After Grand Master, Albrecht of Brandenburg took his title as Duke of Prussia, what became of the Teutonic Order's remaining territories across France, Germany and the Netherlands? I understand these territories were organised into "Bailiwicks," each ruled by a Land Commander. Each Bailiwick was a conglomeration of Parishes, small landmasses owned by the Knights and priests. These lands were often either donated to the Order, or else they were purchased, as if like private property. My question is: Would these lands be recognised as sovereign territories of the Teutonic Order? Or rather, after the dissolution, did the Teutonic Order evolve from being a nation, to more of a religious organisation? The lands which were purchased and donated, were they ultimately just under the control of the non-Teutonic counts, dukes and Kings who offered them?
Ah, the intricacies of the Holy Roman Empire.
Even before the conversion of Albrecht of Hohenzollern to Lutheranism in 1525, the territories and estates of the Order in Germany were ruled separately from the Prussian domains, by the Deutschmeister. The Deutschmeister was considered subordinate to the Grand Master. In 1494, during the political reforms in the Empire, the Deutschmeister was recognised as an Imperial prince, on par with the rulers of larger territories like Würzburg, Württemberg.
While Albrecht converted, the Deutschmeister remained Catholic and was recognised by the Emperor and the Pope as the rightfull successor to the Prussian domains. Needles to say, he had no influence in the area at all.
The scattered territories of the Order in Germany differed greatly in wealth and status. Some were semi-sovereign like the area around Bad Mergentheim, the main residence of the Deutchmeister. Other were located within larger territories, like Austria. As an elected position Catholic princes, counts and knights within the Empire tried to gain the position of Deutchmeister for themselves or their relatives. The Habsburgs were most successful, reserving the position for younger sons, but the Bavarian and Palatine Wittelsbachs were elected as well. In this regard, the Order functioned like a slightly different Ecclesiastical Imperial principally.
Gerhard Köbler, Historisches Lexicon der Deutschen Länder, München, 2007
There's much more to be said about the Order with the Empire, I'll try to update this post tomorrow.