War in Gotland (1398)

War in Gotland (1398)
	; Konrad von Jungingen
Date	21 March – 5 April 1398
Location	Gotland
Result	Teutonic victory
Territorial; changes	Gotland is conquered by the Teutonic Order
Belligerents
Victual Brothers	Teutonic Order
Commanders and leaders
Sven Sture	Konrad von Jungingen
Strength
+400 men	4,000 men ; 84 ships
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

Last updated July 10, 2024

The War in Gotland (1398), also called the Gotland campaign of the Teutonic Knights was an invasion to the island of Gotland in 1398 by the Teutonic Order.

In the 1390s, Gotland was engulfed in the turmoil of the ongoing war between the Mecklenburgs and Margaret I. This conflict made the Baltic Sea a haven for pirates, the Victual Brothers and various raiders. Merchant ships and agriculture faced constant threat.^[2] In response to the situation, Konrad von Jungingen, the Master of the Teutonic Order, decided to invade Gotland.

The invasion was a success. The pirates were driven out of Gotland and the disruption of Baltic Sea trade ended.

Background

In 1396, Eric, the son of Albrecht of Mecklenburg, conquered Gotland with the support of the Victual Brothers. Sven Sture [ sv ], who had been Queen Margareta's commander on Gotland, switched sides after the invasion and allied himself with the Mecklenburgs and the Victual Brothers. When Eric died suddenly in July 1397, his widow Sophie appointed Sven to rule over Gotland.^[3] Sven struck a deal with the Victual Brothers: in exchange for surrendering half of their loot, they would be allowed to use Gotland as a sanctuary. This arrangement significantly increased pirate activity on the island and disrupted Baltic Sea trade.^[4] Duke Johan of Mecklenburg went to the island to support Eric's widow and to assume control over the Victual Brothers, but he was unable to manage the situation.^[3]

When the attempts to find a diplomatic solution failed, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order called up a meeting to consider use of force. In January 1398, the Order and the leading Prussian cities Danzig, Thorn, Elbing, Königsberg and Braunsberg decided on a joint effort to invade Gotland.^[5]

Klintehamn

Klintehamn harbor

War

On 17 March, a fleet from Danzig consisting of 84 ships and 4,000 men^[6]^[7] along with 400 horses^[7] embarked towards Gotland. On 21 March the Teutonic fleet arrived at Klintehamn and Sven Sture, who was the commander of the island,^[8] was forced to retreat to the strongly fortified city of Visby.^[7]^[8] He attempted to mobilize the burghers in Visby for a fight against the Teutonic army, but they did not show any interest in doing so.^[7]^[8] Due to his military disadvantage, Sven retreated to the towers of Smal-Henrik and Segeltornet and prepared a defense.^[7] However, the weather prevented the Teutonic force from advancing, and heavy snowfall made the transportation of siege weapons difficult.^[7]^[5] Instead of a siege, negotiations were initiated.

Negotiations

On April 5, an agreement was finally reached, with an armistice being signed. The city of Visby was formally handed over to Johan of Mecklenburg, together with the entire island.^[5] In detail, the agreement allowed for free passage of merchants from the Hanseatic League, to clear the entirety of Gotland from the Teutonic Order's enemies, to destroy the castles, to make restitution for the stolen goods, and to preserve the rights and privileges of Visby.^[5] Any pirates who remained on the island were captured and killed.^[5]

Aftermath

The result of the invasion was a complete success. The Teutonic Order accomplished what it set out to do, the disruption of Baltic trade ended; the Baltic Sea was pacified, which was ultimate goal of the expedition.^[9]

Teutonic rule

The period of Teutonic rule over the island worked well and lasted for 10 years, the knights tried their hardest to restore a normal legal system and restore the people's trust in authority.^[2] They were also able to repel the pirates from the island, and stopped indiscriminate plundering. At Visby's city wall, they began construction of a new fortification, which would later become Visborg.^[2] There are also documents of the Order's high priest, Johan von Techwitz, personally cooperated with Gotland's county judges in disputes between farmers.^[2]

Related Research Articles

Visby is an urban area in Sweden and the seat of Gotland Municipality in Gotland County on the island of Gotland with 24,330 inhabitants as of 2017. Visby is also the episcopal see for the Diocese of Visby. The Hanseatic city of Visby is arguably the best-preserved medieval city in Scandinavia, and, since 1995, it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Among the most notable historical remains are the 3.4 km (2.1 mi) long town wall that encircles the town center, and a number of church ruins. The decline as a Hanseatic city in the Late Middle Ages was the cause for many stone houses being preserved in their original medieval style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sture</span> Swedish noble family

