Lower Prussia
{{use dmy|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|native_name = {{lang|pl|Prusy Dolne}}
|settlement_type = Historical region
|image_map = Prusy historyczne.png
|map_caption = Prusy Dolne on the map of the region of Prussia
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{POL}}
{{RUS}}
}}
Lower Prussia (Polish: Prusy Dolne; German: Niederland, lit. Low land) is a part of the historical region of Prussia, divided between Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland. It is located in the basin of rivers Pregolya and Łyna.Marian Biskup: Wojna pruska, Oświecim, 2014, p. 29.Marian Biskup, Gerard Labuda: Dzieje zakonu krzyżackiego w Prusach, Gdańsk, 1986.Piotr Skórzyński: Warmia i polskie Dolne Prusy, 2012.
History
Historically, the whole region of Prussia had been under the State of the Teutonic Order. The area of Lower Prussia was viewed as an important location for the construction of defensive castles prior to the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War, with the construction of them being personally overseen by the Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen.{{cite web |url=https://www.kul.pl/files/954/war_6.pdf |title=War in History |publisher=Instytut Historii KUL |accessdate=2025-04-29}} Following the establishment of the Duchy of Prussia, Lower Prussia was established by Albert of Prussia as part of an administrative division of the Duchy, with Upper Prussia and Sambia making up the remainder of the three divisions. Lower Prussia was then subdivided into elderships.{{Cite book |title=The Archaeology of the Prussian Crusade |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XzlvEAAAQBAJ |first=Aleksander |last=Pluskowski |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2022 |isbn=9781000603439}} During the mid-1500s, Lower Prussia became a place where a large number of anabaptists settled, with the majority settling near Danzig.{{cite web |url=https://www.plettfoundation.org/files/preservings/Preservings26.pdf |title=Preservings |work=Plett Foundation |accessdate=2025-04-29}}
Following the end of the Second World War, Lower Prussia was taken out of German sovereignty and split between the Republic of Poland and the Soviet Union.{{cite web |url=http://www.staropolska.pl/ang/middleages/Sec_prose/Banderia2024.pdf |title=The Prussian Banners |work=Unniversity of Krakow |accessdate=2025-04-29}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1945/450802a.html|title=THE POTSDAM DECLARATION|website=www.ibiblio.org|accessdate=29 April 2025}} The Soviets then assigned administration of their section to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18284828|title=Kaliningrad profile|date=31 May 2012|accessdate=29 April 2025|publisher=BBC News}} Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, administration remained with the Russian Federation as an exclave in the following years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65545636|title=Kaliningrad: Russia fury as Poland body recommends renaming exclave|date=10 May 2023|accessdate=29 April 2025|publisher=BBC News}}