something belonging to the Teutones. The Teutonic language is supposed to have been the language of the ancient Germans, and hence is reckoned amongst the mother-tongues. See PHILOLOGY No 219.

TEUTONIC Order, an order of military knights, established towards the close of the twelfth century, on the following occasion.—When the emperor Barbarossa engaged in a crusade for the recovery of the Holy Land out of the hands of Saladin, he was followed by great numbers of German volunteers, who from various motives enlisted under his banners. After the death of Barbarossa, the Germans, who had signalized themselves before Acre or Ptolemais, resolved to choose another leader; and at last fixed their choice upon Frederic duke duke of Swabia, second son to the emperor, and Henry duke of Brabant. Under these generals they behaved with so much bravery, that Henry king of Jerusalem, the patriarch, and several other princes, determined to reward their valour by instituting an order of knighthood in their favour. This was accordingly done; and our new knights had at first the title of the knights of St George; afterwards it was thought proper to put them under the tutelage of the Virgin Mary, to whom there was already an hospital dedicated on Mount Zion, for the relief of German pilgrims. From this time they were called Equites Marianii, or knights of St Mary. Laws, regulations, and statutes, were drawn up for them by the Christian kings in Syria and the patriarch; and among other obligations it was required, that every person admitted to the privileges of the order should be of noble parentage; that the order should defend the Christian religion and the Holy Land; that they should exercise hospitality towards the Christians in general, but particularly those of their own country; and that they should with all their power endeavour to propagate and extend the Christian faith and the religion of Jesus. In the year 1192, having become rich by donations from the superstitious, they elected their first grandmaster, Henry Walpot, a German, who had distinguished himself by his zeal and valour; and their choice was confirmed by the emperor. The following year, Pope Celestine III. confirmed their privileges already granted, giving them the title of the Teutonic knights of the hospital of St Mary the Virgin. By the conditions of this bull, they vowed perpetual continence, obedience, and poverty; obligations which it may well be imagined were not very strictly kept. See Poland, No 59, 61, 67—69, and Prussia, No 3, 4.