Siege of Tartu (1224)
Encyclopedia
The siege of Tartu took place in 1224 and resulted in the fall of last major center of Estonian resistance in the mainland provinces to the Christian conquest of Estonia
.
launched a crusade against the pagan Estonians who had been wreaking havoc in the Latgalian
and Livonian territories to the south that had recently been conquered by the Order. In 1219, Denmark
joined the Crusade and in 1220, Sweden
. Even though the Estonians were able to annihilate the Swedish presence, however, by the winter of 1220 nearly of continental Estonia had been conquered by the Germans and the Danes and the population declared Christian.
and Tartu
. The identities of the Estonian leadership in Tartu is not known. The commander of the Russian mercenaries was Vyachko
, who in 1208 had lost his dominion in Latgallia to the combined forces of the Sword Brethern and Livonians
. Vyachko, who attempted to establish himself as the overlord of some other territory, was given two hundred men and money by the Novgorod Republic so that he could establish himself in Tarbatu (present-day Tartu
) or any other place “that he could conquer for himself”.
and other neighboring provinces (vicinas omnes provincias). The crusaders laid siege to Tartu after Easter in 1224 but were forced to leave after only five days of fighting. Then the bishops sent a delegation to Vyachko and asked him to give up the “heathen rebels” in the fortress and leave them, but he chose to stay because the “Novgorodians and Russian princes had promised him the fortress and the surrounding lands” if he could conquer them for himself.
The siege began with the building of larger and smaller bricoles, which were used to throw rocks and "hot iron" or fire-pots into the stronghold. They Christian army constructed a high turret
which was gradually moved closer to the stronghold. The Germans constantly undermined the wall and gathered wood which were lit to set the stronghold aflame. The defenders used their own bricoles and fired upon the Germans with bows and crossbows. At night the fighting didn't stop either: the combatants shouted at one another, and made noise with their swords, played drums, fifes and horns.
Eventually the Germans decided to launch an all-out attack on the stronghold. All the defenders of Tarbatu, including women, were killed in the final onslaught by the Knights when the fortress finally fell. In total nearly a thousand Estonians lost their lives in the final battle. According to the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia
, Vyachko along with his Russians tried to put up a separate resistance in one of the fortifications, but were all dragged out and killed. Of all the defenders of Tarbatu, only one Russian from Suzdal
was left alive. He was given clothes and a good horse and sent back to Novgorod. The relief troops from Novgorod had already reached Pskov
when they received the news from Tartu whereupon they decided to cancel the expedition and make peace with the Germans.
. For the time being, only the main islands of Estonian were able to preserve their independence.
Livonian Crusade
The Livonian Crusade refers to the German and Danish conquest and colonization of medieval Livonia, the territory constituting modern Latvia and Estonia, during the Northern Crusades...
.
Background
In 1208, the Livonian Brothers of the SwordLivonian Brothers of the Sword
The Livonian Brothers of the Sword were a military order founded by Bishop Albert of Riga in 1202. Pope Innocent III sanctioned the establishment in 1204. The membership of the order comprised German "warrior monks"...
launched a crusade against the pagan Estonians who had been wreaking havoc in the Latgalian
Latgalians
The term Latgalians The term Latgalians The term Latgalians (Latgalian: latgalīši, latgali, (also spelt Latgallians and sometimes known as Lettigalls, Latgolans, or Lettigallians) can refer to the inhabitants of the Latgale region in eastern Latvia in general, the ethnic Latvians of Latgale...
and Livonian territories to the south that had recently been conquered by the Order. In 1219, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
joined the Crusade and in 1220, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Even though the Estonians were able to annihilate the Swedish presence, however, by the winter of 1220 nearly of continental Estonia had been conquered by the Germans and the Danes and the population declared Christian.
