Theoderich (or Theoderich von Treyden) (died 15 June 1219) was the second known missionary in

Livonia Livonia, known in earlier records as Livland, is a historical region on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. It is named after the Livonians, who lived on the shores of present-day Latvia. By the end of the 13th century, the name was extende ...

after

Saint Meinhard Saint Meinhard (1134 or 1136 – August 14 or October 11, 1196) was a German Augustinian canon regular and the first bishop of Livonia. His life was described in the ''Livonian Chronicle of Henry''. His body rests in the now-Lutheran Riga Cathe ...

, the first Bishop of Livonia. He was previously a

Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...

monk working as a priest in Turaida (1191–1202), the first

abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...

Daugavgrīva Daugavgrīva (; ; or ''Ust`-Dvinsk'') is a neighbourhood in North West Riga, Latvia on the left bank of the Daugava river. In this neighbourhood there is a Swedish-built fortress on the Daugava River's left bank, commanding its mouth. Fortre ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

(1202–1211), and appointed Bishop of

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 west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

during 1211–1219 by Albert of Buxhoeveden, the

Bishop of Riga The Archbishopric of Riga (, ) was a Catholic diocese and civil government in Medieval Livonia, subject to the Holy See. It was established in 1186 and ended in 1561. History The diocese was established in 1186 as the Bishopric of Livonia ...

. He had apparently worked in missionary activities in Estonia already in 1191. Theoderich was killed by Estonians at the

Battle of Lyndanisse The Battle of Lyndanisse or Lindanise was fought on 15 June 1219 during the Northern Crusades, between the forces of the invading Denmark, Kingdom of Denmark and the local Ancient Estonia, non-Christian Estonians. The Danish victory in the bat ...

. After his death, the title "Bishop of Estonia" was no longer used, being temporarily replaced by the "Bishop of Leal" before the Estonian territory was divided into several dioceses. What little is known about Theoderich's life, is recorded in several contemporary documents and the ''

Livonian Chronicle of Henry The ''Livonian Chronicle of Henry'' () is a Latin narrative of events in Livonia (roughly corresponding to today's Estonia and Latvia) and surrounding areas from 1180 to 1227. It was written by a priest named Henry. Apart from some references ...

''.

External links

* by th
Estonian Institute
1219 deaths 13th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Livonia People of medieval Estonia Christians of the Livonian Crusade Year of birth unknown 12th-century births {{latvia-bio-stub

See also

External links