History Literature / TheKnightsOfTheCross

* RightMakesMight: While both sides believe they're right, UsefulNotes/TheTeutonicKnights are not nearly as right as they think. %% Zero Context

** %% Władysław Jagiełło. %% Zero Context

%%* RightMakesMight: And UsefulNotes/TheTeutonicKnights are not nearly as right as they think. %% Zero Context

** Granted, Ulrich's something of a NobleDemon; even the Poles recognize him as a [[WorthyOpponent just and chivalrous knight]] who just happens to be on the wrong side of the whole conflict.

* HeirClubForMen: Averted with Queen Hedwig who inherited the throne from her father and was beloved by the nation. When she gives birth to a girl, everybody seems to be ready to accept the new princess as the heiress. Sadly, they both die.

* BadassFamily: Zbyszko and his uncle Maćko. [[spoiler: Later, the family also includes Jurand as Zbyszko's father-in-law and ActionGirl Jagienka as Zbyszko's second wife]]. Also, Jagiełło and Witold who were first cousins.

* FaceHeelRevolvingDoor: Historically, Witold was this to Jagiełło, but finally, he supported his cousin in the battle of Grunwald.
* TheGoodKing: Władysław Jagiełło. Also, Janusz of Mazovia (though not a king, just a duke) is a fair ruler and seriously invested in looking after Danusia.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Ulrich von Jungingen. While he is not a direct main villain of the book, he is the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights and shows up for the final battle where he dies like he did in RealLife.

* GuileHero: While he is just as capable as Zbyszko in a fight, Maćko also seems to do the thinking for both of them. This is most evident when he tricks Jagienka's two hot-headed suitors into guarding her from each other while Zbyszko is away. Also prince Witold, [[TruthInTelevision true to history books]].

* ImprobableAge: Zbyszko. While Sienkiewicz did plenty of research for the book, he did less research for character ages. Eighteen is impossibly old for a squire, though in Zbyszko's defence his home was burned in a random civil war, and he and his uncle served in various armies.

* RightMakesMight: And UsefulNotes/TheTeutonicKnights are not nearly as right as they think.

* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: Queen Hedwig. Note that she was canonized later in RealLife (but after Sienkiewicz's death).
* TrialByCombat: The most famous example in Polish literature.

* [[YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe Ye Olde Polishe]]: A mild, tasteful example, but it's there.

* BabiesMakeEverythingBetter: [[TearJerker Sadly]] (and historically) [[AvertedTrope averted]] for queen Hedwig - everyone's thrilled to hear she's expecting, but her DeathByChildbirth shatters the spirits of both her husband and the nation.

** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] (again, true to history) by Jagiełło at Grunwald - he listened not to one, not to two, but to three Masses, just to keep the opponent sweating (literally - it was July) on the field a bit longer. This was a tactical thing.

** "Unskilled" being relative here, as the narration describes in detail Zbyszko's patient, cautious way of fighting. He might not be a MasterSwordsman but he is obviously VERY good at fighting.

* TheIngenue: Danusia.

* StarCrossedLovers: Zbyszko and Danusia

%%* TheIngenue: Danusia.

* {{Plunder}}: That's how knights make a living. The CostumePorn best clothes]] Zbyszko and Maćko have are plundered.

* ParentalMarriageVeto: Jurand opposes to Zbyszko nad Danusia's marriage because he promised to God that the girl would be a nun. [[spoiler: However, when the two are married in secret, he finally accepts Zbyszko as his son-in-law and they work together for a while to free her from the Teutonic Knights.]]

* FaceHeelRevolvingDoor: Historically, Witold was this to Jagiełło, but finally, he suppported his cousin in the battle of Grunwald.

* TheJester: Ciaruszek, Jagiełło's jester, is very good at making people laugh and [[HonestAdvisor turning their attention to things that need to be attended]].

* EyepatchOfPower: Jurand.

* BadassFamily: Zbyszko and his uncle Maćko. [[spoiler: Later, the family also includes Jurand as Zbyszko's father-in-law and ActionGirl Jagienka as Zbyszko's second wife ]]. Also, Jagiełło and Witold who were first cousins.

%%* BigBadassBattleSequence: Grunwald in the finale.
%%* BreakTheCutie: [[spoiler: Danusia. Ends up as KillTheCutie]].

* DrivenToSuicide: One of the villains responsible for [[spoiler:Danusia's death and the blinding of Jurand]]is captured by the heroes and subsequently kills himself when Jurand [[CruelMercy orders him set free]].

%%* EyepatchOfPower: Jurand.

Note: This page is under construction. If you can name any tropes associated with the work (or improve on the description copied and pasted from Wiki/TheOtherWiki), feel free to do so.

