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86-739: In the autumn of 1206 during the Livonian Crusades , the Wends (a small tribe living on the site of the present day town of Cēsis ) converted to Christianity and became allies of the crusaders. In 1208 the Brothers of the Militia of Christ, otherwise known as the Livonian Brothers of the Sword , took up residence among the Wends in their hillfort. They fortified the Wends' hillfort with a stone wall, largely replacing

172-456: A Cistercian abbot of Loccum arrived with a large contingent of crusaders in 1198. Shortly afterwards, while riding ahead of his troops in battle, Berthold was surrounded and killed, and his forces were defeated by Livonians. To avenge Berthold's defeat, Pope Innocent III issued a bull declaring a crusade against the Livonians. Albert von Buxthoeven , consecrated as a bishop in 1199, arrived

258-677: A 16th-century kitchen garden is recreated. The garden contains vegetables, herbs and medicinal plants that were cultivated in Livonia, 500 years ago. As with artisans, it is possible to meet a gardener every day during the summer season. Livonian Crusade Crusaders Baltic and Finnic pagans ( indigenous peoples ) Grand Duchy of Lithuania In the Holy Land (1095–1291) Later Crusades (1291–1717) Northern (1147–1410) Against Christians (1209–1588) Popular (1096–1320) Campaign against

344-655: A Swedish army led by the king John I of Sweden and the bishop Karl of Linköping captured Lihula in Rotalia in Western Estonia. The Oeselians attacked the Swedish stronghold later the same year and killed the entire garrison, including the Bishop of Linköping. In 1222, the Danish king Valdemar II attempted the second conquest of Saaremaa, this time establishing a stone fortress housing

430-562: A Swedish presence in the province of Wiek , but his troops were defeated by the Oeselians in the Battle of Lihula in 1220. Revelia, Harrien , and Vironia , the whole of northern Estonia, fell to Danish control. During the uprising of 1223, all Christian strongholds in Estonia save Tallinn fell into Estonian hands, with their defenders killed. By 1224 all of the larger fortresses were reconquered by

516-587: A centralised state. They were led by Lembitu of Lehola , the elder of Sackalia , who by 1211 had come to the attention of German chroniclers as the central figure of the Estonian resistance. The Livonian leader Caupo was killed in the Battle of St. Matthew's Day near Viljandi (Fellin) on 21 September 1217, but Lembitu was also killed, and the battle was a crushing defeat for the Estonians. The Christian kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden were also eager for expansion on

602-484: A few banners to harass Swedish units in Livonia. Meanwhile, Sapieha camped near Valle (Wallhof, southern Latvia), which lies halfway between Bauska and Koknese. Gustav Adolf was well aware of internal divisions among the Lithuanians, and decided to take advantage of it. On 13 January 1626 he concentrated his forces, and on 17 January 1626 the Battle of Wallhof took place, in which for the first time Swedish forces defeated

688-527: A number of neighboring provinces would henceforth be considered reichsfrei , that is, subordinate directly to the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire only, as opposed to being under the jurisdiction of local rulers. At the end of the year Pope Honorius III announced the appointment of Bishop William of Modena as papal legate for Livonia, Prussia, and other countries. In 1224

774-566: A siege on 29 August. The capital of Livonia was defended by a garrison of 300 soldiers, plus 3,700 armed residents. Lithuanian Field Hetman Krzysztof Radziwiłł had only 1,500 soldiers at his disposal, as most units were in Podolia and Red Ruthenia . Riga capitulated on 25 September, after three assaults. On 2 October the Swedes captured the fortress of Dunamunde . The invaders, marching through marshes and forests to avoid Lithuanian cavalry, entered

860-564: A strong garrison. The stronghold was besieged and surrendered within five days, the Danish garrison returning to Revel while leaving Bishop Albert of Riga 's brother Theodoric and others behind as hostages for peace. The castle was leveled by the Oeselians. In 1227, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, the town of Riga, and the Bishop of Riga organized a combined attack against Saaremaa. After

946-694: A subject of the Holy See . After the success of the crusade, the Teutonic - and Danish-occupied territory was divided into six feudal principalities by William of Modena . By the time German traders began to arrive in the second half of the 12th century to trade along the ancient trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks , some natives had already been baptized. Saint Meinhard of Segeberg arrived in Ikšķile in 1184 with

