Jump to content

Terra Mariana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For an Estonian decoration, seeOrder of the Cross of Terra Mariana.
Terra Mariana
1207–1561
Flag of Old Livonia
Flag
Coat of arms of Old Livonia
Coat of arms
Location of Old Livonia
StatusPrincipality of theHoly Roman Empire
(1207–1215)
Vassal state of theHoly See
(1215–1561)
CapitalRiga
(de facto)
Walk
(from 1435)
Common languagesLatin[a]
Low German
Livonian
Estonian
Latvian
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Demonym(s)Livonian
GovernmentTheocraticelective monarchy
LegislatureLandtag
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Established
1207
1343–1344
•Landtagformed
1419
4 December 1435
1561
CurrencyArtig, Denier,Schilling,Thaler
 Succeeded by
Duchy of Estonia (1219–1346)
Swedish Estonia
Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
Duchy of Livonia
Today part ofEstonia
Latvia

Terra Mariana(Medieval Latinfor "Land ofMary") was the formal name[1]forMedieval LivoniaorOld Livonia.[b][4]It was formed in the aftermath of theLivonian Crusade,and its territories were composed of present-dayEstoniaandLatvia.It was established on 2 February 1207,[5]as a principality of theHoly Roman Empire,[6]and lost this status in 1215 whenPope Innocent IIIproclaimed it as directly subject to theHoly See.[7]

Thepapal legateWilliam of Modenadivided Terra Mariana into feudal principalities: theDuchy of Estonia(dominum directumto theking of Denmark);[8][9]theArchbishopric of Riga;theBishopric of Courland;theBishopric of Dorpat;theBishopric of Ösel–Wiek;and territories under the military administration of theLivonian Brothers of the Sword.After the 1236Battle of Saule,the surviving members of the Brothers merged in 1237 with theTeutonic Orderof Prussia and became known as theLivonian Order.In 1346 the Livonian Order bought the Duchy of Estonia from Denmark.

Throughout the existence of medieval Livonia there was a constant struggle over supremacy, between the lands ruled by the Church, the Order, the secular German nobility, and the citizens of theHanseatictowns ofRigaandReval.Following its defeat in theBattle of Grunwaldin 1410, the Teutonic Order and theState of the Teutonic Orderfell into decline, but the Livonian Order managed to maintain its independent existence.

In 1561, during theLivonian War,Terra Mariana ceased to exist.[1]Its northern parts were ceded to theKing of Swedenand formed into theDuchy of Estonia,its southern territories became part of theGrand Duchy of Lithuania– and thus eventually of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth– as theDuchy of Livoniaand theDuchy of Courland and Semigallia.The island ofSaaremaabecame part ofDenmark.Since the beginning of the 20th centuryTerra Mariana(Estonian:Maarjamaa) has been used as a poetic name orsobriquetfor Estonia. In 1995 theOrder of the Cross of Terra Mariana,astate decoration,was instituted to honor the independence of Estonia.[10]Terra Mariana (Latvian:Māras zeme) is also used as a poetic name forLatgaleregion.[11]

History

[edit]

Livonian Crusade

[edit]
Main article:Livonian Crusade

The lands on the eastern shores of theBaltic Seawere the last part ofEuropeto beChristianizedby theRoman Catholic Church.[12]In 1193Pope Celestine IIIcalled for acrusadeagainst thepagansinNorthern Europe.This crusade is often compared to the crusade of the Franks and Charlemagne.[13]However, this crusade was not officially announced until 1197 or 1198, but the first account of this crusade is in a letter byPope Innocent III.[13]At the start of the 13th century, German crusaders fromGotlandand the northernHoly Roman Empireconquered theLivonianandLatgallianlands along theDaugavaandGaujarivers. The stronghold of Riga (capital of modern Latvia) was established in 1201, and in 1202 theLivonian Brothers of the Swordwas formed. In 1218Pope Honorius IIIgaveValdemar II of Denmarkfree rein to annex as much land as he could conquer in Estonia. AdditionallyAlbert of Riga,leader of the crusaders fighting the Estonians from the south, paid a visit to the German KingPhilip of Swabiaand asked permission to attack the Estonians from the North.[8]The last to be subjugated and Christianised wereOeselians,CuroniansandSemigallians.[citation needed]

