History of the Crusades

the Crusades Episode 228, the Baltic, the Baltic Crusades, the Levonian Crusade Part 25, Baldwin of Alna.

Hello again.

Last week we saw the Teutonic Order move across most of Western Prussia, conquering, Christianizing and imposing a system of rule over both

Prussians and immigrants under their new Charter of Kalm. We also saw Bishop Christian fair not quite as well as he was

taken prisoner by some newly converted Prussians to the north of the country and is currently being held at an unknown location.

So now it's time to head back to Livonia for a few episodes.

When we left Livonia in January 1227, back in episode 218, the rebellious pirates of Eissel had just been Christianized, and King

Valdemar II of Denmark had suffered a shock military defeat at the Battle of Born Hoovard,

effectively ending decades of Danish hegemony in Estonia. of had effectively placed Lavonia and Estonia under papal control, imposing a raft of rules

under which the region was to be governed.

Bishop Albert was still plugging away, traveling back to the Holy Roman Empire

each year via Gotland and Lubeck, trying to get Crusade volunteers to travel to Livonia and Estonia to assist himself,

the Bishop of Isal and the Bishop of Samagalia to rule over and control their bishoprics.

The Sword Brothers were slightly less reliant on Crusade volunteers, relying on their own manpower, limited though it was to rule their

portions of the region.

Now of course when we left Livonia and Estonia back in 1227 the Prussian

crusade was just about to start. If you think the launching by the Teutonic Knights of a crusade into

Prussia was going to have a negative impact on crusader numbers traveling

to Livonia and Estonia, you would be right.

There was also another crusade at this time, which we alluded to briefly in the previous episodes, against a bunch of pesky German

peasants.

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