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1032-655: A truce favorable to Sweden. The Commonwealth ceded Livonia north of the Dvina (Düna) river , and retained only nominal control over Riga. The new truce in Mitau ( Jelgava , Mitawa) was signed and lasted from November 1622 to March 1625. The Polish–Swedish War of 1617–18 showed that the Swedish Army, despite several reforms, was still unable to defeat the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . Furthermore, King Gustav Adolf

1118-566: Is German for Cēsis). In the story, Bestuzhev attempted to create a Gothic tale that is likely to have functioned as a partially political commentary on the state of Russian politics, due to his connection with the Decembrists . In the story, the castle plays a central role as the backdrop to a fictionalized account of the death of Wenno , the first Master of the Livonian Knights, a historical event still much debated in medieval studies. The story

1204-603: Is in the Gothic tradition of The Castle of Otranto , while making ties to Russia's history in Latvia. Cēsis Castle is open to the public year-round and according to figures released by Cēsis Culture and Tourism Centre, 100 000 people visited the castle in 2016. The main site of interest in the castle – the Western Tower – lures the visitors not only with the Master's Chamber, but also with

1290-516: Is traditionally considered as the time of the greatest flourishing of Cēsis Castle. Under von Plettenberg Cēsis Castle underwent large-scale reconstruction. The castle's fortifications were reinforced with three artillery towers, while some of castle's interiors (e.g. the Chapter Hall and the Master's Chamber) underwent major remodelling. Resplendent Master's Chamber brick vaulting from c.1500 survives up to now. The ongoing development of Cēsis Castle

1376-709: The Aizkraukle hillfort. In 1236, Semigallians attacked crusaders retreating to Riga after the Battle of Saule , killing many of them. After regular attacks, the Livonian Order partly subdued the Semigallians in 1254. In 1270, the Lithuanian Grand Duke Traidenis , together with Semigallians, attacked Livonia and Saaremaa . During the Battle of Karuse on the frozen Gulf of Riga , the Livonian Order

1462-749: The Archbishopric of Riga , and received back a portion of it as a fief. Tālava, weakened in wars with Estonians and Russians, became a vassal state of the Archbishopric of Riga in 1214, and in 1224 was finally divided between the Archbishopric and the Order. By 1208 the Crusaders were strong enough to begin operations against the Estonians , who were at that time divided into eight major and seven smaller Counties , led by elders, with limited co-operation between them. With

1548-564: The Daugava River , and besieged Koknese , capturing it after sixteen days. On 27 August the Swedes captured Tartu , and soon afterwards, Mitau . In early September 1625, Swedish forces invaded the Grand Duchy of Lithuania , capturing Biržai on 7 September. This success cut links between Polish–Lithuanian garrisons remaining in Livonia, and those stationed in Lithuania, as Sweden now controlled

1634-465: The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia , capturing its capital, Mitau without resistance. The Swedes then tried to capture the fortress of Koknese , but failed to do so, after a skirmish with Lithuanian cavalry of Aleksander Gosiewski . In early January 1622, the Swedes captured Valmiera , together with several smaller Livonian castles. Meanwhile, the forces under Hetman Radziwiłł grew to 3,000, which enabled

1720-672: The First World War , the tower was crowned by a solid conical roof. After the war the newly-founded state of Latvia expropriated the largest part of Cēsis Castle manor from the Count von Sievers’ family. The manor house was placed at the disposal of the Army of Latvia but the ruins of the castle were granted on lease to the Town Council of Cēsis. In 1925 the Monuments Authority of Latvia listed

1806-558: The Great Northern War the Russian troops continued demolishing Cēsis Castle. Rain and frost destroyed the old fortress even further, gradually but inevitably eroding the roofless masonry walls. The ceilings and stone vaults, saturated with rainwater, collapsed, plastering came off the wet walls and the mortar that kept stones together, crumbled away under the impact of frost. The castle gradually ‘buried itself’ in rubble. The only part of