This crusade differed from many other crusades because, in this case, the Pope allowed people intending to go on a crusade to the Holy Land to go instead to crusade in Livonia. Members of this crusade were made to wear the insignia of the cross as well, which showed that they were legally bound to the crusade.[13]

After the success of the crusade, the German- and Danish-occupied territory was divided into feudal principalities by William of Modena.[14]

Establishment

[edit]
Three Mighty Ladies from Livonia byAlbrecht Dürer(1521)

This division of medieval Livonia was created byPapal LegateWilliam of Modenain 1228[14]as a compromise between the church and theLivonian Brothers of the Sword,both factions led by Germans, after the German knights had conquered and subdued the territories of severalindigenoustribes:Finnic-speakingEstoniansandLivs,andBaltic-speakingLatgalians,Selonians,SemigalliansandCuronians.[citation needed]

Medieval Livonia was intermittently ruled first by the Brothers of the Sword, since 1237 by the semi-autonomous branch ofTeutonic knightscalledLivonian Orderand theRoman Catholic Church.By the mid 14th century, after buying theDuchy of EstoniafromChristopher II,the Livonian Order controlled about 67,000 square kilometers of the Old Livonia and the Church about 41,000 km2(16,000 sq mi). The lands of the Order were divided into about 40 districts governed by aVogt.The largest ecclesiastical state was theArchbishopric of Riga(18,000 km2,6,900 sq mi) followed by theBishopric of Courland(4,500 km2,1,700 sq mi),Bishopric of Dorpat,andBishopric of Ösel-Wiek.The nominal head of Terra Mariana as well as the city of Riga was the Archbishop of Riga as the apex of the ecclesiastical hierarchy.[15]

Citizens (upper panel) and commoners (lower panel) in medieval Livonia, 16th century

In 1240,Valdemar IIcreated theBishopric of Revalin theDuchy of Estoniaby reserving (contrary to canon law) the right to appoint the bishops of Reval to himself and his successor kings of Denmark. The decision to simply nominate to the See of Reval was unique in the whole Catholic Church at the time and was disputed by bishops and the Pope. During this era, the election of bishops was never established in Reval, and the royal rights to the bishopric and to nominate the bishops were even included in the treaty when the territories were sold to the Teutonic Order in 1346.[16]

Livonian civil wars

[edit]
Coins of Medieval Livonia, 15th–16th century

Throughout the existence of medieval Livonia there was a constant struggle for superiority in the rule over the lands by the Church, the order, the secular nobles of German descent who ruled the fiefs and the citizens of the Hanseatic town of Riga. Two major civil wars were fought in 1296–1330, 1313–1330, and in 1343–1345 theEstonian revoltresulted in the annexation of the Danish Duchy of Estonia within the Teutonic Ordensstaat.[17]

The most important ally of the Livonian Order was the German nobility in the Danish Duchy of Estonia.[17]In the beginning of the 14th century Denmark was no longer a powerful state and the local German nobility had effectively become the rulers of the territory. After the Estonians of Harju started a rebellion in 1343 (St. George's Night Uprising) theTeutonic orderoccupied the territories. The overthrow of Danish rule came two days after the Order had defeated the Estonian revolt. The Danish viceroy was imprisoned in cooperation with the pro-German vassals. The castles inRevalandWesenbergwere handed over to the Order by the German nobility party on 16 May 1343 and the castle atNarvain 1345. In 1346, the Estonian territories (Harria and Vironia) were sold by the king of Denmark for 19,000 Kölnmarksto theTeutonic Order.The shift of sovereignty from Denmark to the Teutonic Order took place on 1 November 1346.[18]

Livonian Confederation

[edit]
Old Livonia,before the Livonian War:
Livonian Order
Bishopric of Courland
Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek
Bishopric of Dorpat
City of Riga
Archbishopric of Riga

The Teutonic Order fell into decline after Poland and Lithuania defeated it in theBattle of Grunwaldin 1410. The Livonian Order managed to maintain an independent existence, as it did not participate in the battle and suffered no casualties, having obtained a truce with Grand DukeVytautas.[19]

In 1418,Pope Martin VnominatedJohannes Ambundiito the position ofArchbishop of Riga.[20]He became known as the organizer of the Livonian confederation.[21][22]

