Conversion of Pomerania
Encyclopedia
Medieval Pomerania
was converted from Slavic paganism to Christianity
by Otto von Bamberg in 1124 and 1128 (Duchy of Pomerania
), and in 1168 by Absalon
(Principality of Rügen).
Earlier attempts, undertaken since the 10th century, failed or were short-lived. The new religion stabilized when the Pomeranian dukes
founded several monasteries and called in Christian, primarily German settlers during the Ostsiedlung
. The first Pomeranian abbey
was founded in 1153 at the site where the first Christian duke of Pomerania, Wartislaw I
, was slain by a pagan. The Duchy of Pomerania
was organized by the Roman Catholic Church
in the Bishopric of Cammin in 1140. Pomeranian areas not belonging to the duchy at this time were attached to the dioceses of Włocławek (East), Roskilde (Rügen) and Schwerin (West).
was founded in 948, the constitution document mentions the area between Peene
and Oder
among the bishopric's belongings. In 983, the Holy Roman Empire
lost control over the region due to a Slavic uprising.
and subdued the gard of Kołobrzeg (Kolberg) and the adjacent areas in the 960s. He also fought the Wolinians, but despite a won battle in 967, he did not succeed in the town of Wolin itself. His son and successor Boleslaw I continued to campaign in Pomerania, but also failed to subdue the Wolinians and the lower Oder
areas.
During the Congress of Gniezno
in 1000 AD, Boleslaw created the first, yet short-lived bishopric in Pomerania Diocese of Kołobrzeg, subordinate to the Archdiocese of Gniezno, headed by Saxon
bishop Reinbern
, which was destroyed when Pomeranians revolted in 1005. Of all Lutici, the Wolinians were especially devoted to participation in the wars between the Holy Roman Empire
and Poland
from 1002 to 1018 to prevent Boleslaw I from reinstating his rule in Pomerania
.
(also Bernhard) travelled to Jumne (Wolin
), accompanied only by his chaplain and an interpreter. The Pomeranians however were not impressed by his missionary efforts and finally threw him out of town.
Bernard was later made bishop of Lebus
.
After Bernard's failure, Boleslaw III asked Otto of Bamberg
to convert Pomerania to Christianity
, which he accomplished in his first visit in 1124/25. Otto's strategy severely differed from the one Bernard used: While Bernard travelled alone and as a poor and unknown priest, Otto, a wealthy and famous man, was accompagnied by 20 clergy of his own diocese, numerous servants, 60 warriors supplied to him by Boleslaw, and carried with him numerous supplies and gifts. Otto arrived in Pyritz, and the fact that he was already wealthy assured the Pomeranians that his aim was only to convert them to Christianity, not to become wealthy at the expense of the Pomeranian people. He persuaded the Pomeranians that their conversion would protect them from further punishment by God, which was how the devastating Polish conquest was depicted. This approach turned out to be successful, and was backed by parts of the Pomeranian nobility who had already been raised as Christians, like Duke Wartislaw I
, who encouraged and promoted Otto's mission. Many Pomeranians had already been baptized in Pyritz and also in the other burghs Otto visited.
Otto of Bamberg returned on 19 April 1128, this time invited by duke Wartislaw I himself, aided by the emperor Holy Roman Emperor Lothar II, to convert the Slavs of Western Pomerania just incorporated into the Pomeranian duchy, and to strengthen the Christian faith of the inhabitants of Stettin and Wollin, who fell back into heathen practices and idolatry. Otto this time visited primarily Western Pomeranian burghs, had the temples of Gützkow
and Wolgast
torn down and on their sites erected the predecessors of today's St Nikolai and St Petri churches, respectively. The nobility assembled to a congress in Usedom
, where they accepted Christianity on June 10, 1128. Otto then was titled apostolus gentis Pomeranorum, made a saint
by pope Clement III in 1189, and was worshipped in Pomerania even after the Protestant Reformation
. Otto aborted the mission in November 1128 on behalf of the emperor, after he had sought to mediate the conflicts between the Pomeranian and Polish dukes.