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1892-566: The Republic of Novgorod serving variously as allies of both crusaders and Estonians. Hill forts , which were the key centers of Estonian counties, were besieged, captured, and re-captured a number of times. A truce between the war-weary sides was established for three years (1213–1215). It proved generally more favourable to the Germans, who consolidated their political position, while the Estonians were unable to develop their system of loose alliances into

1978-796: The Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire (see Polish–Ottoman War (1620–21) ), offered Gustav Adolf a further chance to defeat the Commonwealth. While the Polish–Lithuanian army was concentrated in Podolia , in the south of the Commonwealth, a Swedish army landed near Pärnu (today part of Estonia ) on 19 August 1621. It was carried by a fleet of 148 vessels (25 warships, 3 pinnacles, 7 galleys, 7 smaller warships and 106 transport boats). Gustav Adolf had 14,700 infantry, 3,150 cavalry and 375 cannons. The Swedes immediately marched towards Riga , and started

2064-416: The Commonwealth in open battle. At the Battle of Gniew , on 22 September and 29 September to 1 October 1626, the Swedish forces stopped three attacks by the hussars . After this failure, the Lithuanians limited their activities to attacks on Swedish patrols. Gustav Adolf, on the other hand, was content with the performance of his army, and decided to transfer the war to Royal Prussia . During that period,

2150-630: The Curonians preferred to try to make peace with the Christian conquerors, inviting the monks into their country thereby escaping attacks by the Scandinavian nations. In 1230 the Curonians in the northern part of Courland, under their ruler ( rex ) Lammekinus  [ lv ; lt ] , signed a peace treaty with the Germans, and the lands they inhabited thus became known as Vredecuronia or Peace Courland . The southern Curonians, however, continued to resist

2236-466: The German crusaders. In 1206, a Danish army led by the king Valdemar II and Andreas, the Bishop of Lund , landed on Saaremaa and attempted to establish a stronghold, without success. In 1216, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and the bishop Theodorich joined forces and invaded Saaremaa over the frozen sea. The Oeselians retaliated by raiding German-held territories in Latvia the following spring. In 1220,

2322-625: The Knights and that allowed the Samogitians to gain victory over the Livonian Order . It was a heavy defeat for the Order and uprisings against the crusaders soon afterwards broke out in the Curonian and Prussian lands. Curonian resistance was finally subdued in 1266 when the whole of Courland was partitioned between the Livonian Order and the Archbishop of Riga . The Curonian nobles, among them 40 clans of

2408-697: The Latvians Campaign against the Lithuanians North Atlantic Africa Asia Caribbean The Livonian crusade consists of the various military Christianisation campaigns in medieval Livonia – modern Latvia and Estonia – during the Papal -sanctioned Northern Crusades in the 12th–13th century. The Livonian crusade was conducted mostly by the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Denmark . It ended with

2494-550: The Latvians, whose ancestors once built this castle, are now a free nation. The castle walls remind us that united the Latvian people are invincible.” The official attitude of the Soviet occupation regime towards medieval heritage was thoroughly negative. Suffice to mention the blowing up of Königsberg Castle in 1968 with the aim of 'erasing the symbol of Prussian militarism and fascism from

2580-418: The Lithuanians to respond better to Swedish attacks. On 7 January Radziwiłł recaptured Mitau, but because of a lack of artillery, he failed to seize its castle, whose garrison did not capitulate until 6 July. A few weeks later, in late July 1622, main Swedish forces reached Mittau, and a prolonged battle ensued. Since the battle turned into a stalemate, on 10 August 1622, both sides signed a truce, which in 1623

2666-456: The Livonian Brothers of the Sword established their headquarters at Fellin (Viljandi) in Sackalia, where the walls of the Master's castle are still standing. Other strongholds included Wenden (Cēsis) , Segewold (Sigulda) , and Ascheraden (Aizkraukle) . The Chronicle of Henry of Livonia , one of the greatest medieval narratives, was written probably as a report for William of Modena, giving him

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2752-742: The Livonian Masters resided in Rīga Castle , but in periods of danger and instability they moved to Cēsis. Finally, at the end of the 15th century, the Order's administrative headquarters were relocated from Rīga to Cēsis, and Cēsis Castle became the permanent residence of the Masters. As the residency of the Livonian Master and the meeting place of the Order's highest officials in Livonia Cēsis Castle witnessed many events of great significance for

