I am currently working on a story set in Estonia during the early 13th century when Crusaders of the Livonian Sword-Brothers crusaded on the Baltic. I find all this stuff on the Wendish Crusades just utterly fascinating!
Robert, this sounds interesting. I'm Lithuanian and constantly look for history concerning the crusades against the Baltic states. I know Grand Duke Mindaugus didn't go down easily, and because of his pagan stubbornness, Lithuania was the last country in Europe to be christianized. Looking forward to hearing more about your work.
Hello: Robert, You are The person I Been L00KING For The Last Past 30 Years Or So. I Think My Relatives Where There Trying Convert Those Vikings Into Christen's. Is There Any Mention Of Polish/German Family Name: KUSH- MIER-ROW-VITCH OR My Name Today Is: KUSH KUSMIROWICZ Our Family Where There from Germany. Our Coat Of Arms Look Like Standing White Or Brown Bear, With Sun Showing Over It Left Shoulder, We Wore Crown, Over A Plow, Standing Bailed Of Wheat And 3-5 Stars Above The Shield. We First Settled In Brest, Poland (Now Called Belarus) We Might Still Have Family Near Minsk, Belarus. Thanks, Michael
@@michaelkush1385 ??? I don't know what you mean by me being the person you've been looking for for the past 30 years. I have no family who lived in the Polish-German areas. My mother's side immigrated to the United States from Sweden in the 1910s and my father's side was all Indigenous Native American (of the Comanche tribe, which I am a registered member of), but I was born in Anchorage, Alaska though. But, I'm always glad to run into someone who has an interest in the Baltic Crusades as well!
Ah yes, Valdemar and Absalon kicking some Estonian butts is always a great sight. Absalon later constructed a castle that formed the center of Copenhagen.
The wars between the Wends and nearby Christian states were fought for centuries, and the Wendish Crusade was merely the culmination of those conflicts. Incidentally, the majority of tribal Wendish confederations would've had no issue with being vassals of the Holy Roman Empire if it weren't for the aggressive efforts of Germanization and Christianization of some of its dynasties, which then caused the Great Slav rising which reverted all of the previously successful efforts of Christianization and Germanization of Pagan Slavs for the next 200 or so years.
Originally the Obotrites were Charlemagnes allies... After Charlemagne it turned sour... Nearly 400 years of war. And many Obotrite kings actually tried to convert to prevent the inevitable. But Niklots son Pribislav pretty much saved Weligrad,which literally translates to Mecklenburg. He bled Henry enough to make Henry realize he couldn't have the Wends rising against him through his own nobility Convincing them to, because Henry had made alot of enemies within his own sphere even before his official downfall.
The Obotrite confederation had also created a single identity around it. And was far more centralized than the other Polabians. Having an effecient tax system and not as much a confederation of tribes as a pagan equivalent to a Duchy. Administratively the Obotrites were closer to contemporary western states than other wends like the Sorbs who were far more tribal, or later targets of Expansion like the Baltic Prussians.
@@numenoreaneternity6682 Nothing in english...Almost nothing in German... With polish you really have to worry about nationalist revisionism, and Czechs hardly touch on it... Truth is Very little is out there
Great history! How did you get interested in this? Ive always read a lot about Valdemar den store, also as a child and i remember the painting of Valdemar and Absalon in a historybook you had here in the start of your vdeo . I just wonder how you get interested in this,. Very good job! Thanks!
Nice overview of the Northern Crusades Slavic Wars Real Crusades History! I just have a few questions: where were the Poles in all this? You mentioned them in your previous video on the Wendish Crusades, but in this video you don't mention them. Did they help the Danes or Saxons in 1147? If not then why? Also, how did the Wendish pagans survive while being sandwiched between the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Poland? Why weren't they conquered or converted earlier?
