buxhoeveden.net
THE ORDER OF THE KNIGHTS 'SWORDBROTHERS'The order was created in 1202 in Livonia by Bishop Albert von Buxhoeveden to help him to conquer and keep Livonia.
The name comes from a cross over a sword, a red sign on their mantle.The rules of the order were the same than those of the Temple.
The Schwertbrüder was organised in knights, priests and serving brothers.They principally came from Northergermany and wasn't more than 180 Knights,
but together with the serving brothers, the vassals of Bishop Albert and the pilgrims. It was an army from about 1600 men.
Since 1207, all the conquests were shared between Bishop Albert, his brother Bishop Hermann I. and the Schwertbrüderorden (each 1/3 of the land).
During the conquest of Estonia, the order realised important victories, namely in the battles from Treiden in 1211 and Fellin in 1217.
After a serious defeat in 1236 against the Lihuanians, the order merged with the Teutonic Order in 1237. |