la sécularisation de l'ordre Teutonique : this

military religions order of Knights, founded towards the close of the twelfth century, had acquired Prussia, but the country remained under the feudal superiority of Poland. In 1525, Albert, grand-master of the Teutonic Order and nephew of Sigismund, king of Poland, obtained from his uncle his investiture as hereditary duke of Prussia under the Polish crown, the territorial rights of the Order being thus set aside.