Adalbert of Pomerania
, the later Pomeranian bishop, participated in Otto's mission as an interpreter and assistant.
was founded with the see in Wollin (Julin, Jumne, Vineta
), a major Slavic and Viking town in the Oder
estituary. On October 14, 1140, Adalbert
of Pomerania was made the first Bishop
by Pope Innocent II
. Otto however had died the year before. There was a rivalry between Otto's Diocese of Bamberg, the Diocese of Magdeburg
and the Diocese of Gniezno for the incorporation of Pomerania. Pope Innocence II solved the dispute by repelling their claims and placed the new diocese directly under his Holy See
. The see of the diocese was the church of St Adalbert in Wollin. The diocese had no clear-cut borders in the beginning, but roughly reached from the Tribsees
burgh in the West to the Leba
River in the East. In the South, it comprised the northern parts of Uckermark
and Neumark
. As such, it was shaped after the territory held by Ratibor I, Duke of Pomerania
.
After ongoing Danish raids, Wollin was destroyed, and the see of the diocese was shifted across the Dievenow
to Cammin
's (also Kammin, now Kamień Pomorskie) St John's church in 1176. This was confirmed by the pope in 1186. In the early 13th century, the Cammin diocese along with the Pomeranian dukes gained control over Circipania. Also, the bishops managed to gain direct control over a territory around Kolberg (now Kolobrzeg
) and Köslin (now Koszalin
).
were assigned to other dioceses. The Pomerelia
n areas were integrated into the Kuyavia
n Diocese of Włocławek. The Rugian areas
were integrated into the Diocese of Schwerin (mainland) and the Diocese of Roskilde
(islands).
, a campaign of the Northern Crusades
, was mounted by bishops and nobles of the Holy Roman Empire. The crusaders pillaged the land and besieged Demmin
and Szczecin
despite the fact that both towns were (officially) Christian already. Wollin's bishop Adalbert
took part in the negotiations that finally led to the lifting of the Szczecin siege by the crusaders. Ratibor I, Duke of Pomerania
, went to the Reichstag
assembly in Havelberg
the following year, where he swore to be a Christian.
After Otto von Bamberg's mission, only the Rani
principality of Rugia (Rügen) remained pagan. This was changed by a Danish expedition of 1168, launched by Valdemar I of Denmark
and Absalon
, archbishop
of Roskilde
. The Danish success in this expedition ended a series of conflicts between Denmark and Rügen. The Rügen princes, starting with Jaromar I
, became vassals of Denmark, and the principality would be Denmark's bridgehead on the southern shore of the Baltic for the next few centuries. The 1168 expedition was decided when after a Danish siege of the burgh
of Arkona
, a fire broke out leaving the defendants unable to further withstand the siege. Since Arkona was the major temple of the superior god Swantewit and therefore crucial for the powerful clerics, the Rani surrendered their other strongholds and temples without further fighting. Absalon
had the Rani burn the wooden statues of their gods and integrated Rügen into the Diocese of Roskilde
. The mainland of the Rügen principality was integrated into the Diocese of Schwerin.
.
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Premonstratensian
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Dominican Order
Franciscan
Pomerania during the Early Middle Ages
The southward movement of Germanic tribes during the migration period had left Pomerania largely depopulated by the 7th century. Between 650 and 850 AD, West Slavic tribes settled in Pomerania. The tribes between the Oder and the Vistula were collectively known as Pomeranians, and those west of the...
was converted from Slavic paganism to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
by Otto von Bamberg in 1124 and 1128 (Duchy of Pomerania
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
), and in 1168 by Absalon
Absalon
Absalon was a Danish archbishop and statesman, who was the Bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and Archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and churchfather of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of King Valdemar I of...
(Principality of Rügen).
Earlier attempts, undertaken since the 10th century, failed or were short-lived. The new religion stabilized when the Pomeranian dukes
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
founded several monasteries and called in Christian, primarily German settlers during the Ostsiedlung
Ostsiedlung
Ostsiedlung , also called German eastward expansion, was the medieval eastward migration and settlement of Germans from modern day western and central Germany into less-populated regions and countries of eastern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The affected area roughly stretched from Slovenia...
. The first Pomeranian abbey
Stolpe Abbey
Stolpe Abbey was the first monastery in Pomerania. It was located on the southern bank of the Peene River between Gützkow and Anklam near the village of Stolpe....
was founded in 1153 at the site where the first Christian duke of Pomerania, Wartislaw I
Wartislaw I, Duke of Pomerania
Wartislaw I was the first historical ruler of the Duchy of Pomerania and the founder of the Griffin dynasty....
