Who were the Knights of the Sword

As some of you might have read my post “Short History Lesson on Estonia”, you might also remember the mention of the “Knights of the Sword” or “les Chevaliers Porte-Glaive” or “les Frères de l’Épée” or “Chevaliers des Deux Épées”. And now here comes a short French lesson. Chevaliers is the French word for Knights. The word “porte” in French in its noun form is a door or a belt in English. But in its verb form, the word “porte” can mean to carry or to bring etc. “Glaive” in its old French form means a sword or maybe also a lance or a sabre. The word” Frères” is Brothers in English while the word “deux” is two in English and “l’épée” is a sword. So now you know a little bit of French. Hope you like it.

Now, back to the Knights of the Sword. Knights were predominant during European Middle Ages and the Knights of the Sword was one such military order. In fact the Order of the Knights of the Sword was a religious and military Germanic order, composed of monks, which was linked to the evangelization of the pagan and heathen areas of Northern Europe, particularly of the region on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, Livonia (which is today’s Latvia and Estonia).

I will start with a short history of the Knights of the Swords also known as the “Brothers of Christ” or “Knights of the Cross”. The Order was first created and instituted between 1202 and 1204  by Albert of Buxhowden (or Buxhoeveden), bishop of the then Livonia where he was established in Riga. This brotherhood was first founded to help Albert convert the pagans of the Duchy of Courland, Livonia, Tornakalins (a suburb of Riga) and Latgale, all located in today’s Latvia. The first name given to the order was “The Order of the Brothers of the Army of Christ”. (Again with the french translation:” L’Ordre des Frères de l’armée du Christ”). The first Grand Master (or leader) of the order was named Winno of Rohrbach.

So from 1216 to 1223, the Knights of the Swords conquered Livonia and Estonia but failed miserably in their conquest of the Slavs. At the beginning of the “crusade” of the above regions, the progression went very fast because the fortifications and the constructions of the Livonians (or Livs) could not resist for very long to the siege craft of the knights. But, soon enough, the knights and their bishop found out that their ease at the beginning was really a false hope. The Livs used their forests and abandoned open warfare and retaliation by engaging in little skirmishes and ambushes and thus weaken the Knights. On top of this, the weather pushed the Knights to retreat during the winter season in order to replenish their arsenal, supplies and also get some rest. At soon as the spring season returned, it was time to start all over again.

The bishop Albert of Bushowden did not give up though. He adopted a strategy involving the construction of a chain of strongholds or fortresses along the Daugava River (also known as the Western Dvina river), step by step as they progressed inland. Thus the Knights of the Swords managed to pacify Livonia within a dozen years and increased their numbers along with their conquests and also with the arrivals of German reinforcements. That being said, it explains why in 1206 only 150 Knights contributed to the conquest of Holm while in 1220 it was a force of 4,000 Knights that found themselves under the fortress walls of Misse. In 1216, Livonia was completely conquered and Estonia is dominated by 1223. The Knights of the Swords were masters of the regions. Gradually, along with their success and imitating other military orders, they emancipate themselves from their bishop of Riga in order to establish their own politics of conquest.

The story of the Knights of the Sword will finish badly nonetheless. In 1236, the Knights, under the direction of their new Grand Master named Foulques Schenk of Winterfeld, start a new campaign in Lithuania. Their goal was to gain more prestige for their Order but also to replenish and refill their coffers as these were getting dangerously low. Thus, in September, the army of the Knights of the Swords composed of 500 soldiers accompanied by 600 Knights of Holstein along with 200 Russians under the command of the Prince of Pskov, advance and find themselves in Samogitia near the city of Siauliai or Saule. (Please note that in French this battle is surnamed “Bataille du Soleil” or Battle of the Sun). At this area, the knights are harassed by the Semigallians. Their backs against the river, the Knights were massacred, while a few foot soldiers managed to escape. For the Knights of the Swords, this was certainly dramatic. On the 55 monks-Knights, 49 were killed including the Grand Master himself.

In 1238, the remaining Knights of the Sword who were still alive and active were incorporated with the Teutonic Knights, who, since 1225 were responsible for Prussia under a autonomous branch baptised the Order of Livonia or Livonian Order. As such, the original Knights of the Swords organisation and supporters ceased to exist. They still kept, however, a separate Grand Master who rule on Lithuania, Livonia and Estonia.

During their existence, the Knights of the Sword wore a white serge dress with a black clevis, two red swords crossed in black were embroidered on the chest and another on the left shoulder. The organisation of the Knights of the Swords was similar to the Teutonic Knights and the Knights Templar. At the height of their power, the Knight of the Swords were divided in six commanderies, each one with about 300 men. The Order used five types of fighters or soldiers. The first ones were the “Ritterbruders”, that is the monk-soldiers themselves who are subject to monastic vows, must wear beards and cut their hair short and as a whole compose the officers and dignitaries of the Order. They wear a coat of mail and a helmet, and a white coat that distinguishes them from the others members of the Order. Their number vary between 100 to 150 monk-soldiers. The second type of soldier consisted of the “Dienebruders” or sergeants. Wearing chain mail and the gambison or surcoat, they wear the symbols of the Order (the cross and the red swords) on their shield or white tabard. These are the regular troops of the Order, able to act as sergeant on foot or horse, as crossbowman or lancer and they live at the side of the “Ritterbruders”. The third member of the Order is the “Mitbruders” or colleagues who are secular or ordinary folks living outside of the monastery. They do not wear the colours of the Order but can have its symbol on their shields. Next were the “Gastritters” or the hosts which were knights accepted by the Order for a campaign only. They are the invited guests of the Grand Master and they carry their own colours. Finally, the last were the “Kreuzfahrers” or the Knights. They represent the majority of the army. Their origins are diverse: in this part of the army we find Knights issued of noble Germanic or Russian families, but also auxiliary contingents raised from the local population Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian or from the communal militias of Germany’s towns.

I hope you enjoyed the French and German words in this essay. Thank you for reading.