Poles actualy vassalized and baptised Pomeranians in 1120s, after decades of unsuccesfull aproaches. Polabian tribes, however were out of their reach but some polish dukes took part in the crusade. The crusade itself ended when christians reached already baptised Szczecin. (edit: not ended but didn't go further east)
I would like to ask why did Crusaders atack Zadar in 1202? The reason i am asking is becouse majority of Croats were baptized during IX century, and were one of the most loyal nations to the pope.
to do the bidding of Venice and take out a rival power. The Pope excommunicated all who attacked the city. Remember that during that time the coastal cities were still heavily italic demographically though still mixed to whatever extent for sure.
Oh, another thing, your videos have really inspired me to start writing. I plan on writing an historical fiction based on the life of Martin von Golin and the Northern Crusades...by far my favorite video of yours to date. So thank you for what you're doing.
Wouldn't it make better since to call these wars Danish expansion instead crusades or did the pope send troops or moneys to support these actions? Because in an earlier pod cast I think you stated that the had to be.involved for bit to be a crusade?
A lot of this period didn't involve papal sanction, but there were several key moments when the popes granted crusades for these wars against the Wends.
Why did you can this the Slavic wars? Weren’t these crusades against Balts? I know latter Slavic peoples came into the sphere but wasn’t that much latter?
I think I see a possible explanation for a number of "short wars"(my term) of the Danes against Estonia and Lithuania on at least several occasions. Researching I noted a number of attacks launched against that area but I couldn't find a reason. IIRC these were more in the 1200-1300s period. The Danes and coastal Germans, especially City of Lubeck, teamed up to fight peoples to the east of Pomerania who would poke the lions from time to time.
This is very good point. I first also thought that this is about VENDS not WENDS. And Vends were quite likely fennic / fennic baltic people, so it got me too first that why the label of "slav"
The term "Russian" comes from the Eastern Slavic principalities of Kievan Rus. After the Mongol invasion and yoke the capital of Rus was moved from Kiev to Moscow as the Khanate favored the principality of Moscow, who later turned on the Mongols and kicked them out. I don't think Russia participated in the crusades. They were too busy fighting Muslims in Central Asia and later expanding east in their colonial days.
Well, Viking is a term mostly reserved for pirates of Scandinavian origin, although there were instances when some people with other ethnicities accompanied them. Hell, even famous Jomsborg fortress itself (historians think it was build somewhere on the southern shore of the Baltic sea, either on Wolin island or somewhere near it) was occupied by a mixed Norse-Slavic force. And of course, besides Wends and their famous pirates from the island of Rugen (Rujani) there were also Baltic Curonians and Estonian Osselians. Should we call them "vikings" too? Well... It's complicated. On one hand those groups either fought against or with the Scandinavians, but they were their own thing. Slavic term for their Viking equivalent (at least in Polish) was chąśnicy, from chąśba, meaning robbery.
Not Russian! Slavic, yes, but not Russians. The Venedi were located in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland. Later on, Wends described the western Slavs, mostly the obodrites, Sorbs, Pomeranians and Poles. Not the Russians. Anyway, modern Russians show great genetic similarity with non Slavic Finnic speakers
@@aleksandrvasilev6723 It is incorrect to refer to Venedi as Russians when 1- Russians did not exist yet 2- Venedi would be the ancestors of other groups, like Poles and Ukrainians. In fact, according to where Tacitus puts them, the Venedi mainly live in eastern Poland and are no where near modern Russian Fed. As far as the Finns. Genetic studies have shown that Poles and Belarusians are surprisingly close, and that Ukrainians are also tightly knot with Poles. Poles, Ukrainians and Belarusians also share great similarity with Southern/Central Rusians, who are mostly Slavs. But northern Russians from Novgorod and lands around Moscow are atypical for Slavic populations, and are plotted as being distant from other Slavs. Instead, they are very close to Finns and Estonians
@@en6064 Ethnic Russians are still predominately Slavic in terms of aDNA and Y-DNA, the only Russians who fit your descriptions are the Finno-Baltic tribes of historical Russia's distant northwest and northeast (they're mentioned in the Primary Chronicle) and historical and modern-day Ladogans, while the inhabitants of Novgorod were and still are almost entirely made of Ilmen Slavs. One last thing, the original population of Moscow was annihilated during the Mongol invasion of Russia, while modern-day Muscovites are descendants of historical East Slavic populations that have moved from Kyiv and a number of other nearby city-states.