, was slain by a pagan. The Duchy of Pomerania
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
was organized by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in the Bishopric of Cammin in 1140. Pomeranian areas not belonging to the duchy at this time were attached to the dioceses of Włocławek (East), Roskilde (Rügen) and Schwerin (West).
Bishopric of Havelberg (948-983)
When the Bishopric of HavelbergBishopric of Havelberg
The Bishopric of Havelberg was a Roman Catholic diocese founded by King Otto I, King of the Germans, in 946. The diocese was suffragan to the Archbishopric of Magdeburg. Its most famous bishop was Anselm of Havelberg. Its seat was in Havelberg in the Northern March and it roughly covered the...
was founded in 948, the constitution document mentions the area between Peene
Peene
The Peene is a river in Germany. The Westpeene, Kleine Peene and Ostpeene flow into the Kummerower See, and from there as Peene proper to Anklam and into the Oder Lagoon....
and Oder
Oder
The Oder is a river in Central Europe. It rises in the Czech Republic and flows through western Poland, later forming of the border between Poland and Germany, part of the Oder-Neisse line...
among the bishopric's belongings. In 983, the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
lost control over the region due to a Slavic uprising.
Diocese of Kolobrzeg (Kolberg, 1000 - 1005)
The first Polish duke Mieszko I invaded PomeraniaPomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
and subdued the gard of Kołobrzeg (Kolberg) and the adjacent areas in the 960s. He also fought the Wolinians, but despite a won battle in 967, he did not succeed in the town of Wolin itself. His son and successor Boleslaw I continued to campaign in Pomerania, but also failed to subdue the Wolinians and the lower Oder
Oder
The Oder is a river in Central Europe. It rises in the Czech Republic and flows through western Poland, later forming of the border between Poland and Germany, part of the Oder-Neisse line...
areas.
During the Congress of Gniezno
Congress of Gniezno
The Congress of Gniezno was an amical meeting between the Polish duke Bolesław I Chrobry and Emperor Otto III, which took place at Gniezno on March 11, 1000...
in 1000 AD, Boleslaw created the first, yet short-lived bishopric in Pomerania Diocese of Kołobrzeg, subordinate to the Archdiocese of Gniezno, headed by Saxon
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
bishop Reinbern
Reinbern
Reinbern was the only bishop of the short-lived Diocese of Kolberg) .Reinbern was born in the Hassegau area of the medieval Duchy of Saxony. When Holy Roman Emperor Otto III met with his friend, the Polish duke Boleslaw I in the Congress of Gniezno , the Archbishopric of Gniezno was founded...
, which was destroyed when Pomeranians revolted in 1005. Of all Lutici, the Wolinians were especially devoted to participation in the wars between the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
from 1002 to 1018 to prevent Boleslaw I from reinstating his rule in Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
.
Failed mission of Günther (1017)
In 1017, a priest called Günther tried to convert the inhabitants of Vorpommern; the mission was not successful.Failed mission of Bernard (1122)
Another attempt was made following the subjugation of Pomerania by Boleslaw III of Poland. In 1122, Spanish monk BernardBernard
The masculine given name Bernard is of Germanic origin.The meaning of the name is from a Germanic compound Bern-hard meaning "bear-hardy", or "brave as a bear". Bern- is the old form of bear from West Germanic *beran-....
(also Bernhard) travelled to Jumne (Wolin
Wolin (town)
Wolin is a town situated on the southern tip of the Wolin island off the Baltic coast of Poland. The island lies at the edge of the strait of Dziwna in Kamień Pomorski County in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship....
), accompanied only by his chaplain and an interpreter. The Pomeranians however were not impressed by his missionary efforts and finally threw him out of town.
Bernard was later made bishop of Lebus
Bishopric of Lebus
The Bishopric of Lebus was a Roman Catholic diocese and later an ecclesiastical territory of the Holy Roman Empire. It existed from 1125 until 1598...
.
Otto of Bamberg (1124/28)
Otto of Bamberg
Saint Otto of Bamberg was a medieval German bishop and missionary who, as papal legate, converted much of Pomerania to Christianity.-Life:Otto was born into a noble family in Mistelbach, Franconia...
to convert Pomerania to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, which he accomplished in his first visit in 1124/25. Otto's strategy severely differed from the one Bernard used: While Bernard travelled alone and as a poor and unknown priest, Otto, a wealthy and famous man, was accompagnied by 20 clergy of his own diocese, numerous servants, 60 warriors supplied to him by Boleslaw, and carried with him numerous supplies and gifts. Otto arrived in Pyritz, and the fact that he was already wealthy assured the Pomeranians that his aim was only to convert them to Christianity, not to become wealthy at the expense of the Pomeranian people. He persuaded the Pomeranians that their conversion would protect them from further punishment by God, which was how the devastating Polish conquest was depicted. This approach turned out to be successful, and was backed by parts of the Pomeranian nobility who had already been raised as Christians, like Duke Wartislaw I
Wartislaw I, Duke of Pomerania
Wartislaw I was the first historical ruler of the Duchy of Pomerania and the founder of the Griffin dynasty....
