History of the Crusades

the Crusades Episode 201 the, the Baltic Crusades, the Levonian Crusade Part 7, Lovonian Uprising.

Hello again.

Last week we saw Abbott Theodoric depart on a mission up river to meet the neighbors.

That is the Russian prince of Polotsk, with a view to establishing diplomatic ties and opening trade routes.

However, things went awry when the horse Theodoric was taking as a gift was stolen by the

Lithuanians en route to Polotsk.

When the giftless Theodoric arrived at Polotsk, he discovered that the Livonians had already met with Prince Vladimir and had convinced him to attack the Latin Christian settlements in Livonia with the aim of driving them out of the region.

Theodoric was able to

send word of the imminent Russian attack to Bishop Albert in Riga with the result that Prince

Vladimir has now called off the attack and is considering his next move.

Now those of you who are following with interest the unusual role that horses are playing in the Livonian Crusade will have

noticed that this diplomatic incident was sparked by a horse.

The magnificent war horse complete with its own set of armour, which was meant to set diplomatic relations between Russia

and the Holy Roman Empire off on a firm footing, is now enjoying the company of its new owners, the Lithuanians.

Had the horse been safely delivered to Polotsk, there is every likelihood that Prince

of Vladimir would not have been persuaded by the Livonians to launch an attack on Riga.

Now, I'm not suggesting for a minute that the horse took the initiative and managed to remove itself from Abbott Theodoric's party with a view to upsetting diplomatic relations between Riga and Russia.

Henry of Livonia in his chronicle states that the war horse disappeared from the Theodoric's possession

after Theodoric was and I quote, robbed on the road by a band of

Lithuanian bandits, end quote. But it is clear that horses seem to be shaping events to an unusual extent in this crusade.

Abbott Theodoric's life was saved by a horse, Bishop Bertold was killed by a horse and now a horse has thrown diplomatic relations

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