Crusader States - in The Baltics

In The Baltics

In the Baltic region, the indigenous tribes in the Middle Ages at first staunchly refused Christianity. In 1193, Pope Celestine III urged to a crusade against the heathens which included the Old Prussians, the Lithuanians and other tribes inhabiting Estonia, Latvia and East Prussia. This period of warfare is called the Northern Crusades.

In the aftermath of Northern Crusades William of Modena as Papal legate solved the disputes between the crusaders in Livonia and Prussia.

• By dividing the lands of the Terra Mariana between the crusading order of Livonian Brothers of the Sword and the Church five principalities were created:

1. Archbishopric of Riga,
2. Bishopric of Courland,
3. Bishopric of Dorpat,
4. Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek,
5. The lands of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword.

• The Estonian lands controlled by Danish crusaders were annexed with Denmark as

1. Duchy of Estonia until it was ceded to the Teutonic Order state in 1346.

• In the Prussian region William of Modena divided the lands between Teutonic knights and the Church by creating 4 Prince-Bishoprics under the Archbishopric of Riga:

1. Bishopric of Culm,
2. Bishopric of Pomesania,
3. Bishopric of Ermland,
4. Bishopric of Samland.