, who encouraged and promoted Otto's mission. Many Pomeranians had already been baptized in Pyritz and also in the other burghs Otto visited.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| May 1124 | Otto von Bamberg arrives in Pomerania via the Zantoch stronghold. |
| 5 or 6 June 1124 | first baptism in Pomerania |
| 8 June 1124 | arrival in Pyrzyce Pyrzyce Pyrzyce , is a town in Pomerania, north-western Poland, with 13,331 inhabitants Capital of the Pyrzyce County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship , previously in Szczecin Voivodeship .-History:... |
| 18/19 June 1124 | first baptism in Pyrzyce |
| 24 June - mid-September 1124 | mission in Kamień Pomorski Kamien Pomorski Kamień Pomorski is a town in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship of northwestern Poland. The capital of Kamień County, the town had 9,129 inhabitants as of June 30, 2008.- History :... |
| eight days in late September 1124 | mission in and around Wolin |
| nine weeks since early October 1124 | mission in Szczecin |
| mid-December 1124 | mission in Gartz, Lubin Lubin, Kamien County Lubin is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Międzyzdroje, within Kamień County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. It lies approximately south of Międzyzdroje, south-west of Kamień Pomorski, and north of the regional capital Szczecin.Before 1945 the area was... , return to Szczecin, return to Wolin |
| late January and early February 1125 | return to Kammin, mission in Cloden, Kołobrzeg and Białogard |
| 11 February 1125 | Otto von Bamberg enters the woodlands between Pomerania and Greater Poland |
| 15 February 1125 or later | Otto arrives in Usch and proceeds towards Gniezno Gniezno Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around... |
Otto of Bamberg returned on 19 April 1128, this time invited by duke Wartislaw I himself, aided by the emperor Holy Roman Emperor Lothar II, to convert the Slavs of Western Pomerania just incorporated into the Pomeranian duchy, and to strengthen the Christian faith of the inhabitants of Stettin and Wollin, who fell back into heathen practices and idolatry. Otto this time visited primarily Western Pomeranian burghs, had the temples of Gützkow
Gützkow
Gützkow is a town in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated 18 km south of Greifswald at the Peene River's northern bank. Gützkow was the center of the medieval County of Gützkow.-History:...
and Wolgast
Wolgast
Wolgast is a town in the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the bank of the river Peenestrom, vis-a-vis the island of Usedom that can be accessed by road and railway via a bascule bridge...
torn down and on their sites erected the predecessors of today's St Nikolai and St Petri churches, respectively. The nobility assembled to a congress in Usedom
Usedom (town)
Usedom is a town in Vorpommern-Greifswald district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is the seat of the Amt of Usedom-Süd, to which 14 other communities also belong.-Geography:...
, where they accepted Christianity on June 10, 1128. Otto then was titled apostolus gentis Pomeranorum, made a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
by pope Clement III in 1189, and was worshipped in Pomerania even after the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. Otto aborted the mission in November 1128 on behalf of the emperor, after he had sought to mediate the conflicts between the Pomeranian and Polish dukes.
Adalbert of Pomerania
Adalbert of Pomerania
Adalbert of Pomerania was the first bishop of the 12th century Pomeranian bishopric, with its see in Wolin . The territory was put under the jurisdiction of the archbishopric of Magdeburg by emperor Otto I...
, the later Pomeranian bishop, participated in Otto's mission as an interpreter and assistant.