Sture was a name borne by three distinct but interrelated noble families in Sweden in the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period. It was originally a nickname, meaning 'haughty, proud', but later became a surname. Particularly famous are the three regents from these families who ruled Sweden in succession during the fifty-year period between 1470 and 1520, namely:

Gotland, also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland, is Sweden's largest island. It is also a province/county, municipality, and diocese. The province includes the islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to the north, as well as the Karlsö Islands to the west. The population is 61,001, of which about 23,600 live in Visby, the main town. Outside Visby, there are minor settlements and a mainly rural population. The island of Gotland and the other areas of the province of Gotland make up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area. The county formed by the archipelago is the second smallest by area and is the least populated in Sweden. In spite of the small size due to its narrow width, the driving distance between the furthermost points of the populated islands is about 170 kilometres (110 mi).

The State of the Teutonic Order was a theocratic state located along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea in northern Europe. It was formed by the knights of the Teutonic Order during the early 13th century Northern Crusades in the region of Prussia. In 1237, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword merged with the Teutonic Order of Prussia and became known as its branch — the Livonian Order. At its greatest territorial extent during the early 15th century, the State encompassed Chełmno Land, Courland, Gotland, Livonia, Estonia, Neumark, Pomerelia, Prussia and Samogitia.

The Victual Brothers were a loosely organized guild of privateers who later turned to piracy. They affected maritime trade during the 14th century in both the North and Baltic Seas.

The Battle of Visby was fought in 1361 near the town of Visby on the island of Gotland, between the forces of the Danish king and the Gutnish country yeomen. The Danish force was victorious.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konrad von Jungingen</span> Grandmaster of the Teutonic Order

Konrad von Jungingen was a Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1393 to 1407. Under his administration, the Teutonic Order would reach its greatest extent.

Visborg (Wisborg) refers to a fortress in the town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland. Successive fortresses were built in Visby, though Visborg is usually in reference to the castle built here by King Eric of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Jungingen is a municipality in the Zollernalbkreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located nearby the castle Burg Hohenzollern, about 5 km east of Hechingen.

Visby City Wall is a medieval defensive wall surrounding the Swedish town of Visby on the island of Gotland. As the strongest, most extensive, and best preserved medieval city wall in Scandinavia, the wall forms an important and integral part of Visby World Heritage Site.

In the Baltic Sea region, groups of pirates of Slavic descent lived dating as far back as the 8th to 14th centuries. With some considering them as a part of the orbit of the Viking age labeling them as Vikings either by confused misunderstood identification or the deliberate choice to not distinguish Slavic and Nordic piracy or the religions they may have adhered with prior to Christianization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnim VI, Duke of Pomerania</span>

Barnim VI, Duke of Pomerania was duke of Pomerania-Wolgast from 1394 to 1405. He was the son of Wartislaw VI of Pomerania-Wolgast.

Conrad Letzkau was a councilman and later Mayor of Danzig who, together with Arnold Hecht, was assassinated by the Teutonic Knights.

Stegeborg Castle is a ruined castle in St Anna parish, Söderköping, Östergötland, located on an island in a narrow sound at the bay of Slätbaken.

Sofia of Pomerania-Wolgast, was a German noblewoman. She was the daughter of Duke Bogislav VI of Pomerania-Wolgast and the spouse and widow of a brief ruler of Gotland, the deposed Swedish Prince Eric of Mecklenburg. Before she left the island, she briefly held a position of power herself in Gotland after his death in 1397.

Solberga Abbey, was a Cistercian nunnery in Sweden, in operation from 1246 until at least 1469. It was located outside Visby on Gotland until 1404, and then in Visby. It was the only nunnery on the island of Gotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric I, Duke of Mecklenburg</span> Son of Albert, King of Sweden

Eric, Duke of Mecklenburg was the eldest son of Albert, King of Sweden and heir to the throne of Sweden. Eric played a significant role in his father's attempts to secure and reclaim the Swedish throne. Eric and Albert were defeated in battle of Åsle in 1389 and imprisoned by the Danish Queen Margaret I of Denmark. They were released in 1395 against a ransom guaranteed by the Hanseatic league.

Bunge Church is a medieval church in Bunge on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church seen today was largely built during the 14th century and is in a High Gothic style typical for churches on Gotland. Inside, the church is richly decorated with medieval murals, including depictions of medieval knights whose significance remain contested. Bunge Church belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby (Sweden).

The Invasion of Gotland was a Danish sea-borne invasion of the Swedish island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, led by admiral Niels Juel during the Scanian War. The invasion took place from 28 April to 1 May 1676.

