History of the Northern Crusades

1. The Great Banner of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order (argent, a cross potent Or fimbriated sable overall on an escutcheon Or a double headed eagle displayed sable). The commander of the unit: Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen, 1407-1410; he fell at Tannenberg. Under the leadership of the Grand Master were there most illustrious knights and aristocrats. 2. The Lesser Banner of the Grand Master (smaller than the Greater Banner but otherwise identical without slits and "ribbons"). Used as the standard of the vanguard of the army...

13. The Banner of the Prussian vassals from the land of Kulm (barry wavy of four argent and gules, in chief and a Latin cross sable). The commander: Komtur von Thorn Johann von Seyn, Graf von Veynde (he also led the unit No. 23); died in the battle. 14. The Banner of the Komturei and Castle of Graudenz (argent, a bulls head couped affronty sable, ringed and armed argent). The commander: Komtur Wilhelm von Helfenstein, who was killed at Tannenberg. The unit was composed of the knights and folk from Graudenz...

27. The Banner of the city of Brunsberg (Braunsberg); per fess argent and sable, two crosses patty (pattée) counterchanged. The unit was composed of city-folk, vassals and some hired help. The name of the commander is unknown. 28. The Banner of the militia of Franconia composed of German guest knights, who came at their own expense to help the Order; fought under their own banner (agent, a crossbow bolt and a bird blunt bolt in cross gules). The name of the commander is unknown 29. The Banner of the Swiss guest knights (gules, a wolf or a fox statant palewise argent, langued sable)...

39. The Banner of the city of Mewe (a crossbow bolt and a bird blunt crossbow bolt argent). The unit was composed of the Teutonic Knights and the guest knights from Franconia (80 lances fournies). The commander: Komtur of Mewe was Komtur Segemunt von Ramungen, who died in the battle. 40. The Banner of the city of Heiligenbeil (sable, a broadax argent). The name of the commander is unknown. 41. The Banner of the city of Brunsberg (azure, a lion rampant queue forchee barry gules and argent, armed and crowned sable)...

In movies and pictures we often see hordes of the Teutonic Knights wearing white cloaks and shields with a black Latin cross on them. In fact, the Teutonic Knights were too few to carry out such a mission as the Christianization of the Baltic region on their own. Even in the fateful Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg), which determined the destiny of the Teutonic Order itself, the number of the Teutonic Knights, i.e. the Order's full members who had the right to wear white cloaks with a black Latin cross on them, did not exceed 250 (of whom 203 died in the battle)...