2838-528: The Livonians were declared to be converted. Caupo subsequently remained an ally of the crusaders until his death in the Battle of St. Matthew's Day in 1217. By 1208 the important Daugava trading posts of Salaspils (Holme), Koknese (Kokenhusen) and Sēlpils Castle (Selburg) had been taken over as a result of Albert's energetic campaigning. In the same year, the rulers of the Latgalian counties Tālava , Satekle , and Autine established military alliances with

2924-609: The Low Germans ( Saxons ) to be useful allies. The first prominent Livonian to be converted was their leader Caupo of Turaida , who was baptized around 1189. Pope Celestine III had called for a crusade against pagans in Northern Europe in 1193. When peaceful means of conversion failed to produce results, the impatient Meinhard plotted to convert Livonians forcibly but was thwarted. He died in 1196, having failed in his mission. His appointed replacement, bishop Berthold of Hanover ,

3010-412: The Oeselians arose yet again, killing all the Germans on the island, drowning all the clerics, and besieging the Livonian Order 's castle at Pöide. After the garrison surrendered the Oeselians massacred the defenders and destroyed the castle. In February 1344 Burchard von Dreileben led a campaign over the frozen sea to Saaremaa. The Oeselians' stronghold was conquered and their leader Vesse was hanged. In

3096-466: The Oeselians once more renounced Christianity and killed all the Germans on the island. A peace treaty was signed after the united forces of the Livonian Order , the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek , and Danish Estonia , including mainland Estonians and Latvians, defeated the Oeselians by capturing their stronghold at Kaarma. Soon thereafter, the Livonian Order established a stone fort at Pöide . On 24 July 1343

3182-523: The Order, and construction began on both Cēsis Castle and a stone Koknese Castle , where the Daugava and Pērse rivers meet, replacing the wooden castle of Latgalians. In 1209 Albert, leading the forces of the Order, captured the capital of the Latgalian Principality of Jersika , and took the wife of the ruler Visvaldis captive. Visvaldis was forced to submit his kingdom to Albert as a grant to

3268-739: The Polish King since 1621. The biggest ship of the new fleet was the galleon Król Dawid commanded by James Murray . Before the end of the truce, Gustav Adolf initiated talks with the Tsardom of Russia and the Ottoman Empire , hoping for a joint attack on Poland–Lithuania. Furthermore, he sent envoys to try to incite the Zaporozhian Cossacks , who were Polish subjects, to attack Turkey, and provoke another Polish–Ottoman war . On 27 June 1625 Gustav Adolf landed in Livonia with an army of 20,000. The main Swedish corps of almost 10,000 marched upwards

3354-412: The Society for the History and Antiquities of Rīga initiated campaign to save the Western Tower of the castle for future generations. Under the impact of rain and frost the tower's upper floor brick vault was in danger of collapse and therefore could bring down the outstanding 500-year-old vaulting of the Master's Chamber. In 1904 a temporary covering was set up but 10 year later, just before the outbreak of

3440-418: The Swedish throne in exchange for a permanent peace treaty and Livonia. Radziwiłł emphasized the fact that after the reforms, the Swedish army was difficult to defeat, and Poland–Lithuania also needed a major overhaul of its armed forces, especially the infantry and artillery. The Commonwealth also needed a strong navy and specialized units of engineers, trained in erection of field fortifications. Regardless of

3526-399: The administration of the trade school planned large-scale renovation of the sports ground that entailed the building of stands with 600 spectator seats, a tennis court, a swimming pool and a shooting range. Cēsis Castle was saved from this ill-judged project by lack of financing and objections from the part of the Ministry of Culture. In 1974 archaeologists in Cēsis Castle unearthed remains of

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3612-442: The basements of the castle. When frost sets in, five different species of bats settle in wall cavities and stay there throughout the winter. Throughout the summer season there are artisan workshops located in the outer bailey of the castle where bone and antler craftsman, woodturner, blacksmith and printmaker work. They practice their craft by utilising the same methods as were common in the Middle Ages. Adjacent to artisan workshops

