Editing Frombork (section)

==History==
===Early history===
The town was founded as a defensive [[fortification|stronghold]] on an [[Old Prussians|Old Prussian]] site. In 1224 at [[Catania]], Emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] declared [[Prussia (region)|Prussia]] directly subordinate to the church and [[Holy Roman Empire]]. Later in the same year the pope assigned Bishop [[William of Modena]] as the papal legate to Prussia. With the imperial [[Golden Bull of Rimini]], the [[Teutonic Knights]] were granted control of the region, which they subsequently conquered. According to a local legend, the Old Prussian inhabitants were baptised by [[Anselm of Meissen]]{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}}, a [[priest]] of the [[Teutonic Knights]] and the first Bishop of the [[Archbishopric of Warmia|Bishopric of Warmia]] which was created in 1242 by William of Modena.

Supposedly when the stronghold's lord died, his widow Gertruda offered the settlement to the bishop, and in her honor it was named "Frauenburg" (German for "Our Lady's fortress", "Castrum Dominae Nostrae"<ref>Zapiski historyczne, by Towarzystwo Naukowe w Toruniu, Published by Państwowe Wydayn. Naukowe, 2006 [https://books.google.com/books?id=vQrUAAAAMAAJ&q=Frauenburg+Castrum+Dominae+Nostrae]</ref> in Latin). This name is not unique in German, as it usually originates in the construction of a fortified chapel, church, or monastery dedicated to the [[Mary, the mother of Jesus|Virgin Mary]] or inhabited by [[nun]]s. Several places were thus named [[Frauenburg (disambiguation)|Frauenburg]] or [[Marienburg (disambiguation)|Marienburg]], like the nearby [[Malbork Castle|Marienburg castle]] and city (now [[Malbork]]).

The village was first mentioned in a 1278 document signed by Bishop Heinrich Fleming. On 8 July 1310, Bishop [[Eberhard of Neisse]] granted the town [[Lübeck law|Lübeck city rights]], as used by many member cities of the [[Hanseatic League]]. It was described, still rather unspecifically, as ''Civitas Warmiensis'' (''Warmian city'').

In 1329–1388, the magnificent [[Brick Gothic]] cathedral (now the [[Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Andrew]]) was built, and was dedicated to the [[Blessed Virgin Mary|Virgin Mary]], or "Our Lady".

Over the centuries, the cathedral has been expanded and rebuilt repeatedly. There are also several other historic churches, dedicated to [[Nicholas of Myra|St. Nicholas]], [[Saint George|St. George]], and [[Saint Anne|St. Anne]], all built in the 13th century.

===Copernican era===
In 1414, the town was plundered and burned during the [[Hunger War]] between the Teutonic Knights and Poland. In 1440, the town joined the anti-Teutonic [[Prussian Confederation]], at the request of which Polish King [[Casimir IV Jagiellon]] signed the act of incorporation of the region into the [[Crown of the Kingdom of Poland]] in 1454.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Górski|first=Karol|title=Związek Pruski i poddanie się Prus Polsce: zbiór tekstów źródłowych|year=1949|publisher=Instytut Zachodni|location=[[Poznań]]|language=pl|pages=XXXVII, 54}}</ref> In 1454, the Warmian Chapter paid homage to King Casimir IV Jagiellon, recognizing him as rightful ruler. In retaliation the Teutonic Knights invaded the town in the same year.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bałdowski|first=Jan|title=Warmia i Mazury, mały przewodnik|year=1977|publisher=Wydawnictwo Sport i Turystyka|location=[[Warsaw]]|language=pl|page=82}}</ref> In 1455, Czech mercenaries in the service of Poland, commanded by Jan Skalski,<ref name="Serwis">Serwis Internetowy Miasta Frombork, "Historia Miasta" (History of the City), [http://www.frombork.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=15] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923195222/http://www.frombork.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=15|date=2009-09-23}}</ref> took back the city.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Skurzyński|first=Piotr|title=Warmia, Mazury, Suwalszczyzna|year=2004|publisher=Wyd. Sport i Turystyka – Muza S.A.|location=Warsaw|language=pl|pages=103–104}}</ref> Frombork was recognized as part of the Polish Kingdom by the [[Second Peace of Thorn (1466)]].<ref>Górski, p. 99</ref> It became an important town of the [[Prince-Bishopric of Warmia]] and part of the province of [[Royal Prussia]] within the larger [[Greater Poland Province, Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Greater Poland Province]]. The town was also devastated after a raid by [[Albert, Duke of Prussia|Albert, Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights]] in 1520 during the [[Polish–Teutonic War (1519–1521)|Polish–Teutonic War of 1519–1521]].<ref name="Serwis"/>