Diocese of Kammin (Cammin, 1140)
On Otto of Bamberg's behalf, a dioceseDiocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
was founded with the see in Wollin (Julin, Jumne, Vineta
Vineta
Vineta or Wineta was a possibly legendary ancient town believed to have been on the coast of the Baltic Sea. It was commonly said to be on the present site of Wolin in Poland or of Zinnowitz on Usedom island in Germany. Today it is said to have been near Barth in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
), a major Slavic and Viking town in the Oder
Oder
The Oder is a river in Central Europe. It rises in the Czech Republic and flows through western Poland, later forming of the border between Poland and Germany, part of the Oder-Neisse line...
estituary. On October 14, 1140, Adalbert
Adalbert of Pomerania
Adalbert of Pomerania was the first bishop of the 12th century Pomeranian bishopric, with its see in Wolin . The territory was put under the jurisdiction of the archbishopric of Magdeburg by emperor Otto I...
of Pomerania was made the first Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
by Pope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II , born Gregorio Papareschi, was pope from 1130 to 1143, and was probably one of the clergy in personal attendance on the antipope Clement III .-Early years:...
. Otto however had died the year before. There was a rivalry between Otto's Diocese of Bamberg, the Diocese of Magdeburg
Diocese of Magdeburg
The Diocese of Magdeburg is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church located in the Germany. Its seat is Magdeburg; it is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Paderborn....
and the Diocese of Gniezno for the incorporation of Pomerania. Pope Innocence II solved the dispute by repelling their claims and placed the new diocese directly under his Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. The see of the diocese was the church of St Adalbert in Wollin. The diocese had no clear-cut borders in the beginning, but roughly reached from the Tribsees
Tribsees
Tribsees is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated 33 km southwest of Stralsund, and 40 km east of Rostock....
burgh in the West to the Leba
Leba
Łeba is a town in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland. It is located in the Middle Pomeranian region , near Łebsko Lake and the mouth of the river Łeba on the coast of the Baltic Sea.-History:...
River in the East. In the South, it comprised the northern parts of Uckermark
Uckermark
Uckermark is a Kreis in the northeastern part of Brandenburg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Barnim and Oberhavel, the districts Mecklenburgische Seenplatte and Vorpommern-Greifswald in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and to the east Poland . It is the largest district of Germany areawise...
and Neumark
Neumark
Neumark comprised a region of the Prussian province of Brandenburg, Germany.Neumark may also refer to:* Neumark, Thuringia* Neumark, Saxony* Neumark * Nowe Miasto Lubawskie or Neumark, a town in Poland, situated at river Drwęca...
. As such, it was shaped after the territory held by Ratibor I, Duke of Pomerania
Ratibor I, Duke of Pomerania
Ratibor I of the House of Pomerania was Duke of Pomerania. He was married to Pribislawa, and was the ancestor of the Ratiborides sideline of the Griffins....
.
After ongoing Danish raids, Wollin was destroyed, and the see of the diocese was shifted across the Dievenow
Dievenow
Dievenow may refer to*Dievenow, the German and pre-1945 name of the Dziwna strait*Dievenow or Berg-Dievenow, the German and pre-1945 names of Dziwnów*Wald-Dievenow or Klein Dievenow, the German and pre-1945 names of Dziwnówek...
to Cammin
Cammin
Cammin may refer to:*Cammin, Bad Doberan, a municipality in the district of Bad Doberan, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany*Cammin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a municipality in the district of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany...
's (also Kammin, now Kamień Pomorskie) St John's church in 1176. This was confirmed by the pope in 1186. In the early 13th century, the Cammin diocese along with the Pomeranian dukes gained control over Circipania. Also, the bishops managed to gain direct control over a territory around Kolberg (now Kolobrzeg
Kolobrzeg
Kołobrzeg is a city in Middle Pomerania in north-western Poland with some 50,000 inhabitants . Kołobrzeg is located on the Parsęta River on the south coast of the Baltic Sea...
) and Köslin (now Koszalin
Koszalin
Koszalin ; is the largest city of Middle Pomerania in north-western Poland. It is located 12 km south of the Baltic Sea coast. Koszalin is also a county-status city and capital of Koszalin County of West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999...
).
