In 1240, the Teutonic Knights founded a castle ("Creutzburg" or "Kreuzburg", meaning `cross castle') in the region of Natangia at the location of an Old Prussians settlement. In 1315 Kreuzburg received its town privileges. Throughout the Hunger War in 1414, 71 houses were destroyed and five citizens were killed by the Polish troops. Kreuzburg also suffered heavy damages in the Thirteen Years' War of 1454–1466 and the Polish-Teutonic War of 1519–1521.