Real Crusades History I'm not denying that both groups were violent, but the indigenous religions and folklore were unique and special in their own ways. I feel like we've lost something due to Christendom's compulsory need for uniformity. It's kinda sad.
reynes 96 Lithuania kept alot of its history as they were last to convert (PS you should totally cover the crusades of the Commonwealth R.C.H.) , unfortunately Russification eroded a great deal of it
I am currently working on a story set in Estonia during the early 13th century when Crusaders of the Livonian Sword-Brothers crusaded on the Baltic. I find all this stuff on the Wendish Crusades just utterly fascinating!
Robert, this sounds interesting. I'm Lithuanian and constantly look for history concerning the crusades against the Baltic states. I know Grand Duke Mindaugus didn't go down easily, and because of his pagan stubbornness, Lithuania was the last country in Europe to be christianized. Looking forward to hearing more about your work.
Hello: Robert,
You are The person I Been L00KING For The Last Past 30 Years Or So.
I Think My Relatives Where There Trying Convert Those Vikings Into Christen's.
Is There Any Mention Of Polish/German Family Name: KUSH- MIER-ROW-VITCH OR
My Name Today Is: KUSH KUSMIROWICZ
Our Family Where There from Germany. Our Coat Of Arms Look Like Standing White Or Brown Bear, With Sun Showing Over It Left Shoulder, We Wore Crown, Over A Plow, Standing Bailed Of Wheat And 3-5 Stars Above The Shield. We First Settled In Brest, Poland (Now Called Belarus) We Might Still Have Family Near Minsk, Belarus.
Thanks,
Michael
@@michaelkush1385 ??? I don't know what you mean by me being the person you've been looking for for the past 30 years. I have no family who lived in the Polish-German areas. My mother's side immigrated to the United States from Sweden in the 1910s and my father's side was all Indigenous Native American (of the Comanche tribe, which I am a registered member of), but I was born in Anchorage, Alaska though.
But, I'm always glad to run into someone who has an interest in the Baltic Crusades as well!
@@robertfreid2879 any updates on the story?
How is your story going? Going by the year of your post.
I love the art you find for these videos! It really adds to the depth of the story and helps empathize with what it could have been like to be there.
Masculinity Matters thanks man! I agree the first two paintings in this one are especially epic.
Ah yes, Valdemar and Absalon kicking some Estonian butts is always a great sight.
Absalon later constructed a castle that formed the center of Copenhagen.
Laurits Tuxen and Theodor Schloepke
The Ole Well Thank you!!!
you're welcome
Love how clear your content is and this isn't exactly a popular point in history that's easy to find stuff on. Also I love your music choice
Thanks very much, I appreciate that! Yes, the Northern Crusades are under-represented, that's a fact.
I didn't think you would tell this part of the story, but I am pleasantly surprised. :)
another well informative video by RCH
Would love to hear more about the Baltic/Prussian crusades.
They tried to exterminate us and didn't succeed. The end lol
The wars between the Wends and nearby Christian states were fought for centuries, and the Wendish Crusade was merely the culmination of those conflicts. Incidentally, the majority of tribal Wendish confederations would've had no issue with being vassals of the Holy Roman Empire if it weren't for the aggressive efforts of Germanization and Christianization of some of its dynasties, which then caused the Great Slav rising which reverted all of the previously successful efforts of Christianization and Germanization of Pagan Slavs for the next 200 or so years.
Originally the Obotrites were Charlemagnes allies...
After Charlemagne it turned sour...
Nearly 400 years of war.
And many Obotrite kings actually tried to convert to prevent the inevitable.
But Niklots son Pribislav pretty much saved Weligrad,which literally translates to Mecklenburg. He bled Henry enough to make Henry realize he couldn't have the Wends rising against him through his own nobility Convincing them to, because Henry had made alot of enemies within his own sphere even before his official downfall.
The Obotrite confederation had also created a single identity around it.