Dioceses of Włocławek, Roskilde and Schwerin
Pomeranian areas outside the Duchy of PomeraniaDuchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
were assigned to other dioceses. The Pomerelia
Pomerelia
Pomerelia is a historical region in northern Poland. Pomerelia lay in eastern Pomerania: on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea and west of the Vistula and its delta. The area centered on the city of Gdańsk at the mouth of the Vistula...
n areas were integrated into the Kuyavia
Kuyavia
Kujawy , is a historical and ethnographic region in the north-central Poland, situated in the basin of the middle Vistula and upper Noteć Rivers, with its capital in Włocławek.-Etymology:The origin of the name Kujawy was seen differently in history...
n Diocese of Włocławek. The Rugian areas
Principality of Rugia
The Principality of Rugia or Principality of Rügen was a Danish principality consisting of the island of Rügen and the adjacent mainland from 1168 until 1325. It was governed by a local dynasty of princes of the Wizlawiden dynasty...
were integrated into the Diocese of Schwerin (mainland) and the Diocese of Roskilde
Diocese of Roskilde
The Diocese of Roskilde is a diocese within the Evangelical Lutheran National Church of Denmark. The seat of the Bishop is Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde.-History:...
(islands).
Wendish Crusade (1147)
In 1147, the Wendish CrusadeWendish Crusade
The Wendish Crusade was an 1147 campaign, one of the Northern Crusades and also a part of the Second Crusade, led primarily by the Kingdom of Germany inside the Holy Roman Empire and directed against the Polabian Slavs ....
, a campaign of the Northern Crusades
Northern Crusades
The Northern Crusades or Baltic Crusades were crusades undertaken by the Christian kings of Denmark and Sweden, the German Livonian and Teutonic military orders, and their allies against the pagan peoples of Northern Europe around the southern and eastern shores of the Baltic Sea...
, was mounted by bishops and nobles of the Holy Roman Empire. The crusaders pillaged the land and besieged Demmin
Demmin
Demmin is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It was the capital of the former district Demmin.- Name :...
and Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
despite the fact that both towns were (officially) Christian already. Wollin's bishop Adalbert
Adalbert of Pomerania
Adalbert of Pomerania was the first bishop of the 12th century Pomeranian bishopric, with its see in Wolin . The territory was put under the jurisdiction of the archbishopric of Magdeburg by emperor Otto I...
took part in the negotiations that finally led to the lifting of the Szczecin siege by the crusaders. Ratibor I, Duke of Pomerania
Ratibor I, Duke of Pomerania
Ratibor I of the House of Pomerania was Duke of Pomerania. He was married to Pribislawa, and was the ancestor of the Ratiborides sideline of the Griffins....
, went to the Reichstag
Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)
The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm...
assembly in Havelberg
Havelberg
Havelberg is a town in the district of Stendal, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the Havel, and part of the town is built on an island in the centre of the river. The two parts were incorporated as a town in 1875...
the following year, where he swore to be a Christian.
Absalon (1168)
Rani (Slavic tribe)
The Rani or Rujani were a West Slavic tribe based on the island of Rugia and the southwestern mainland across the Strelasund in what is today northeastern Germany....
principality of Rugia (Rügen) remained pagan. This was changed by a Danish expedition of 1168, launched by Valdemar I of Denmark
Valdemar I of Denmark
Valdemar I of Denmark , also known as Valdemar the Great, was King of Denmark from 1157 until 1182.-Biography:...
and Absalon
Absalon
Absalon was a Danish archbishop and statesman, who was the Bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and Archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and churchfather of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of King Valdemar I of...
, archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Roskilde
Roskilde
Roskilde is the main city in Roskilde Municipality, Denmark on the island of Zealand. It is an ancient city, dating from the Viking Age and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network....
. The Danish success in this expedition ended a series of conflicts between Denmark and Rügen. The Rügen princes, starting with Jaromar I
Jaromar I, Prince of Rügen
-Background:Jaromar was a Ranish nobleman, who was a native of the island of Rügen. Jaromar rose to be ruler of the Principality of Rügen as result of the Danish conquest of Rügen in 1168...
, became vassals of Denmark, and the principality would be Denmark's bridgehead on the southern shore of the Baltic for the next few centuries. The 1168 expedition was decided when after a Danish siege of the burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
of Arkona
Arkona
Arkona may refer to:* Cape Arkona on the German island of Rügen* Arkona , the Russian folk metal band* Arkona , a black metal band* Arkona, Ontario...
, a fire broke out leaving the defendants unable to further withstand the siege. Since Arkona was the major temple of the superior god Swantewit and therefore crucial for the powerful clerics, the Rani surrendered their other strongholds and temples without further fighting. Absalon
Absalon
Absalon was a Danish archbishop and statesman, who was the Bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and Archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and churchfather of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of King Valdemar I of...
had the Rani burn the wooden statues of their gods and integrated Rügen into the Diocese of Roskilde
Diocese of Roskilde
The Diocese of Roskilde is a diocese within the Evangelical Lutheran National Church of Denmark. The seat of the Bishop is Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde.-History:...
