Siege of Tartu (1224)
Siege of Tartu | |||||||
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Part of the Livonian Crusade | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Estonians Novgorod Republic |
Livs and Letts | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Vyachko of Koknese | ? | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Heavy casualties | Heavy casualties |
The siege of Tartu took place in 1224 and resulted in the fall of the last major center of Estonian resistance in the mainland provinces to the Christian conquest of Estonia.
Background
In 1208, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword launched a crusade against the pagan Estonians, who had been raiding into the Latgalian and Livonian territories to the south which had recently been conquered by the Order. In 1219 Denmark joined the Crusade, and in 1220, Sweden. The Estonians were able to annihilate the Swedish presence, but by the winter of 1220 nearly all of continental Estonia had been conquered by the Germans and Danes, and the population declared Christian.[1]
The uprising of 1223
In 1223, there was a general anti-Christian uprising in the subjugated continental part of Estonia. All Germans and Danes who fell into the hands of the Estonians were put to the sword, and some of the priests ritually sacrificed to pagan gods. Estonians reoccupied all the fortresses after the German garrisons had been killed. In order to secure the initial military success, mercenary Russian troops were invited from Novgorod and Pskov and stationed in several key fortresses, such as
First siege of Tartu
In the winter of 1223/1224, the Germans gradually managed to reconquer most strongholds in mainland Estonia. Tartu remained the last center of resistance in South-Estonia. In addition to the local population from
Second siege of Tartu
On 15 August 1224 the crusader army, reinforced with a large number of Christian Latvian and Livonian troops, returned in force to Tarbatu. The second siege of Tartu of 1224 lasted many days and nights. Vyachko and his 200 Christian Russians were again offered free passage through the crusader camp, but Vyachko, expecting a relief army from Novgorod, refused.
The siege began with the building of larger and smaller
Eventually the Germans launched an all-out attack on the stronghold. All the defenders of Tarbatu, including women, were killed in the final onslaught by the Knights. In total nearly a thousand Estonians lost their lives in the final battle. According to the
Aftermath
With the fall of Tartu the entire Estonian mainland had been conquered by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. For the time being, only the main islands of Estonia were able to preserve their independence.[6]
References
- ISBN 0-8179-2852-9)
- ^ Tarvel, Enn (ed.). 1982. Henriku Liivimaa kroonika. Heinrici Chronicon Livoniae. p. 234. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.
- ^ Tarvel, Enn (ed.). 1982. Henriku Liivimaa kroonika. Heinrici Chronicon Livoniae. p. 242. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.
- ^ Tarvel, Enn (ed.). 1982. Henriku Liivimaa kroonika. Heinrici Chronicon Livoniae. p. 246. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.
- ^ Tarvel, Enn (ed.). 1982. Henriku Liivimaa kroonika. Heinrici Chronicon Livoniae. pp. 248–254. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.
- ISBN 9985-2-0043-8.