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* BigBadassBattleSequence: Grunwald in the finale.
* BreakTheCutie: [[spoiler: Danusia. Ends up as KillTheCutie]].

* EyepatchOfPower: Jurand.

* TheIngenue: Danusia.

The novel was written in partitioned Poland, with most Poles living under the rule of Russian Empire - one of Sienkiewicz's goals in writing ''The Knights of the Cross'' being to encourage and strengthen Polish national confidence against the occupying powers of [[UsefulNotes/TheSoundOfMartialMusic Austria]], [[UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany Prussia]], and [[UsefulNotes/TsaristRussia Russia]]. To circumvent Russian censorship, Sienkiewicz placed the plot in [[TheLateMiddleAges medieval]] UsefulNotes/{{Prussia}} (region) and the State of the [[UsefulNotes/TheTeutonicKnights Teutonic Order]]. He used offences (well known to his readers from the newspapers) perpetrated in his own time by the Russians to fill in the details.

The actual, historical [[WarriorMonk religious military]] order of UsefulNotes/TheTeutonicKnights, which from the 13th to the 16th centuries controlled large parts of the Baltic Sea coast, and its defeat in the Battle of Grunwald[[note]] known in German historiography as Battle of Tannenberg (1410)[[/note]] by Poles and Lithuanians, serves as backdrop for the story, which also focuses extensively on medieval life and customs in both the cities and the rural part of medieval Poland.

* BabiesMakeEverythingBetter: [[TearJerker Sadly]] (and historically) [[AvertedTrope averted]] for queen Hedwig - everyone's thrilled to hear she's expecting, but her DeathByChildbirth shatters spirits of both her husband and the nation.

The actual, historical [[WarriorMonk religious military]] order of TheTeutonicKnights, which from the 13th to the 16th centuries controlled large parts of the Baltic Sea coast, and its defeat in the Battle of Grunwald[[note]] known in German historiography as Battle of Tannenberg (1410)[[/note]] by Poles and Lithuanians, serves as backdrop for the story, which also focuses extensively on medieval life and customs in both the cities and the rural part of medieval Poland.

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: TheTeutonicKnights are the [[ObviouslyEvil very obvious villains]] of the story.

* BadassBoast: "Swords are aplenty in our camp, but we shall accept these." Yes, this is a BadassBoast, since it's delivered very calmly in answer to TheTeutonicKnights [[TrashTalk taunts]]. And followed by kicking their collective ass in battle.

* TheLateMiddleAges: Their negative aspects are [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] for the Poles (for whom this was start of a Golden Age), but played straight for TheTeutonicKnights.

* PropheciesAreAlwaysRight: Saint Bridget's prophecy of how TheTeutonicKnights are going to fall. (If you're thinking of starting a historical discussion now, please refrain - we'd be here forever).
* RightMakesMight: And TheTeutonicKnights are not nearly as right as they think.

Note: This page is under construction. If you can name any tropes associated with the work (or improve on the description copied and pasted from TheOtherWiki), feel free to do so.

** [[AvertedTrope Averted (again, true to history) by Jagiełło at Grunwald - he listened not to one, not to two, but to three Masses, just to keep the opponent sweating (literally - it was July) on the field a bit longer. This was a tactical thing.

* BadassFamily: Zbyszko and his uncle Maćko.[[spoiler: Later, the family also includes Jurand as Zbyszko's father-in-law and ActionGirl Jagienka as Zbyszko's second wife ]]. Also, Jagiełło and Witold who were first cousins.

* TheGoodKing: Władysław Jagiełło. Also, Janusz of Mazovia though not a king, just a duke, who is a fair ruler and is seriously invested in looking for Danusia.

* GuileHero: While he is just as capable as Zbyszko in a fight, Maćko also seems to do the thinking for both of them. This is most evident when he tricks Jagienka's two hot-headed suitors into guarding her from each other while Zbyszko is away.Also prince Witold, TruthInTelevision.

* HeirClubForMen: Averted with Queen Hedwig who inherited the throne from her father and was beloved by the nation. When she gives birth to a girl, everybody seems to be ready to accept the new princess as the heiress.[[spoiler: Sadly, they both die]].

* PropheciesAreAlwaysRight: Saint Bridget's prophecy of how TheTeutonicKnights are going to fall. (If you're thinking of starting a historical discussion here, please refrain - we'd be here forever).

* WouldHurtAChild: The four Tetonic Knights who kidnapped Danusia. Also, the two who "inspired" them to do it- von Salzbach and Szomberg who supposedly killed prince Witold'children.

* HappinnssInSlavery: Hlava, Zbyszko's squire who was [[MadeASlave captured by Zych of Zgorzelice]] in the battle of Bolesławiec and later given by Jagienka to Zbyszko. He is completely devoted to the two of them and Zbyszko later makes him the administrator of Spychów.