Battle of Saule

Supposed site of the battle, near Jauniūnai

Date	22 September 1236
Location	Unknown
Result	Decisive Samogitian victory

Belligerents

Livonian Brothers of the Sword

Pskov Republic
Livonians
Latgallians

Samogitians

Commanders and leaders

Volkwin †

Vykintas

Strength

3,000

4,000–5,000

Casualties and losses

48–60 knights killed
2,700 total killed

1,200 total killed

The Battle of Saule (Lithuanian: Saulės mūšis or Šiaulių mūšis; German: Schlacht von Schaulen; Latvian: Saules kauja) was fought on September 22, 1236, between the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and pagan Samogitians. Between 48 and 60 knights were killed, including the Livonian Master, Volkwin. It was the earliest large-scale defeat suffered by the orders in Baltic lands. The Sword-Brothers, the first Catholic military order established in the Baltic lands, was soundly defeated and its remnants accepted incorporation into the Teutonic Order in 1237. The battle inspired rebellions among the Curonians, Semigallians, Selonians, Oeselians, tribes previously conquered by the Sword-Brothers. Some thirty years' worth of conquests on the left bank of Daugava were lost. To commemorate the battle, in 2000 the Lithuanian and Latvian parliaments declared September 22 to be the Day of Baltic Unity.

The Sword-Brothers were established in 1202 in Riga to conquer and convert pagan Baltic tribes to Christianity. By the 1230s under the leadership of Master Volkwin, the Order was coping with strained financial resources, decreasing manpower, and ill reputation. The Order was in conflict with the papacy under Pope Gregory IX and the Holy Roman Emperor, two of its biggest supporters, over Estonia. However, on February 19, 1236, Pope Gregory IX issued a papal bull declaring a crusade against Lithuania. Volkwin targeted Samogitia, planning to conquer the coast of the Baltic Sea and connect with the Teutonic Knights in Prussia. The Sword-Brothers wanted to keep expanding along the Daugava River and was somewhat reluctant to march against Samogitia. In fall of 1236 a party of crusaders arrived from Holstein; it demanded to be led into a battle. Volkwin gathered a large war party, which included troops from Pskov Republic,Livonians, Latgallians, Estonians.

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