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 in the hands of the Estonians were put to 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 ViljandiViljandi
Viljandi is a town and municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 19,150 . It is the capital of Viljandi County. The town was first mentioned in 1283, upon being granted its town charter by Wilhelm von Endorpe....
and Tartu
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
. The identities of the Estonian leadership in Tartu is not known. The commander of the Russian mercenaries was Vyachko
Vyachko
Vyachko of Koknese, also Vetseke of Kokenhusen was the ruler of the Principality of Koknese in present-day Latvia, a vassal of Polotsk, who tried to establish himself as a local ruler first in Latvia and then in Estonia, and fought against the expansionism of the Livonian Knights at the turn of...
, who in 1208 had lost his dominion in Latgallia to the combined forces of the Sword Brethern and Livonians
Livonian people
The Livonians or Livs are the indigenous inhabitants of Livonia, a large part of what is today northwestern Latvia and southwestern Estonia. They spoke the Uralic Livonian language, a language which is closely related to Estonian and Finnish...
. Vyachko, who attempted to establish himself as the overlord of some other territory, was given two hundred men and money by the Novgorod Republic so that he could establish himself in Tarbatu (present-day Tartu
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
) or any other place “that he could conquer for himself”.
First siege of Tartu
In the winter of 1223/1224, the Germans gradually managed to reconquer most strongholds in mainland Estonia except for Tartu that remained the last center of the anti-Christian resistance in South-Estonia. In addition to the local population from Ugandi, many diehard freedom fighters had gathered there from SakalaSakala
Sakala may refer to:* Sagala, a city of ancient India* Sakala County, an ancient county in Estonia * Sakala , an Estonian academic corporation* Sakala , an Estonian newspaper...
and other neighboring provinces (vicinas omnes provincias). The crusaders laid siege to Tartu after Easter in 1224 but were forced to leave after only five days of fighting. Then the bishops sent a delegation to Vyachko and asked him to give up the “heathen rebels” in the fortress and leave them, but he chose to stay because the “Novgorodians and Russian princes had promised him the fortress and the surrounding lands” if he could conquer them for himself.
Second siege of Tartu
On August 15, 1224, the crusader army, reinforced with a large number of Christian Latvian and Livonian troops, returned with all its might 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 bricoles, which were used to throw rocks and "hot iron" or fire-pots into the stronghold. They Christian army constructed a high turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
which was gradually moved closer to the stronghold. The Germans constantly undermined the wall and gathered wood which were lit to set the stronghold aflame. The defenders used their own bricoles and fired upon the Germans with bows and crossbows. At night the fighting didn't stop either: the combatants shouted at one another, and made noise with their swords, played drums, fifes and horns.
Eventually the Germans decided to launch an all-out attack on the stronghold. All the defenders of Tarbatu, including women, were killed in the final onslaught by the Knights when the fortress finally fell. In total nearly a thousand Estonians lost their lives in the final battle. According to the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia
Chronicle of Henry of Livonia
The Livonian Chronicle of Henry is a document describing historic events in Livonia and surrounding areas from 1180 to 1227. Apart from the few references in the Primary Chronicle compiled in Kievan Rus' in the twelfth century, it is the oldest known written document about the history of these...
, Vyachko along with his Russians tried to put up a separate resistance in one of the fortifications, but were all dragged out and killed. Of all the defenders of Tarbatu, only one Russian from Suzdal
Suzdal
Suzdal is a town in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, situated northeast of Moscow, from the city of Vladimir, on the Kamenka River. Population: -History:...
was left alive. He was given clothes and a good horse and sent back to Novgorod. The relief troops from Novgorod had already reached Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
when they received the news from Tartu whereupon they decided to cancel the expedition and make peace with the Germans.
Aftermath
With the fall of Tartu the entire Estonian mainland had been conquered by the Livonian Brothers of the SwordLivonian Brothers of the Sword
The Livonian Brothers of the Sword were a military order founded by Bishop Albert of Riga in 1202. Pope Innocent III sanctioned the establishment in 1204. The membership of the order comprised German "warrior monks"...
. For the time being, only the main islands of Estonian were able to preserve their independence.