Conflict commonly occurred between the Order, the bishops, and the powerfulHanseaticcities throughout the existence of medieval Livonia. To solve internal disputes, the Livonian Diet orLandtaggathered in 1419[23][24]at the initiative of Archbishop Ambundii. The city ofWalkwas chosen as the site of the Diet. The Diet comprised members of the Livonian Order, Livonian Bishops,vassalsand city representatives.[23]

On 1 September 1435 the Livonian Order's defeat in theBattle of Wiłkomierz,claiming the lives of the Master and several high-ranking knights, brought the order closer to its Livonian neighbours. The Livonian confederation agreement (eiine fruntliche eyntracht) was signed inWalkon 4 December 1435, by the archbishop of Riga, the bishops of Courland, Dorpat, Ösel-Wiek and Reval; the representatives of the Livonian Order and vassals, and the deputies of Riga, Reval and Dorpat city municipal councils.[25]

The states of the Livonian Confederation ceased to exist during theLivonian Warof 1558–1582. In 1559, theBishop of Ösel-WiekandCourlandJohannes V von Münchhausen(1542–1560) sold his lands to KingFrederick II of Denmarkfor 30,000thalers.The Danish king gave the territory to his younger brotherDuke Magnus of Holsteinwho in 1560 landed with an army onÖsel.[26]

In 1561, a Swedish army landed inRevaland gained control over the northern part of Old Livonia. The Livonian Order was dissolved by theTreaty of Vilniusin 1561. The following year, the Livonian Diet decided to ask protection fromSigismund II Augustus(King of Poland and Grand Duke ofLithuania). With the end of government by the last Archbishop of Riga,William of Brandenburg,Rigabecame afree imperial city[27]and the rest of the territory was split between two Polish-Lithuanianvassal states:theDuchy of Courland and Semigallia(Polish vassal) and theDuchy of Livonia(Lithuanian vassal).[28][29]

Livonian ConfederationTerra MarianaEstonian SSRDuchy of Livonia (1721–1917)Duchy of Livonia (1629–1721)Duchy of Livonia (1561–1621)Duchy of Estonia (1721–1917)Duchy of Estonia (1561–1721)Danish EstoniaDanish EstoniaEstoniaAncient EstoniaHistory of Estonia
Livonian ConfederationTerra MarianaLatvian SSRDuchy of Livonia (1721–1917)Duchy of Livonia (1629–1721)Duchy of Livonia (1561–1621)Courland GovernorateDuchy of Courland and SemigalliaLatviaHistory of Latvia

Nomenclature

[edit]

According toHenry of Livonia,BishopAlbert of Rigaemphasized toPope Innocent IIIthe importance of his see as acrusadingvenue and itsassociation with Mary,the Mother of Jesuswhen reporting to theFourth Lateran Councilin 1215:

"Sicut", inquit, "pater sancte, terram sanctam Ierosolimitanum, que est terra filii, sanctitatis tue studio fovere non desinis, sic Lyvoniam, que est terra matris, [...] derelinquere non debes." "Holy Father", he said, "as you have not ceased to cherish the Holy Land of Jerusalem, the country of the Son, [...] so also you ought not to abandon Livonia, the land of the Mother [...][30]

[edit]