And was far more centralized than the other Polabians. Having an effecient tax system and not as much a confederation of tribes as a pagan equivalent to a Duchy. Administratively the Obotrites were closer to contemporary western states than other wends like the Sorbs who were far more tribal, or later targets of Expansion like the Baltic Prussians.
@@numenoreaneternity6682 Nothing in english...Almost nothing in German...
With polish you really have to worry about nationalist revisionism, and Czechs hardly touch on it...
Truth is Very little is out there
Thanks for spotlighting a relatively little known part of north European history.
love your work JSR.
Taqi Yasir thank you!
These vids are amazing and wonderful, mate. Keep them up! You're more likely to learn real history here than any given Uni or college course.
Great video :D greetings from Denmark
I’m a huge fan of your channel because I love history!
Great history! How did you get interested in this? Ive always read a lot about Valdemar den store, also as a child and i remember the painting of Valdemar and Absalon in a historybook you had here in the start of your vdeo . I just wonder how you get interested in this,. Very good job! Thanks!
Nice overview of the Northern Crusades Slavic Wars Real Crusades History! I just have a few questions: where were the Poles in all this? You mentioned them in your previous video on the Wendish Crusades, but in this video you don't mention them. Did they help the Danes or Saxons in 1147? If not then why? Also, how did the Wendish pagans survive while being sandwiched between the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Poland? Why weren't they conquered or converted earlier?
Poles actualy vassalized and baptised Pomeranians in 1120s, after decades of unsuccesfull aproaches. Polabian tribes, however were out of their reach but some polish dukes took part in the crusade. The crusade itself ended when christians reached already baptised Szczecin.
(edit: not ended but didn't go further east)
I would like to ask why did Crusaders atack Zadar in 1202? The reason i am asking is becouse majority of Croats were baptized during IX century, and were one of the most loyal nations to the pope.
to do the bidding of Venice and take out a rival power. The Pope excommunicated all who attacked the city. Remember that during that time the coastal cities were still heavily italic demographically though still mixed to whatever extent for sure.
Zadar was a rising power and a threat to Venice. So in order to keep control of the Adriatic coast they attacked Zadar
RIVER ..HOARDE OF WEAPONS SACRIFICED !!
I'm trying to sign up on patreon but it won't let me scroll to my state. Any help?
What browser are you using?
Just using my phone. I will try on my laptop. Btw, bought your book on Amazon and look forward to reading it!
Oh, another thing, your videos have really inspired me to start writing. I plan on writing an historical fiction based on the life of Martin von Golin and the Northern Crusades...by far my favorite video of yours to date. So thank you for what you're doing.
Thank you! Hope you like it! I've noticed some browsers give me trouble on patreon. You might try chrome.
HEATHENS.
Wouldn't it make better since to call these wars Danish expansion instead crusades or did the pope send troops or moneys to support these actions? Because in an earlier pod cast I think you stated that the had to be.involved for bit to be a crusade?
A lot of this period didn't involve papal sanction, but there were several key moments when the popes granted crusades for these wars against the Wends.
Valdemar=Voldemort?
Uve guessed right 🤔
Oh hell no Valdemar was a great king
Cooperative...i think not.
Why did you can this the Slavic wars? Weren’t these crusades against Balts? I know latter Slavic peoples came into the sphere but wasn’t that much latter?
No, the Wends were a Slavic people. Crusades against Balts came later.
Real Crusades History so they were, thanks for the correction!
I think I see a possible explanation for a number of "short wars"(my term) of the Danes against Estonia and Lithuania on at least several occasions. Researching I noted a number of attacks launched against that area but I couldn't find a reason. IIRC these were more in the 1200-1300s period. The Danes and coastal Germans, especially City of Lubeck, teamed up to fight peoples to the east of Pomerania who would poke the lions from time to time.
This is very good point. I first also thought that this is about VENDS not WENDS. And Vends were quite likely fennic / fennic baltic people, so it got me too first that why the label of "slav"
@@anttimartikainen7058
The Wends are a Slavic people who lived in the area of today's East Germany.