The War in Gotland (1403–1404) was a conflict between the Kalmar Union and the Teutonic Order. The war was a failure for Margaret, and the island stayed in Teutonic hands until they eventually sold the island in 1407.

References

↑ Etting, Vivian (2004-02-01). Queen Margrete I (1353-1412) and the Founding of the Nordic Union. BRILL. p. 107. ISBN 978-90-474-0479-8.
1 2 3 4 "SvD | Bloggarkivet | Tyska orden på Gotland". blog.svd.se. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
1 2 Röpcke, Andreas (2020). "Der vergessene Königssohn : Erinnerung an Herzog Erich von Mecklenburg, Prinz von Schweden, Herr von Gotland". Mecklenburgische Jahrbücher, 135. Jahrgang (in German). Vereins für mecklenburgische Geschichte und Altertumskunde e.V. pp. 25–34. doi:10.18453/rosdok_id00003675. ISSN 0930-8229.
↑ Starbäck, C. Georg; Bäckström, P. O. (1885). Berättelser ur svenska historien (in Swedish). Vol. 2: Medeltiden. II. Kalmare-unionen (new revised ed.). Stockholm: F. & G. Beijers Förlag. pp. 27–28.
1 2 3 4 5 Medievalists.net (2019-11-02). "The Occupation of Gotland by the Teutonic Knights, 1398-1408". Medievalists.net. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
↑ Schmandt, Raymond H. (December 1975). "The Gotland campaign of the Teutonic Knights, 1398–1408". Journal of Baltic Studies. 6 (4): 247–258. doi:10.1080/01629777500000281. ISSN 0162-9778.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Sundberg, Ulf (1999). Medeltidens svenska krig (in Swedish) (1st ed.). Stockholm: Hjalmarson & Högberg. p. 369. ISBN 9189080262.
1 2 3 "Gotlands försvarshistoria - Kronologisk". www.gotlandsforsvarshistoria.se. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
↑ Schmandt, Raymond H. (1975). "The Gotland Campaign of the Teutonic Knights, 1398-1408". Journal of Baltic Studies. 6 (4): 247–258. doi:10.1080/01629777500000281. ISSN 0162-9778. JSTOR 43210707. The Prussians' brief campaign on Gotland was a complete success. It accomplished what it set out to achieve: the disruption of Baltic commerce ended; the sea was pacified. This was the ultimate goal of the expedition

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[1] Etting, Vivian (2004-02-01). Queen Margrete I (1353-1412) and the Founding of the Nordic Union. BRILL. p. 107. ISBN 978-90-474-0479-8.

[:0-2] 1 2 3 4 "SvD | Bloggarkivet | Tyska orden på Gotland". blog.svd.se. Retrieved 2024-03-13.

[erik-3] 1 2 Röpcke, Andreas (2020). "Der vergessene Königssohn : Erinnerung an Herzog Erich von Mecklenburg, Prinz von Schweden, Herr von Gotland". Mecklenburgische Jahrbücher, 135. Jahrgang (in German). Vereins für mecklenburgische Geschichte und Altertumskunde e.V. pp. 25–34. doi:10.18453/rosdok_id00003675. ISSN 0930-8229.

[4] Starbäck, C. Georg; Bäckström, P. O. (1885). Berättelser ur svenska historien (in Swedish). Vol. 2: Medeltiden. II. Kalmare-unionen (new revised ed.). Stockholm: F. & G. Beijers Förlag. pp. 27–28.

[:4-5] 1 2 3 4 5 Medievalists.net (2019-11-02). "The Occupation of Gotland by the Teutonic Knights, 1398-1408". Medievalists.net. Retrieved 2024-03-13.

[:1-6] Schmandt, Raymond H. (December 1975). "The Gotland campaign of the Teutonic Knights, 1398–1408". Journal of Baltic Studies. 6 (4): 247–258. doi:10.1080/01629777500000281. ISSN 0162-9778.

[:2-7] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sundberg, Ulf (1999). Medeltidens svenska krig (in Swedish) (1st ed.). Stockholm: Hjalmarson & Högberg. p. 369. ISBN 9189080262.

[:3-8] 1 2 3 "Gotlands försvarshistoria - Kronologisk". www.gotlandsforsvarshistoria.se. Retrieved 2024-03-13.

[9] Schmandt, Raymond H. (1975). "The Gotland Campaign of the Teutonic Knights, 1398-1408". Journal of Baltic Studies. 6 (4): 247–258. doi:10.1080/01629777500000281. ISSN 0162-9778. JSTOR 43210707. The Prussians' brief campaign on Gotland was a complete success. It accomplished what it set out to achieve: the disruption of Baltic commerce ended; the sea was pacified. This was the ultimate goal of the expedition

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