"Terra Mariana" appears as an achievement in the historicalstrategyvideo gameEuropa Universalis IV.[31]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^In administrative and liturgical use
  2. ^Referred to by historians asMedieval Livonia[2]orOld Livonia.[3]to distinguish it from the rump-Livonia(Duchy of Livonia) and theLivonian Governoratethat was formed from part of its territories after its breakup.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ab"Terra Mariana".The Encyclopedia Americana.Americana Corp. 1967.
  2. ^Raun, Toivo U. (2002)."Medieval Livonia, 1200–1561".Estonia and the Estonians: Second Edition, Updated.Hoover Press. p. 15.ISBN9780817928537.
  3. ^Miljan, Toivo (2015).Historical Dictionary of Estonia.Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 29–30.ISBN9780810875135.
  4. ^(Low German:Oolt-Livland,Livonian:Jemā-Līvõmō,Estonian:Vana-Liivimaa,Latvian:Livonija)
  5. ^Bilmanis, Alfreds (1944).Latvian-Russian Relations: Documents.The Latvian legation.
  6. ^Herbermann, Charles George (1907).The Catholic Encyclopedia.Robert Appleton Company.
  7. ^Bilmanis, Alfreds (1945).The Church in Latvia.Drauga vēsts.1215 proclaimed it the Terra Mariana, subject directly.
  8. ^abChristiansen, Eric (1997).The Northern Crusades.Penguin. p.111.ISBN0-14-026653-4.
  9. ^Knut, Helle (2003).The Cambridge History of Scandinavia: Prehistory to 1520.Cambridge University Press. p. 269.ISBN0-521-47299-7.
  10. ^The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana.President of the Republic of Estonia, Estonian State Decorations. Retrieved 2011-01-22
  11. ^"Māras zeme | Tēzaurs".tezaurs.lv.Retrieved2024-03-07.
  12. ^O'Connor, Kevin (2005)."Religion".Culture and customs of the Baltic states.Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 35.ISBN0-313-33125-1.
  13. ^abcBrundage, James. Thirteenth-Century Livonian Crusade: Henricus De Lettis and the First Legatine Mission of Bishop William of Modena. Franz Steiner Verlag. pp. 1–9
  14. ^abWilliam Urban.An Historical Overview of the Crusade to Livonia.
  15. ^Plakans, Andrejs (1995).The Latvians: A Short History.Hoover Press.ISBN9780817993030.
  16. ^Skyum-Nielsen, Niels (1981).Danish Medieval History & Saxo Grammaticus.Museum Tusculanum Press. pp. 113–115.ISBN87-88073-30-0.
  17. ^abUrban, William (1981).Livonian Crusade.University Press of America.ISBN0-8191-1683-1.
  18. ^Skyum-Nielsen (1981),p. 129.
  19. ^Christiansen (1997),p. 227.
  20. ^Wendehors, Alfred (1989).Das Stift Neumünster in Würzburg.Walter de Gruyter. p. 503.ISBN3-11-012057-7.
  21. ^Bilmanis, Alfred (2007).Latvia as an Independent State.Read Books. p. 67.ISBN978-1-4067-2870-5.
  22. ^O'Connor, Kevin (2003).The History of the Baltic States.Greenwood Press.ISBN9780313323553.
  23. ^abPlakans, Andrejs (1995).The Latvians: a short history.Hoover Press. p. 23.ISBN0-8179-9302-9.
  24. ^Miljan, Toivo (2004).Historical dictionary of Estonia.Scarecrow Press. p. 169.ISBN0-8108-4904-6.
  25. ^Raudkivi, Priit(2007).Vana-Liivimaa maapäev.Argo. pp. 118–119.ISBN978-9949-415-84-7.
  26. ^Ellington, Lucien (2005).Eastern Europe.Bloomsbury Academic.ISBN9781576078006.
  27. ^Vane, Charles William (1838).Recollections of a tour in the north of Europe in 1836–1837.p.178.
  28. ^Brand, Hanno (2005).Trade, diplomacy and cultural exchange: continuity and change in the North Sea area and the Baltic, c. 1350–1750.Uitgeverij Verloren. p. 17.ISBN90-6550-881-3.
  29. ^ Plakans, Andrejs (2011).A Concise History of the Baltic States.Cambridge University Press. p. 95.ISBN978-0-521-54155-8.
  30. ^ Jensen, Carsten Selch (2009). "8: How to Convert a Landscape: Henry of Livonia and theChronicon Livoniae".In Murray, Alan V. (ed.).The Clash of Cultures on the Medieval Baltic Frontier.Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 165.ISBN9780754664833.Retrieved2017-07-12.'Holy Father', he said, 'as you have not ceased to cherish the Holy Land of Jerusalem, the country of the Son, [...] so also you ought not to abandon Livonia, the land of the Mother [...]' [...]Sicut,inquit, 'pater sancte, terram sanctam Ierosolimitanum, que est terra filii, sanctitatis tue studio fovere non desinis, sic Lyvoniam, que est terra matris, [...] derelinquere non debes. [...]'
  31. ^"Steam Community:: Europa Universalis IV:: Achievements".steamcommunity.Retrieved2021-08-13.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Terra_Mariana&oldid=1236647180"