1190. As knights from all over Europe lead the Third Crusade to reconquer the Holy Land, a new order is born in the besieged city of Acre: the Teutonic Knights. Soon, this Germanic brotherhood would become one of the most powerful and fearsome chivalry orders of the Middle Ages.
Similar to the Knights Templar or the Hospitallers, the main mission of these soldier-monks was to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land and to convert the pagans to Christianity. Recognized by Pope Innocent III, the order expanded rapidly in the 13th century - thanks to one of its masters, Hermann von Salza - and established its power over Prussia. From its creation to its rise and fall during the Tannenberg battle in 1410, we explore the history of an order which later became one of Nazism’s symbols.
Combining maps, re-enactments and contributions from researchers and historians, this film sheds new light on the Teutonic Knights and traces their destiny from the heights of present-day Lebanon to the shores of the Baltic.
Direction: Christophe Talczewski
Production: Point du Jour & Gastonik Film for ARTE G.E.I.E.