3698-436: The building where explosion of 1577 took place. This unique archaeological discovery stimulated further research. In the course of more than 30 excavation seasons almost 10 000 m of the castle was researched. As a result of the large-scale excavations Cēsis Castle has become archaeologically the most studied, and with the richest finds, of any medieval castle in Latvia. The largest part of the total of 13 000 artefacts found during

3784-410: The castle as a nationally important historic building. However, major conservation and refurbishment works within the site were undertaken starting from 1930s when it became popular as a tourist attraction. During the regime of Kārlis Ulmanis in the canon of national values there was no place for medieval castles, which were regarded as a symbol of German rule. However, in spite of the calls “to remove

3870-410: The castle so badly that it “looked like it had been pillaged—the doors, cupboards and windows were broken, the iron parts were removed, all hinges and locks from the doors were gone and the stoves had been partially torn down”. Another document mentions that soldiers broke down the doors and floors for firewood and even took the window lead cames to melt them down for musket balls. In the first years of

3956-408: The castle that undergone major renovation was the former gatehouse of the outer bailey. In 1760s it was rebuilt as a manor house, the so-called New Castle. In 1830s, the owner of Cēsis Castle estate Count Karl Gustav von Sievers ordered “the damp spot by the ruins” to be transformed into a spacious landscape park. The imposing silhouette of the ruined castle became an ornamental feature of the park and

4042-475: The castle's western range – the part of the castle that collapsed as a result of explosion. On the basement floor under the collapsed ceiling beams a number of human remains of adults and children were uncovered, all securely dated by coins to 1577, Chronicler Salomon Henning reports that 'all were blown up, aside from those who were hiding elsewhere in the castle' and it is likely that human remains recovered by archaeologists belonged to those who were trying to avoid

4128-401: The castle. (1) During the first half of the 13th century, a stone chapel and chapter-house, together with other buildings (presumably constructed out of timber), were built on the site of the current castle by the Brothers of the Sword. Situated in the eastern corner of the convent castle, a chapel with Romanesque corbels is one of few surviving parts of this earliest phase of construction. (2) In

4214-493: The christened Livonian chief Caupo conquer back his Turaida Castle from pagan rebels. In 1219, the Semigallian–German alliance was cancelled after a crusader invasion in Semigallia. Duke Viestards promptly formed an alliance with Lithuanians and Curonians. In 1228, Semigallians and Curonians attacked the Daugavgrīva monastery, the main crusader stronghold at the Daugava river delta. The crusaders took revenge and invaded Semigallia. The Semigallians in turn pillaged land around

4300-450: The city, they destroyed a monastery in Daugavgriva and killed all the monks. After the defeat of Estonians and Osilians in 1227, the Curonians were confronted by Lithuanian enemies in the east and south, and harassed by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword from the north; in the west, on the sea-shore, their arch-enemies, the Danes and Swedes, were lurking, waiting for an opportunity. In this hopeless situation, further aggravated by famine,

4386-437: The course of the subsequent building phases. In 1237 Cēsis Castle was taken over by the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order . Under the new governor Cēsis Castle underwent large-scale reconstruction. The old fortifications were gradually replaced by a monumental square castle (castellum), consisting of four ranges built around a courtyard. This form of the Teutonic Order castle was imported from Prussia and largely stemmed from

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4472-469: The creation of Terra Mariana and the Danish duchy of Estonia . The lands on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea were one of the last parts of Europe to be Christianised . The available information is largely based on Livonian Chronicle of Henry . On 2 February 1207, in the territories conquered, an ecclesiastical state called Terra Mariana was established as a principality of the Holy Roman Empire , and proclaimed by Pope Innocent III in 1215 as

4558-493: The crusaders, except for Tharbata , which was defended by a determined Estonian garrison and 200 Russian mercenaries. The leader of the Russian troops was Vyachko , to whom the Novgorod Republic had promised the fortress and its surrounding lands "if he could conquer them for himself". Tharbata was finally captured by the crusaders in August 1224 and all its defenders were killed. Early in 1224 Emperor Frederick II had announced at Catania that Livonia, Prussia , Sambia and