Question?
I’ve asked several and you NEVER ANSWERED ANY!
I’ll ask one more haha
Were Russians ever involved in the crusades?
(Were Slavs Russians)?
The term "Russian" comes from the Eastern Slavic principalities of Kievan Rus. After the Mongol invasion and yoke the capital of Rus was moved from Kiev to Moscow as the Khanate favored the principality of Moscow, who later turned on the Mongols and kicked them out. I don't think Russia participated in the crusades. They were too busy fighting Muslims in Central Asia and later expanding east in their colonial days.
Orthodox Slavic Russians, Serbs and Bulgarians did not take part in the Crusades, but fought wars against Muslims.
Weren't those pirates basically Vikings?
Not really. Depending on where they originated there might have been some with some Norse ancestry. But I'd certainly not call them "vikings".
A viking is a profession, and not an ethnicity.
Well, Viking is a term mostly reserved for pirates of Scandinavian origin, although there were instances when some people with other ethnicities accompanied them. Hell, even famous Jomsborg fortress itself (historians think it was build somewhere on the southern shore of the Baltic sea, either on Wolin island or somewhere near it) was occupied by a mixed Norse-Slavic force.
And of course, besides Wends and their famous pirates from the island of Rugen (Rujani) there were also Baltic Curonians and Estonian Osselians. Should we call them "vikings" too? Well... It's complicated. On one hand those groups either fought against or with the Scandinavians, but they were their own thing. Slavic term for their Viking equivalent (at least in Polish) was chąśnicy, from chąśba, meaning robbery.
Oh, didn't know that. Thanks.
No they weren’t Vikings, they were Slavic pirates
Vendi, Veneti = Russian
Not Russian! Slavic, yes, but not Russians. The Venedi were located in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland. Later on, Wends described the western Slavs, mostly the obodrites, Sorbs, Pomeranians and Poles. Not the Russians.
Anyway, modern Russians show great genetic similarity with non Slavic Finnic speakers
@@en6064 Aha as times contrary all what Finns ? Russians are Baltic-Slavic people with strong influence of German-Scandinavian peoples )))
@@aleksandrvasilev6723 It is incorrect to refer to Venedi as Russians when
1- Russians did not exist yet
2- Venedi would be the ancestors of other groups, like Poles and Ukrainians. In fact, according to where Tacitus puts them, the Venedi mainly live in eastern Poland and are no where near modern Russian Fed.
As far as the Finns. Genetic studies have shown that Poles and Belarusians are surprisingly close, and that Ukrainians are also tightly knot with Poles. Poles, Ukrainians and Belarusians also share great similarity with Southern/Central Rusians, who are mostly Slavs.
But northern Russians from Novgorod and lands around Moscow are atypical for Slavic populations, and are plotted as being distant from other Slavs.
Instead, they are very close to Finns and Estonians
@@en6064 Ethnic Russians are still predominately Slavic in terms of aDNA and Y-DNA, the only Russians who fit your descriptions are the Finno-Baltic tribes of historical Russia's distant northwest and northeast (they're mentioned in the Primary Chronicle) and historical and modern-day Ladogans, while the inhabitants of Novgorod were and still are almost entirely made of Ilmen Slavs.
One last thing, the original population of Moscow was annihilated during the Mongol invasion of Russia, while modern-day Muscovites are descendants of historical East Slavic populations that have moved from Kyiv and a number of other nearby city-states.
Poor pagans :'(
The pagans were warlike themselves. When they weren't fighting the Christians they were fighting each other.
Real Crusades History I'm not denying that both groups were violent, but the indigenous religions and folklore were unique and special in their own ways. I feel like we've lost something due to Christendom's compulsory need for uniformity. It's kinda sad.
reynes 96 Lithuania kept alot of its history as they were last to convert (PS you should totally cover the crusades of the Commonwealth R.C.H.) , unfortunately Russification eroded a great deal of it
I don't think unique traditions were lost because of Christianization.
The traditions like human sacrifice went away. However their violent "traditions" continued on but under the flag of Roman Catholicism.