Why medieval armies turned to starvation as a primary weapon of war in 1414
The Hunger War was a brief, brutal conflict between Poland-Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights. Instead of clashing on the battlefield, both sides deployed scorched earth tactics, burning crops and destroying resources. The result was not a decisive victory, but a devastating famine and plague that ravaged the Prussian landscape.
The conflict arose from unresolved territorial tensions following the 1410 Battle of Grunwald. Central to the dispute was the border between Samogitia and Prussia, specifically control over the Neman River's northern bank and the settlement of Klaipėda. Although Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund appointed Benedict Makrai to mediate, his 1413 ruling in favor of Lithuania was rejected by the Teutonic Order. This refusal triggered a series of failed negotiations and military posturing, eventually leading to an invasion of Prussia by Polish and Lithuanian forces in the summer of 1414.
Rather than engaging in open combat, the Teutonic Knights adopted a defensive strategy, retreating into their fortified castles. Recognizing the military superiority of the invading forces, Grand Master Michael Küchmeister von Sternberg ordered the destruction of local food supplies and infrastructure. This scorched earth policy was intended to starve the invaders out, but it backfired by inflicting widespread suffering on the local population. The invaders, unwilling to commit to lengthy sieges, eventually withdrew without achieving their strategic goals.
The aftermath of the campaign was marked by severe humanitarian consequences. Famine and plague swept through the region, claiming the lives of 86 Teutonic friars, according to chronicler Johann von Posilge. While this death toll was lower than the 200 friars lost at the 1410 Battle of Grunwald, the social impact was profound. The war concluded with a two-year truce signed in October 1414 at Strasburg, with the parties agreeing to defer their territorial claims to the Council of Constance. A final resolution remained elusive until the Treaty of Melno was signed in 1422.
The Hunger War serves as a stark example of the limitations of medieval military campaigns. Despite the mobilization of large armies, the reliance on resource denial rather than decisive engagement led to a stalemate. The conflict highlights how political disputes, when left to fester, could escalate into destructive campaigns that devastated the very lands the combatants sought to control, ultimately failing to provide the political clarity that both the Polish-Lithuanian alliance and the Teutonic Order required.
Source: Hunger War