4644-446: The descendants of the Curonian Kings , who lived in the town of Kuldīga , preserved personal freedom and some of their privileges. According to the Livonian Chronicle of Henry , Semigallians formed an alliance with bishop Albert of Riga against rebellious Livonians before 1203, and received military support to hold back Lithuanian attacks in 1205. In 1207, the Semigallian duke Viestards ( Latin : dux Semigallorum ) helped

4730-422: The destruction of Muhu Stronghold and the surrender of Valjala Stronghold , the Oeselians formally accepted Christianity. After the defeat of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword in the Battle of Saule in 1236 fighting again broke out on Saaremaa. In 1241 the Oeselians once again accepted Christianity by signing treaties with the Livonian Order 's Master Andreas de Velven and the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek . This

4816-414: The early spring of 1345, the next campaign of the Livonian Order ended with a treaty mentioned in the Chronicle of Hermann von Wartberge and the Novgorod First Chronicle . Saaremaa remained the vassal of the master of the Livonian Order and the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek until 1559. Following the defeat of the Estonians, the crusade moved against Curonians and Semigallians , Baltic tribes living to

4902-456: The eastern shores of the Baltic. In 1218 Albert asked King Valdemar II of Denmark for assistance, but Valdemar instead arranged a deal with the Order. The king was victorious in the Battle of Lindanise in Revelia in 1219, to which the origin of the Flag of Denmark is attributed. He subsequently founded the fortress Castrum Danorum , which was unsuccessfully besieged by the Estonians in 1220 and 1223. King John I of Sweden tried to establish

4988-466: The excavations in the castle are now kept in the National History Museum of Latvia, but as of 2004 such finds become part of the collection of Cēsis Museum. The future priorities are no longer related to large-scale excavations in the castle but rather to adequate preservation and research of the obtained archaeological material and elaboration of publications. Architectural analysis of Cēsis Castle has indicated that there were three major building phases to

5074-407: The explosion. After the Polish-Swedish War Cēsis Castle came under the rule of Sweden and it was handed over to Lord High Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna . The castle was the property of the Oxenstiernas until 1681 when it came under the direct ownership of the King of Sweden. Soon after Cēsis became a crown property, soldiers of a mounted unit were stationed there. They are reported to have demolished

5160-466: The following year with a large force, and established Riga as the seat of his Bishopric of Riga in 1201. In 1202, he formed the Livonian Brothers of the Sword to aid in the conversion of the pagans to Christianity and, more importantly, to protect German trade and secure German control over commerce. As the German grip tightened, the Livonians and their christened chief rebelled against the crusaders. Caupo's forces were defeated at Turaida in 1206, and

5246-434: The help of the newly converted local tribes of Livs and Latgalians , the crusaders initiated raids into Sakala and Ugaunia in Southern Estonia. The Estonian tribes fiercely resisted the attacks from Riga and occasionally sacked territories controlled by the crusaders. In 1208–27, war parties of the different sides rampaged through Livonia , Latgalia, and other Estonian counties, with the Livs, Latgalians and Russians of

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5332-459: The history of Livonia. Here envoys were received, issues of war and peace decided and it was here that the Order's troops assembled for military action when such need arose. The castle also housed the Order's archives and library as well as a chancery with a scriptorium. The period from 1494 to 1535, when the Livonian branch of the Order was led by Wolter von Plettenberg – one of the greatest politicians and military commanders in Livonia's history –

5418-406: The history of the Church in Livonia up to his time. It relates how in 1226, in the stronghold Tarwanpe , William of Modena successfully mediated a peace between the Germans, the Danes and the Vironians . The last Estonian county to hold out against the invaders was the island country of Saaremaa (Ösel) , whose war fleets had continued to raid Denmark and Sweden during the years of fighting against

5504-416: The invaders. In 1260, the Curonians were involved in the Battle of Durbe , one of the biggest battles in Livonia in the 13th century. They were forced to fight on the crusader side. When the battle started, the Curonians abandoned the knights. Peter von Dusburg alleged that the Curonians even attacked the Knights from the rear. The Estonians and other local people soon followed the Curonians and abandoned

5590-457: The late 14th century Teutonic Knights begun the transformation of the building into a convent-type castle with four ranges grouped round a quadrangle providing all the functional facilities needed by militant religious community – chapel, refectory, dormitories, chapter-house, kitchen and services. (3) With the development of firearms, the castle's fortifications were gradually modified to resist artillery. Three round towers were built c.1500 – one in

