▁to ▁Rh odes , ▁and ▁later ▁Mal ta . ▁ ▁The ▁Te ut onic ▁Kn ights ▁were ▁a ▁German ▁religious ▁order ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 1 9 0 , ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁A cre , ▁to ▁both ▁aid ▁Christian ▁pil gr ims ▁on ▁their ▁way ▁to ▁the ▁Holy ▁Land s ▁and ▁to ▁operate ▁hosp it als ▁for ▁the ▁sick ▁and ▁injured ▁in ▁Out re mer . ▁After ▁Muslim ▁forces ▁captured ▁the ▁Holy ▁Land s , ▁the ▁order ▁moved ▁to ▁Trans ylvan ia ▁in ▁ 1 2 1 1 ▁and ▁later , ▁after ▁being ▁exp elled , ▁inv aded ▁pag an ▁Pr uss ia ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁Christian izing ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁region . ▁Yet , ▁before ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁Order ' s ▁main ▁pag an ▁oppon ent , ▁Lith u ania , ▁converted ▁to ▁Christian ity , ▁the ▁Order ▁had ▁already ▁attacked ▁other ▁Christian ▁nations ▁such ▁as ▁Nov gor od ▁and ▁Poland . ▁The ▁Te ut onic ▁Kn ights ' ▁power ▁hold , ▁which ▁became ▁considerable , ▁was ▁broken ▁in ▁ 1 4 1 0 , ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Gr un wald , ▁where ▁the ▁Order ▁suffered ▁a ▁dev ast ating ▁defeat ▁against ▁a ▁joint ▁Polish - L ith uan ian ▁army . ▁After ▁Gr un wald , ▁the ▁Order ▁decl ined ▁in ▁power ▁until ▁ 1 8 0 9 ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁officially ▁dissol ved . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁ten ▁cr us ades ▁in ▁total . ▁ ▁Sch ol astic ism ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁Christian ▁method ▁of ▁learning ▁was