The Battle of Lehola was fought in 1215 between the
Livonian Brothers of the Sword
The Livonian Brothers of the Sword (; ) was a Catholic Church, Catholic Military order (monastic society), military order established in 1202 during the Livonian Crusade by Albert of Riga, Albert, the third bishop of Riga (or possibly by Theode ...
, a crusading
military order
Military order may refer to:
Orders
* Military order (religious society), confraternity of knights originally established as religious societies during the medieval Crusades for protection of Christianity and the Catholic Church
Military organ ...
, and the
Estonians
Estonians or Estonian people () are a Finnic ethnic group native to the Baltic Sea region in Northern Europe, primarily their nation state of Estonia.
Estonians primarily speak the Estonian language, a language closely related to other Finni ...
.
History
In the spring of 1215, a Crusader force with their allies raided the
Sakala County
Sakala County ( Estonian: ''Sakala'', Latin: ''Saccalia'') was an ancient Estonian county that was first mentioned in print by Henry of Latvia in the early 13th century.
Geography
Sakala County is in northwestern Livonia, covering approximatel ...
. The plundering, however, was done in the northern section of the county. Afterwards, the crusader army besieged the stronghold of
Lõhavere (Leole) that belonged to the elder
Lembitu
Lembitu (Estonian language, Estonian also: Lembit, died 21 September 1217) was an ancient Estonian senior (Elder (administrative title), elder) from Sakala County and military leader in the struggle against Livonian crusade, conquest of the Est ...
. The Estonian forces inside the stronghold confronted the enemy and "gave them a big scare". The besiegers nevertheless managed to light the stronghold on the third day. The
Estonians
Estonians or Estonian people () are a Finnic ethnic group native to the Baltic Sea region in Northern Europe, primarily their nation state of Estonia.
Estonians primarily speak the Estonian language, a language closely related to other Finni ...
weren't able to put the fire out and were forced to come out and surrender. During the christening, however, the German army invaded the stronghold and "robbed everything that could be robbed". Lembitu along with other elders were taken with the Germans, but were released soon after receiving the elders' sons as hostages.
References
Lehola
Lehola is a settlement in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County in northwestern Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the ...
Lehola
Lehola is a settlement in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County in northwestern Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the ...
1215 in Europe
Lehola
Lehola is a settlement in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County in northwestern Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the ...
Lehola
Lehola is a settlement in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County in northwestern Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the ...
Lehola
Lehola is a settlement in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County in northwestern Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the ...
Lehola
Lehola is a settlement in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County in northwestern Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the ...
Põhja-Sakala Parish
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