5676-551: The line of the Daugava. Furthermore, on 27 September, Sweden captured the fortress of Bauska . Swedish successes were possible also because of a bitter conflict between two powerful Lithuanian hetmans , Krzysztof Radziwiłł and Lew Sapieha . As a result, the armed forces of both leaders did not unite and operated separately, which put the Commonwealth at a disadvantage. In October 1625 Radziwiłł retook several castles, while Sapieha fought off Swedish assault on Daugavpils . Radziwiłł then concentrated his forces in Courland , sending

5762-439: The master of the Livonian Order Willekin von Endorp , and an unknown number of crusader allies. It was the last Semigallian victory over the growing forces of the Livonian Order. In 1279, after the Battle of Aizkraukle , Grand Duke Traidenis of Lithuania supported a Semigallian revolt against the Livonian Order led by Duke Nameisis . Polish%E2%80%93Swedish War (1621%E2%80%931625) The Polish–Swedish War of 1621 to 1625

5848-500: The memory of Soviet citizens'. However, in Cēsis the castle ruins successfully survived this politically unfavourable period and remained a popular tourist destination. In 1950s large-scale repair works were undertaken while the castle's former outer bailey acquired a peculiar function: it served as a sports ground of local trade school. The former students still remember that it contained running tracks, basketball and volleyball courts as well as sections for long jump and shot-put. Moreover,

5934-411: The mission of converting the pagan Livonians , and was consecrated as Bishop of Üxküll in 1186. In those days the riverside town was the center of the missionary activities in the Livonian area. The indigenous Livonians ( Līvi ), who had been paying tribute to the East Slavic Principality of Polotsk , and were often under attack by their southern neighbours the Semigallians , at first considered

6020-408: The need for “fortified convents” that would be easy to defend and where the brethren's domicile would be as compact as possible. To provide additional safety and accommodate various service buildings, outer baileys were built as part of the castle complex. As a result of the grandiose reconstruction Cēsis became one of the largest and mightiest castles of the Teutonic Order. The convent of Cēsis Castle

6106-412: The northern corner of the convent castle and two in the outer baileys. At the same time the room on the first floor of the west tower – the Master's Chamber – was lavishly decorated with impressive brick vault and painted plasterwork. Cēsis Castle and its relationship to literature can be found in several Eastern European examples, most notably in Alexander Bestuzhev 's short-story "Castle Wenden" (Wenden

6192-428: The old piles of stone from the hills of our fatherland”, Cēsis municipality did not withdraw its care for the centuries-old castle. Mayor of the town Rūdolfs Kaucis is reported to have said in public: “Some people recommend tearing down everything that reminds us of the knights’ time. I would like to object by insisting that we cannot escape our own history. Those who once lived in this castle, have long since perished, but

6278-536: The opinion of his generals, Sigismund III ordered construction of a fleet, which, with help from the Spanish Empire , was to transport the invading army to Sweden. In 1623, the Polish King met with the Starosta of Puck , Jan Wejher , telling him to build the fleet. However, from the very beginning, this was questioned by the powerful and semi-independent city of Gdańsk , whose government, under Swedish pressure, opposed

6364-485: The possibility to get a bird's eye view of the surroundings. The loft windows open to the scenery of the environs of Cēsis in all its glory. Each visitor is given a candle lantern to explore the dimly lit Western Tower. It is a tradition that originated in 1996 and has become a trademark of Cēsis Castle. The castle is not only a tourist attraction but also a habitat of various species of plants and animals. Naturalists have drawn special attention to bats, which hibernate i

6450-577: The previous timber defences. Although the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia describes the fort as “the smallest in Livonia”, it withstood repeated sieges by Estonians and Russians. In 1213 or 1214 the Livonian Brothers of the Sword started construction of the new stone castle right next to the Wend's hillfort. The design of this 13th century castle is unknown as all its structures (except the chapel) have been torn down in

