade as part of initial crusader state expansion.

1187 Acre falls to Saladin of the Ayyubids shortly after the battle of Hattin.

1191 Guy de Lusignan, Richard I King of England, Phillip II King of France, Leopold V King of HRE as well as others recapture Acre during the Third Crusade.

It is during this time that the Teutonic Knights come into existence. They stopped being a hospice order (created in 1143) under the management of the Hospitallers (domus Theutonicorum) to a full fledged order in 1192. They became a military order in 1198, founded at Acre. They purchased Montfort castle nearby and made that their HQ's officially in 1229 until they lost it in 1271 to muslims.

1192 it became the capital of the remnant Kingdom of Jerusalem.

1229 it was given over to the Knights Hospitaller after the Kingdom of Jerusalem is restored to Jerusalem (1225) as a result of the 6th Crusade.

1291 Acre is last crusader holding to fall to the Mameluks of the Ayyubid Sultanate and so ends the crusader states and holy orders in Levant.

The Teutonic Knights are a curious faction. They didn't even exist when this game starts in 1080. They wouldn't come into existence until much later. Their European holdings didn't exist until 1211 when they were given Burzenland in Transylvania by Hungary. They got themselves expelled from Hungary in 1225... Frankly I've never played the Teutons faction, they are unappealing overall. Their chapter recruited units are cool though. I've played HRE.

I think a really cool way to intregrate a Teuton faction would be to have them show up in 1226 ala Mongol Invasion but in Prussia and have them setup that way. For them to exist and control Acre at game start is perplexing though. *shrugs* Just another castle to crush on my way to taking over the Levant (I am playing a Militi Christi campaign for the first time).

Morty