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Masuria and the Masurian Lakes Plateau (Pojezierze Mazurskie) are known in Polish as Kraina Tysiaca Jezior, and in German as Land der Tausend Seen meaning "land of a thousand lakes." As in other parts of post 1945 northern Poland, from Pomerania on Oder Odra river to Vistula (Wisla) river, one continuous stretch of lakes makes it a beautiful holiday location. These lakes were ground out of the land by glaciers during the ice age, when ice covered north-eastern Europe. By 10,000 BC this ice started to melt. Great geological changes took place and even in the last 500 years the maps showing the lagoons and peninsulas on the Baltic Sea have greatly altered in appearance.

In the southern part of the region, the ancient Prussian Sudovia and Galindia lands, wilderness areas survived for longer than in most of Europe. The deep forests in these territories made it possible for moose, aurochs, bears and many other mammals to survive. During the Baltic or Northern CrusadesThe Northern Crusades or Baltic Crusades were undertaken by Western Europeans against the "still heathen" people of North Eastern Europe around the Baltic Sea. The official starting point for the Northern Crusades was Pope Celestine III's call in 1193, bu of the 13th century the native Prussian population also had the chance to survive in the remaining wilderness areas against the onslaught of the Teutonic Knights (of German origin) and other crusaders from elsewhere in EuropeFor the band of the same name, see Europe (band . Europe is a continent forming the westermost part of the Eurasian supercontinent. Europe is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Se (mainly from Germany), who were sent by the pope to baptize by conquest of the land and conversion of the native population to ChristianityChristian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. Although Christians generally chara. The south-eastern part of Prussia was getting penetrated by Poles.

Polish settlers, mainly from MasoviaMasovia ( Polish: Mazowsze is a geographical and historical region situated in central Poland with its capital in Warsaw. History Masovia was conquered probably by Mieszko I, duke of Polans and first historical ruler of Poland in the 10th century. During, so called MazurMazur is a Polish ethnic group from Mazovia (Catholics) or East Prussia (Protestant). Their name derives from the Lekhitic tribe of Masovians Mazowszanie who gave their name to the land of Masovia Mazowsze . In the Middle ages the inhabitants of the north, began to arrive following the Teutonic Order's conquest of the area. German, French, Flemish, Danish, Dutch and Norwegian colonists entered the area shortly afterward, founding numerous cities and towns. By the 15th century, the original Prussian population were exterminated and the Prussians language suffered a decline.

In Masuria - the southern part of East Prussia Polish language dominated due to the many settlers from MasoviaMasovia ( Polish: Mazowsze is a geographical and historical region situated in central Poland with its capital in Warsaw. History Masovia was conquered probably by Mieszko I, duke of Polans and first historical ruler of Poland in the 10th century. During. In the Second Treaty of ThornThe Second Treaty of Torun was a peace treaty concluded in Torun on October 19, 1466 between the Polish king, the Prussian cities, and duke of Pomerania on one side, and the Teutonic Order on the other. It ended the Thirteen Years War or "War of the Citie ( 1466Events Chimu Empire conquered by troops of the Inca End of term for Regent of Sweden Jons Bengtsson Oxenstierna. He is replaced by Erik Axelsson Tott. Births February 11 Elizabeth of York, later Queen consort of Henry VII of England. dagger; 1503) Septemb) the Teutonic Order came under the overlordship of the Polish crown. Since 1525 Masuria (with the exception of Warmia) has had a mostly Protestant population. The cities remained centres of German and Polish speakers, however the cities usually had as a requirement to become a Bürger (citizen) 'to be of German tongue'. The most ancient Old Prussian language survived in parts of the countryside until the early 18th century.

In 1656 the Ducal part of Masuria was devastated during the Deluge, when it was raided by Tartars and Poles. In 1708 some one third of population died during the Plague.

Losses in population were compensated by migration from Scottland, Salzburg, France and especially from Poland, Lithuania, as well as by refugees, including Polish Arians ( Polish brethren), expelled from Poland in 1657. The last such group were the Russian Filipons in 1830.

The name Masuria began to be used officially after new administrative reforms in Prussia after 1818.

Germanisation was slowly and mainly done by education: after the unification of the province with Germany, in 1872 Polish language was removed from schools. In 1890 143,397 of Masurians gave German as their language (either first or second), 152,186 Polish, and 94,961 Masurian. In 1910, the German language was given by 197,060, Polish by 30,121, and Masurian by 171,413. In 1925, only 40,869 people gave Masurian as their native tongue and only 2,297 gave Polish.

After WW I, the League of Nations held a plebiscite in 1920 as to whether the people of the two southern districts of East Prussia wanted to remain within East Prussia or to join the state of Poland: 97.5% voted to remain with East Prussia.

Partly devastated by war between the retreating German and advancing Soviet armies in 1944 - 1945 Masuria came now under Polish rule. Most of the population fled to Germany or were killed during the war, the rest was expulsed by the communist Polish regime. Now, Poles from the former eastern part of Poland, annexed by the Soviet Union were settled in Masuria. The number of native Masurians that remained in Masuria were initially quite high. Soon after 1956, some of them were given opportunity to join their families in West Germany. Gradually, most of Masurs left, mostly thanks to better quality of life in Germany, and the fact that communist government persecuted their religion.

In 1999 Masuria was constituted with neighbouring Warmia as a single administrative province through the creation of the Warminsko-Mazurskie voivodship.