6536-409: The reflection of the castle in the mirror of the pond added to its romantic atmosphere. The park served as a promenade and pleasure-ground not only for the von Sievers family and their guests but also for the patients of the water-cure establishment that Karl Gustav opened in 1841. Caring for visitor's comfort and safety even repair works were undertaken in some parts of the castle. In 1903 members of

6622-469: The south and west of the Daugava river and closely allied with Samogitians . In July 1210 Curonians attacked Riga . After a day of fighting, the Curonians were unable to break through the city walls. They crossed to the other bank of the Daugava to burn their dead and mourn for three days. In 1228 Curonians together with Semigallians again attacked Riga. Although they were again unsuccessful in storming

6708-404: The very idea of a Commonwealth fleet, and did not allow it to be anchored in its port. Under these circumstances, Sigismund III Wasa decided to expand the port and shipyard of Puck. In 1624–1626, seven medium size ships were built here, with tonnage ranging from 200 to 400 tons. They were manned mostly by local Kashubian fishermen, while marine infantry consisted of English mercenaries, employed by

6794-504: Was a war in a long-running series of conflicts between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Swedish Empire . It began with a Swedish invasion of the Polish–Lithuanian fiefdom Livonia . Swedish forces succeeded in taking the city of Riga after a siege. The Commonwealth, focused on a war with the Ottoman Empire (such as the battles of Cecora and Chocim ), was unable to send significant forces to stop Gustav Adolf , and signed

6880-450: Was defeated, and its master Otto von Lutterberg was killed. In 1287, around 1400 Semigallians attacked a crusader stronghold in Ikšķile and plundered nearby lands. As they returned to Semigallia they were caught by the Order's forces, and the great Battle of Garoza began near the Garoza river. The crusader forces were besieged and badly defeated. More than 40 knights were killed, including

6966-439: Was followed by a treaty signed in 1255 by the Master of the Order, Anno Sangerhausenn, and, on behalf of the Oeselians, elders whose names were phonetically transcribed by Latin scribes as Ylle, Culle, Enu, Muntelene, Tappete, Yalde, Melete, and Cake. The treaty granted the Oeselians several distinctive rights regarding the ownership and inheritance of land, the social order, and the practice of religion. Warfare erupted in 1261 as

7052-713: Was interrupted by the dissolution of the Teutonic Order's Livonian branch in 1561 and by devastating sieges of the castle that took place during the Livonian War . In 1577, when the castle was besieged and bombarded for five days by the army of Ivan the Terrible , 300 people within the castle, realizing that it will be impossible to defend themselves any longer, made the decision to commit a mass suicide by blowing themselves up with four barrels of gunpowder. In 1974 archaeologists unearthed two basement rooms, which had remained over from

7138-463: Was prolonged until March 1625. During the negotiations, envoys of Gustav Adolf suggested a Swedish–Lithuanian union. The Swedish eventually insisted on a truce due to financial problems of the Swedish Empire , as the costs of the war were too high for their treasury. Furthermore, in the autumn of 1621, the Polish–Ottoman War ended (see Battle of Khotyn (1621) ), and the army of the Commonwealth

7224-524: Was ready to march to Livonia. The truce, signed by the Lithuanians, enraged King Sigismund III Vasa , who planned to transfer all forces northwards, hoping that with the help of the Spanish Navy, he would be able to invade Sweden itself. Polish nobility and leaders such as Krzysztof Radziwiłł and Krzysztof Zbaraski disagreed with the royal plans. They wanted the King to agree to Swedish terms, and to relinquish

7310-454: Was still regarded in Europe as a usurper . To safeguard the Swedish crown for himself, Gustav Adolf decided to force Sigismund III Vasa to relinquish it. With help from Axel Oxenstierna , the Swedish king introduced a widespread program of military and social reforms, which resulted in creation of a well trained army, based on native recruits. These further reforms and the ongoing conflict between

7396-509: Was under the charge of a high-ranking Teutonic Knight – commander or Komtur . The Komtur was responsible for adequate supply of the brethren with food and armament, for order and discipline in the castle and for the collection of dues within the castle's district – Komturei . At the beginning of the 15th century Cēsis Castle and Komturei came under the direct rule of the Order's supreme commander in Livonia, becoming part of the-so-called Livonian Master's district. However, for most of their time

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