. The mainland of the Rügen principality was integrated into the Diocese of Schwerin.
Monasteries
After the successful conversion of the nobility, monasteries were set up on vast areas granted by local dukes both to further implement Christian faith and to develop the land. The monasteries actively took part in the OstsiedlungOstsiedlung
Ostsiedlung , also called German eastward expansion, was the medieval eastward migration and settlement of Germans from modern day western and central Germany into less-populated regions and countries of eastern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The affected area roughly stretched from Slovenia...
.
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Cistercian
- Stolpe AbbeyStolpe AbbeyStolpe Abbey was the first monastery in Pomerania. It was located on the southern bank of the Peene River between Gützkow and Anklam near the village of Stolpe....
(1153 by Benedictinians, since 1304 Cistercian) near GützkowGützkowGützkow is a town in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated 18 km south of Greifswald at the Peene River's northern bank. Gützkow was the center of the medieval County of Gützkow.-History:... - Dargun Abbey (1173) in CircipaniaCircipaniaCircipania was a medieval territory in what is now northeastern Germany. The name derives from Latin circum and Pane . The region was enclosed roughly by the upper Recknitz, Trebel and Peene rivers, the western border ran between Güstrow and Rittermannshagen...
near the ducal residence burghBurghA burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
, later town of DemminDemminDemmin is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It was the capital of the former district Demmin.- Name :... - Kolbatz (1173) now Kołbacz in Poland
- Oliva Abbey (1186) (now part of nearby Danzig (Gdansk))
- BergenBergenBergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
(1193) in the center of RügenRügenRügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
, near the Ranis' former main burgh CharenzaCharenzaCharenza, also Karentia or Karenz, later also Gharense, was a medieval burgh on the island of Rügen. It was the administrative center of the Rani tribe and of the Principality of Rugia. Today, the remnants are called Venzer Burgwall....
and just besides the residence of the Princes of Rügen, Rugard. - Hilda/EldenaEldena AbbeyEldena Abbey , originally Hilda Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery near the present town of Greifswald in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany...
(1199) (now part of nearby GreifswaldGreifswaldGreifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
) - Neuenkamp (1231)
- Stettin (1243)
- MarienfliesMarienfließMarienfließ is a municipality in the Prignitz district, in Brandenburg, Germany....
(1248) - (See-)Buckow (1252/1260) near Schlawe
- UeckermündeUeckermündeUeckermünde is a seaport town in northeast Germany, located in the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald, Western Pomerania, near Germany's border with Poland . Ueckermünde has a long and varied history, going back to its founding by Slavs, known as the Uchri and mentioned in 934 by Widukind of Corvey...
(1260, later moved to Jasenitz) - Stettin Marienstift (1261)
- Köslin (1278)
- KrumminKrumminKrummin is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.-External links:*...
(1289) on the island of UsedomUsedomUsedom is a Baltic Sea island on the border between Germany and Poland. It is situated north of the Szczecin Lagoon estuary of the River Oder in Pomerania... - HiddenseeHiddenseeHiddensee is a carfree island in the Baltic Sea, located west of Rügen on the German coast.The island, located 54°33' north longitude 13°07' east, has about 1,300 inhabitants. It was a popular vacation destination for East German tourists during German Democratic Republic times and continues to...
(1296) - VerchenVerchenVerchen is a municipality in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The Battle of Verchen occurred nearby in 1164....
(1304), south of DemminDemminDemmin is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It was the capital of the former district Demmin.- Name :... - Stettin Ottenstift (1346)
PremonstratensianPremonstratensianThe Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
- Grobe/PudaglaPudaglaPudagla is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. From 1307/09 until the Protestant Reformation, it was the site of Pudagla or Usedom Abbey, which moved there from Usedom . After the abbey's secularization into a ducal domain, it at times served...
