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From: Leo van de Pas< >
Subject: A heathen in your tree? Niklot of the Obotrites.
Date: 17 Sep 1998 07:11:50 -0700


Of the Royal Houses in the Germanic lands most, with the exceptions of
the House of Mecklenburg, were of Germanic origins.

Niklot, Lord of The Obotrites, was killed in battle in August 1160.
As far as I know, of his family only his son and heir, Przybyslaw,
is recorded. (Hope I am wrong)

Surrounded by Christians, Niklot and his tribe, the Wenden, had
remained faithful to the old religion. In 1147, before Emperor Konrad II,
Bernard of Clairvaux wanted to prepare the Empire for a crusade to
the Middle East. However, the German princes were not prepared to go
while there were still infidels living within Germany. Bernard of
Clairvaux decided the Southern German princes should go on the crusade
while the northern German princes would attack the Wenden.

Heinrich the Lion of Saxony and Albrecht of Brandenburg set out with
their armies towards the Wenden. However, they were forewarned;
so secretly they prepared a fleet and, on 26 June 1147, conquered
and plundered the city of Lubeck, killing more than 3,000 people.
Rich with their booty, they returned home to await their attackers.

The 'crusaders' approached by land under the Duke of Saxony with a fleet
of Danish ships giving them support as well as hoping to prevent the
Wenden from escaping by sea. Niklot asked the citizens of the city of
Rugen for support and, when they attacked, the Danish fleet was almost
entirely lost while the remainder hurried home. The Saxons besieged
the castle Dobin which, being built in a marsh, was almost unassailable.

After Niklot promised to free the captured Danes and allow Christian
missionaries into Mecklenburg, Heinrich the Lion was only too happy
to retreat. Albrecht of Brandenburg together with his 60,000 crusaders
destroyed the castle Malchow with its heathen temple and besieged the
city of Demmin; but after three months he had to retreat and return to
Brandenburg.

In 1159 Niklot promised Heinrich the Lion to keep the peace with the
Danes and Saxons while Heinrich went to Italy to be with the Emperor
Friedrich Barbarossa. However, small bands intruded into Denmark after
which the Danish king Waldemar, together with Heinrich the Lion,
attacked the Wenden and Waldemar captured the castle of Rostock.

Niklot, concentrating on the defence, sacrificed the castles of Schwerin,
Dobin, Mecklenburg and Ilow by putting them to fire and retreating to
Werle. Niklot was killed in a small skirmish and his death meant the
end of the independence of the Wenden.

Niklot
-1160
I
Przybyslaw
1120-1178
I
Heinrich Burwin I, Furst von Mecklenburg
1150-1227
I
Heinrich Burwin II co-regent of Mecklenburg
1170-1226
I
Johann I Furst zu Mecklenburg & Wismar
1211-1264
I
Heinrich I the Pilgrim, Furst zu Mecklenburg
1230-1302
I
Heinrich II the Lion, Furst zu Mecklenburg
1266-1329
I
Albrecht II Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
1318-1379
I
Ingeburg of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
I
Gerhard VI, Count von Holstein, Duke of Schleswig
I
Heilwig von Holstein
1400-1436
I
Christian I, King of Denmark
1426-1481
I
Margaret/Margrethe of Denmark
1456-1486
I
James IV
King of Scots
1473-1513

Best wishes
Leo van de Pas

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