[[File:Nicolaus Copernicus epitaph.PNG|thumb|upright|left|Epitaph of [[Nicolaus Copernicus]] in [[Frombork Cathedral]]]]
In the [[Middle Ages]], the inhabitants were mainly merchants, farmers and fishermen. The most famous resident was the <!-- no POV statements here! --> astronomer and mathematician [[Nicolaus Copernicus]], who lived and worked here as a [[canon (priest)|canon]] (1512–16 and 1522–43). Copernicus is said to have jokingly called it "''Weiberstadt''"<ref>[[Hermann Kesten]]: Copernicus und seine Welt, [https://books.google.com/books?id=a0Y0AAAAIAAJ&q=Weiberstadt]</ref> ("Wives' Town") or "''Gynepolis''" (in [[Medieval Greek]]). In 1519 Copernicus wrote to the King of Poland, asking for help against the Teutonic Knights who were threatening the city. The letter however was intercepted, and the Teutonic Knights took and burned the city (Copernicus and other canons had left the city shortly before).<ref>Barbara A. Somervill, "Nicolaus Copernicus: Father of Modern Astronomy", Compass Point Books, 2005, pgs. 45-46, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ODh9P4P3ElkC&dq=Barbara+Somervill+Copernicus&pg=PA45]</ref>

[[File:Frombork Hartknoch.jpg|thumb|''Frawenburg'' at the ''Frisch Haff'' in 1684 (by [[Christoph Hartknoch]])]]
The [[astronomer]] wrote his epochal work, ''[[De revolutionibus orbium cœlestium]]'' in Frombork.<ref>J R Ravetz Plate, ''Nicolaus Copernicus 1473-1543'' in ''Proceedings of the Royal Society of London'', London 1602, p. 7 [https://books.google.com/books?id=8_IDAAAAIAAJ&q=frombork link]</ref> In his book, written in [[Latin]], Copernicus used the Latin name of the town and region - ''Frueburgo Prussiae''.<ref>[http://la.wikisource.org/wiki/Pagina:Nicolai_Copernici_torinensis_De_revolutionibus_orbium_coelestium.djvu/142 Frueburgo=Frauenburg, Prussia]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://la.wikisource.org/wiki/Pagina:Nicolai_Copernici_torinensis_De_revolutionibus_orbium_coelestium.djvu/142 |title=Pagina:Nicolai Copernici torinensis De revolutionibus orbium coelestium.djvu/142 - Wikisource |language=la |publisher=La.wikisource.org |date=2011-07-16 |access-date=2011-09-16}}</ref><ref>On his manuscript on page 72 recto (edited) - {{cite web |url=http://www.bj.uj.edu.pl/bjmanus/revol/images/072r.jpg |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-06-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607170650/http://www.bj.uj.edu.pl/bjmanus/revol/images/072r.jpg |archive-date=2011-06-07 }}</ref><ref>In De revolutionibus, he states in Book 3 Chapter 2 that he in 1525 observed the star Spica "in Frueburgo Prussiae". - Zakład Historii Nauki i Techniki (Polska Akademia Nauk): ''Studia i materiały z dziejów nauki polskiej'', Published by Państwowe Wydawn. Naukowe, 1961 [https://books.google.com/books?id=_ZMPAAAAIAAJ&q=Frueburgo+Prussiae p. 104]</ref><ref>''Nicholas Copernicus calculates the latitude of Frombork (in Frueburgo Prussiae).'' - Marian Biskup: ''Regesta Copernicana (calendar of Copernicus' papers).'', Published by Ossolineum, 1973 [https://books.google.com/books?id=3gkLAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Frueburgo+Prussiae%22 p. 65, 128]</ref> Shortly after its 1543 publication, Copernicus died there and was buried in the town's [[cathedral]] where there is a monument to him bearing the inscription ''{{lang|la|Astronomo celeberrimo, cujus nomen et gloria utrumque implevit orbem}}''<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Frauenburg |volume=11 |page=42}}</ref> (Most renowned astronomer, whose name and glory filled both worlds). His grave was thought to have been found by archaeologists in 2005, when the body was exhumed and subsequently confirmed in November 2008 by the publication of the results of DNA tests on fragments of bone and hair found on the skeleton. The body was reinterred on Sunday May 23, 2010 in the Catholic church of Frombork. Hair that matched two strands of hair which belonged to Copernicus are currently located in [[Uppsala University]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/nov/22/astronomy-genetics-copernicus Copernicus skeleton identified] The Guardian (November 22, 2008)</ref>

