Brothers Berens. A contribution to the history of Polish Lutheranism in the 17th century

Abstract

The Lutheran family of Berens (Behrens) came from Denmark, probably had peasant or bourgeois roots, while in the 16th century its members lived in the area of Ducal Prussia. In the mid-17th century, four brothers were identified – Jan, Jakub, Jerzy, also Paweł, who served in the army of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and who, thanks to their own abilities and royal protection, reached high military levels.