(also Usedom Abbey) (1155), near Usedom (town)Usedom (town)Usedom is a town in Vorpommern-Greifswald district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is the seat of the Amt of Usedom-Süd, to which 14 other communities also belong.-Geography:...
on the isle of UsedomUsedomUsedom is a Baltic Sea island on the border between Germany and Poland. It is situated north of the Szczecin Lagoon estuary of the River Oder in Pomerania... - BrodaBrodaBroda may refer to:* Dave Broda, Canadian politician* Abraham ben Saul Broda , a Bohemian Rabbi* Turk Broda, a former ice hockey goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs* Broda Otto Barnes, physician...
near the old Liutizian main temple site and capital, Rethra and the later town of NeubrandenburgNeubrandenburgNeubrandenburg is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, on the shore of a lake called the Tollensesee .... - GramzowGramzowGramzow is a municipality in the Uckermark district, in Brandenburg, Germany....
in the center of the UckermarkUckermarkUckermark is a Kreis in the northeastern part of Brandenburg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Barnim and Oberhavel, the districts Mecklenburgische Seenplatte and Vorpommern-Greifswald in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and to the east Poland . It is the largest district of Germany areawise...
near the Ukrani burgh OberuckerseeOberuckerseeOberuckersee is a municipality in the Uckermark district, in Brandenburg, Germany....
and the town of PrenzlauPrenzlauPrenzlau , a city in the Uckermark District of Brandenburg in Germany, had a population of about 21,000 in 2005.-International relations:Prenzlau is twinned with: Uster, Switzerland Barlinek, Poland Świdwin, Poland... - Marienbusch (1224) near Treptow an der Rega
- Stolp
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Dominican OrderDominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
- StralsundStralsund- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
(1251) - CamminCamminCammin may refer to:*Cammin, Bad Doberan, a municipality in the district of Bad Doberan, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany*Cammin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a municipality in the district of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany...
(1295) - GreifswaldGreifswaldGreifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
Schwarzes Kloster ("Black Abbey") (1254) - PasewalkPasewalkPasewalk is a town in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany. Located on the Uecker river, it is the capital of the former Uecker-Randow district, and the seat of the Uecker-Randow-Tal Amt of which it is not part.Pasewalk became a town during the 12th...
(1272) - Stolp (1278)
- PrenzlauPrenzlauPrenzlau , a city in the Uckermark District of Brandenburg in Germany, had a population of about 21,000 in 2005.-International relations:Prenzlau is twinned with: Uster, Switzerland Barlinek, Poland Świdwin, Poland...
- Soldin
FranciscanFranciscanMost Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
- Stettin (1240)
- PrenzlauPrenzlauPrenzlau , a city in the Uckermark District of Brandenburg in Germany, had a population of about 21,000 in 2005.-International relations:Prenzlau is twinned with: Uster, Switzerland Barlinek, Poland Świdwin, Poland...
(before 1250) - StralsundStralsund- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
(1254) - GreifswaldGreifswaldGreifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
Graues Kloster ("Grey Abbey", donated by the Counts of Gützkow, now Pomerania State MuseumPomerania State MuseumThe Pomerania State Museum in Greifswald, Western Pomerania, is a public museum primarily dedicated to Pomeranian history and arts. The largest exhibitions show archeological findings and artefacts from the Pomerania region and paintings, e.g. of Caspar David Friedrich, who was a Greifswald local...
) (1262) - Pyritz
- GreifenbergGreifenbergGreifenberg is a municipality in the district of Landsberg in Bavaria in Germany.-External links:*Webpage of the local Shooting Club "Schmied von Kochel"...
Augustinian
- Pyritz
- Gartz (Oder) (13th century)
- StargardStargardStarogard or Stargard means old fort or old city in the Pomeranian language, and gard is Old Slavic, Old Germanic, Old Baltic, and Old Finnic for castle or fortification...
(13th century) - Lippehne (1276)
- AnklamAnklamAnklam is a town in the Western Pomerania region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the banks of the Peene river, just 8 km from its mouth in the Kleines Haff, the western part of the Stettin Lagoon. Anklam has a population of 14,603 and was the capital of the former...
(14th century) - Marienthron (14th century) near Neustettin
- JasenitzJasienica, PoliceJasienica is a district of Police, Poland, a town in the Pomerania Region. In the High and Late Middle Ages, the village was the site of Jasenitz Abbey, now in ruins.-Gunica River and a kayak-way:...
- now JasienicaJasienica, PoliceJasienica is a district of Police, Poland, a town in the Pomerania Region. In the High and Late Middle Ages, the village was the site of Jasenitz Abbey, now in ruins.-Gunica River and a kayak-way:...
in PolicePolice, PolandPolice is a town in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, northwestern Poland. It is the capital of Police County. As of 2006, the town had 34,284 inhabitants. The name comes from Polish pole, which means "field"....