Pogesanians were a Prussian tribe, which lived in the region of Pogesania (Polish: Pogezania; Lithuanian: Pagudė; German: Pogesanien; Latin: Pogesania), a small territory stretched between the Elbląg and Pasłęka rivers, now located in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, northern Poland.

Pogesanians, as the rest of the Prussians, were conquered by the Teutonic Knights and became Germanized or Polonized.

The arrival of the Teutonic Order marked the beginning of the crusade for Pogesanians, as the Knights sought to fulfill the contracts to convert the Prussians to Christianity and to govern the region of Prussia, which was given to them as their property.

Elbing remained as one of the Teutonic strongholds and grew to become a port and center of commerce.

During the Great Prussian Uprising (1260–1274), the Pogesanians elected Auktume as their leader and joined the fights.

They captured a stronghold at Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), the rebel headquarters, and the uprising ended.

The last attempt at freedom was made in 1286, when Pogesanians and Bartians conspired to invite Duke of Rügen, grandson of Świętopełk II of Pomerania, to free them from the Knights.

Many of the natives were turned into serfs and the Knights invited German colonists to repopulate the land.