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This is an early history of an obscure medieval German military order, Order Swordbruden (Brethen of the Sword)
The Catholic Church had sent Cistercian missionaries into Livonia on the Baltic coast as early as 1150. This region was still inhabited by savages or
barbarians as far as the church was concerned. Even an intense
drive or crusade from 1171-1176 to convert the savages failed to
make any real progress in the province. In 1201 Albrecht Von
Buxhoveden was made bishop of Riga, where German settlers had
created a thriving colony. The town Riga was constantly attacked
from the natives living in the area.
Either Albrecht or his
colonists founded a military order about 1202 called,Fratres
Militiae Christi,for the defense of the colony. Due to the
Cistercian Orders influence, the knights cames to be known as the
Brethen of the Sword by 1204, both from their military role and
the sword badge worn on their clothing.
The uniform that they adopted was that of the white mantel and cape. This helped to symbolize holy and Christian virtues. The white also aided
during the winter months to act as a camouflage during which the
Brothers of the Sword went on their winter campaigns. They also
adopted the red German Iron Cross to help symbolize the Holy
Roman Empire. A red sword just under the red cross was also used,
the sword was used for their brotherhood and the color red was
for the blood of their brothers.
In their first year there were perhaps only ten knights, but within two years this number had increased to 50, with 100 serving brothers, and
fortresses established at Wenden and Fellin. Most of the knights
came from a small area of central Germany.
Although eventually possessing 13 commanderies, the Order was never able to build up a network of rich possessions and powerful patrons. This would have enabled them to become a strong military order and
political power and would have ensured that they would survive even the worst setbacks or failures.Almost all the Orders lands lay in newly conquered territory, one-third of which was given to them for their
services, and therefore the revenues from these lands were rarely
large. Moreover, any military defeat usually resulted in the loss
of these lands, and the loss of revenue from them, as well as the
deaths of knights who were difficult to replace.
Nevertheless, for the first ten years the Order was successful, and its only real setbacks were the rebellions of 1212 in Latvia and of 1223 in
Estonia, when a third of the Orders members were slain. By 1226
the Order was in control of two-thirds of Livonia.
A new crusading army arrived at Riga in September 1236. The Hochmeister, knowing the country and the enemy, advised the newcomers to wait for winter.
This must have seemed strange advice to men accustomed to
campaign in spring and summer, but in this part of Europe
campaigns were normally fought in the winter because only then
were the marshes made passable by freezing over. The crusaders
rejected the advice, and the Hochmeister was honor bound to
support their campaign. Inevitably the crusaders were ambushed,
and trapped on a marshy island at Siauliai in Courland by the
Lithuanians. Deprived of their most effective weapon - the
mounted charge - the crusaders suffered a severe defeat in which
half the Sword Brethren perished.
Surviving members of the Order, together with their remaining lands in Courland and Estonia, merged with the Teutonic Order around 1237-39 under the first Landmeister of Livonia, Hermann Balke. Even so, the
brethren managed to maintain their separate identity, aided by
the isolation of the Livonia province.
The Teutonic order lost its effectiveness and purpose when the Lithuanians and the Poles converted to Christianity in the later half of the fourteen century. Until comparatively recently historians believed that
the two Orders had remained separate due to the independant
actions and survival of the Livonian branch after total
destruction of the Teutonic Order at the Battle of Tannenburg.
The Teutonic Order did manage to survive but never recovered it's
former military strength. Through a series of treaties and peace
agreements the Teutonic Order was able to evolve into the
Prussian State, and maintain it Germanic ties.
Sir Sigmund Von Welf
Captain of the Guard
Knight Marshall, Order Swordbruden
Reference:
Ospery Military Men-at-Arms Series 155 The Knights of Christ
Ospery Military Men-at-Arms Series 75 Armies of the Crusades
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