The name of the city Ostroda (Ger. Osterode) comes from the name of a place in Harc mountains, in Lower Saxony, owned by Brunswick dukes at the time.

   History of the settlement begins in pre-christian times, where in its neighbourhood there was a borderline between tribal territories of Sasins and Pomezans, a trade trail to Baltic Sea, and in Medieval also roads from South to North and from West to East.

   At the turn of XIV centuty Teutonic Order knigths build a wooden fort along with a small village surrounding it at the delta of Drweca River. Convenient location created wide possibilites of growth for the settlement. After quelling the last Prussian uprising in 1274, more settlers kept coming here. Those were mainly people from conquered Prussian tribes (especially Pomezans), but also Slavs from Chelmno region.

   In 1329 komtur of Dzierzgon Luther from Brunswick gave Ostroda status of a city based on Chelmno law. In 1341 the city was announced the capital city of the komturship by master Ditrich von Altenburg. Ostroda became administrative, military and economical capital for the region. In 1381 prince of Lithuania Kiejstut conquered the city and burned down the castle. Additionally the great fire of 1400 causes almost total destruction of the city's buildings.

   After the battle of Grunwald in 1410, where Teutonic Order was totally defeated, knight Nickolas of Durag drived out the Teutonic knights from the castle and turned it over to Poles. King of Poland, Ladislaus Jagiello ordered to lay here the body of the Grand Master, Ulrich von Jungingen. Two months later the city became a part of Teutonic Order's country again.

   In 1440 Prussian Union is established to protect the interest of gentry. In 1466 based on Torun Treaty ending Thirteen Years' War, Ostroda becomes a part of West Prussia. In 1519 the last war between Poland and Teutonic Order ends, and as a result the city is conquered by Polish army. In 1525 Ostroda becomes a part of Ducal Prussia, a homage of Poland. Next homage was in 1570, but it was by Ostroda's nobility to the duke of Prussia Albrecht Friderick Hohenzollern.

   In 1628 in conquered by Swedes city enters king Gustav Adolf.

   Based on Oliva Peace in 1660 Ducal Prussia is no longer a homage of Poland.

   See also: Old postcards