In the northwest corner of the [[cathedral]] grounds is Copernicus' tower, and in the southwest corner an octagonal building with a square [[bell tower]] and a small [[planetarium]] and a [[Foucault pendulum|Foucault's pendulum]]. From atop the tower one can survey the town, the tiny [[harbor]], the panorama of the [[Baltic Sea]], and much of [[Warmia]]'s countryside.

===Modern history===
Frombork suffered destruction and heavy population losses during the [[Polish–Swedish wars]]. Between 1626 and 1635 it was occupied by [[Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden]] who looted the cathedral and shipped many cultural artifacts, including Copernicus' manuscripts to [[Swedish Empire|Sweden]]. Further destruction followed during the [[Deluge (history)|Deluge]] (Swedish invasion of Poland of 1655–1660), the [[Great Northern War]] and the [[War of the Fourth Coalition]].<ref name="Serwis"/>

[[File:Domberg Frauenburg.jpg|thumb|View of the Cathedral Hill in the 1930s]]
After the [[First Partition of Poland]] (1772) the town was taken over by the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] and in 1773 it became part of the newly established province of [[East Prussia]]. Following the unsuccessful Polish [[November Uprising]], hundreds of Polish insurgents, including professors and students of the [[Wilno University]], were interned in the town in 1832.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kasparek|first=Norbert|editor-last=Katafiasz|editor-first=Tomasz|year=2014|title=Na tułaczym szlaku... Powstańcy Listopadowi na Pomorzu|language=pl|location=Koszalin|publisher=Muzeum w Koszalinie, Archiwum Państwowe w Koszalinie|pages=174, 176|chapter=Żołnierze polscy w Prusach po upadku powstania listopadowego. Powroty do kraju i wyjazdy na emigrację}}</ref> With the [[unification of Germany]] in 1871, Frauenburg became part of the [[German Empire]]. The ''[[Preußische Ostbahn]]'' railway line was opened in 1899 connecting [[Elbląg|Elbing]] (present-day Elbląg) and [[Braniewo|Braunsberg]] (present-day Braniewo) via Frauenburg, leading further to the Russian border at [[Chernyshevskoye|Eydtkuhnen]] (present-day Chernyshevskoye). Passenger services on the railway line ceased in early 2006.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

After German surrender in [[World War II]],  sovereignty over the town was ceremoniously transferred to Polish authorities on August 5, 1945.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.vffow.de/assets/downloads/dateien/Pr.%20Holland-Die%20Wende%201945_Diss.pdf|title=PREUßISCH HOLLAND/PASLEK – DIE WENDE DES JAHRES 1945. DIE VERTREIBUNG/AUSSIEDLUNG DER DEUTSCHEN BEVÖLKERUNG 1945-1947|author=Joanna Ewa Wisniewska|pages=91}}</ref> The unilateral Soviet transfer of power to Poland was accepted according to the [[Potsdam Agreement]], however, under preliminary terms. Towards and after the end of [[World War II]] the German inhabitants had either [[Evacuation of East Prussia|been evacuated]] or [[Expulsion of Germans from Poland after World War II|expelled]] in accordance with the [[Potsdam Agreement]]. The town was resettled by [[Polish people|Poles]], many of whom were expelleés from [[Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union]].

In 1959, Frombork regained its city rights. Having been heavily (70%){{citation needed|date=October 2022}} damaged in World War II, it was rebuilt by Polish [[Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego|Boy Scouts]] and others in 1966–1973, in time for the 500th anniversary of Copernicus' birth. Between 1975 and 1998 Frombork was part of the [[Elbląg Voivodeship]].

Today, Frombork is regaining its importance as a tourist destination, aided by its key location just south of the frontier with the Russian [[Kaliningrad Oblast]]. Although the railway through Frombork closed in 2006, the port has seasonal ferry connections with [[Elbląg]], [[Krynica Morska]] and [[Kaliningrad]].{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
[[File:Port we Fromborku.JPG|thumb|Frombork's small port on the [[Vistula Lagoon]]]]