Battle of St. Matthew's Day

1217 battle of the Livonian Crusade
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58°26′48″N 25°28′57″E / 58.4467°N 25.4825°E / 58.4467; 25.4825Result Livonian victoryBelligerents Counties of Ancient Estonia Sword Brethren
Livonians
LatgaliansCommanders and leaders Lembitu of Lehola †
Vootele †
Manivald †
Unnepeve Volquin
Caupo of Turaida †
Bernard II of LippeStrength 6,000 3,000Casualties and losses ~1,000 (Henry of Latvia) ~100
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Livonian Crusade
Campaign against the Estonians
  • Cēsis
  • Ümera
  • Turaida
  • 1st Viljandi
  • Lehola
  • Riga
  • Otepää
  • St. Matthew's Day
  • Lindanise
  • Lihula
  • Tallinn
  • 2nd Viljandi
  • Tartu
  • Muhu

Campaign against the Semigallians

  • Garoza

Campaign against the Lithuanians

The Battle of Matthew's Day (Estonian: Madisepäeva lahing) was fought near Viljandi (probably in Vanamõisa) on 21 September 1217[1][2] during the Livonian Crusade. The adversaries were the Sword Brethren (a German Crusading order) with their recently converted Livonian and Latgalian allies versus an army of 6,000 Estonian men from different counties, led by Lembitu, who had attempted to unify the Estonians. The Germans won, although the converted Livonian chieftain Caupo of Turaida died. Lembitu was also killed, and many other Estonians were forced to convert.

References

  1. ^ Battle of St. Matthew's Day on September 21, 1217 @ Frucht, Richard (2005). Eastern Europe. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-57607-800-6.
  2. ^ Battle of St. Matthew's Day (September 21) @ Miljan, Toivo (2004). Historical Dictionary of Estonia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-4904-4.


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