On This Day

Lithuanians and Semigallians defeat the Livonian Brothers of the Sword in the Battle of Šiauliai

The Battle of Saule (Lithuanian: Saulės mūšis / Šiaulių mūšis; German: Schlacht von Schaulen; Latvian: Saules kauja) was fought on 22 September 1236, between the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and...

The Battle of Saule (Lithuanian: Saulės mūšis / Šiaulių mūšis; German: Schlacht von Schaulen; Latvian: Saules kauja) was fought on 22 September 1236, between the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and pagan troops of Samogitians and Semigallians. 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, and Oeselians, tribes previously conquered by the Sword-Brothers.

Historical Significance

The Battle of Saule (Lithuanian: Saulės mūšis / Šiaulių mūšis; German: Schlacht von Schaulen; Latvian: Saules kauja) was fought on 22 September 1236, between the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and pagan troops of Samogitians and Semigallians.

Events Before

  1. Mongol army under General Subedei begins the siege of Chinese Jin capital of Kaifeng - 1st occasion gunpowder used in a

    Mongol army under General Subedei begins the siege of Chinese Jin capital of Kaifeng - 1st occasion gunpowder used in a major engagement

  2. Japanese legal code Goseibai Shikimoku or the Formulary of Adjudications is promulgated by Regent Hōjō Yasutoki

    Japanese legal code Goseibai Shikimoku or the Formulary of Adjudications is promulgated by Regent Hōjō Yasutoki

  3. Chinese city of Kaifeng, capital of the Jurchen Jin dynasty, surrenders to the Mongols under General Subedei after a sie

    Chinese city of Kaifeng, capital of the Jurchen Jin dynasty, surrenders to the Mongols under General Subedei after a siege of more than a year

  4. Otto II, Count of Guelders grants Arnhem the status of a city, it had previously belonged to the abbey of Prüm

    Otto II, Count of Guelders grants Arnhem the status of a city, it had previously belonged to the abbey of Prüm

  5. Mongol army takes the Jin city of Caizhou, last holdout of Jin Emperor Ai-Tsung, who commits suicide rather than be capt

    Mongol army takes the Jin city of Caizhou, last holdout of Jin Emperor Ai-Tsung, who commits suicide rather than be captured

Events After

  1. Treaty of York is signed between Kings Henry III of England and Alexander II of Scotland, establishing a boundary betwee

    Treaty of York is signed between Kings Henry III of England and Alexander II of Scotland, establishing a boundary between the two countries that remains mostly unchanged in modern times

  2. Battle of Cortenuova: Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II defeats the Second Lombard League

    The Battle of Cortenuova (sometimes spelled Cortenova) was fought on 27 November 1237 in the course of the Guelphs and Ghibellines Wars: in it, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II defeated the Second...

  3. Mongolian forces take the Russian city of Ryazan after a five-day siege during their invasion of the Rus

    Mongolian forces take the Russian city of Ryazan after a five-day siege during their invasion of the Rus

  4. Battle of the Sit River: Mongol forces of Batu Khan overcome Russians under Yuri II of Vladimir-Suzdal near Yaroslavl in

    Battle of the Sit River: Mongol forces of Batu Khan overcome Russians under Yuri II of Vladimir-Suzdal near Yaroslavl in Russia, ending Russian resistance

  5. Mongolian forces led by General Batu capture and burn the important Russian city of Vladimir, after an eight-day siege

    Mongolian forces led by General Batu capture and burn the important Russian city of Vladimir, after an eight-day siege

More from the 1230s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 22, 1236?
The Battle of Saule (Lithuanian: Saulės mūšis / Šiaulių mūšis; German: Schlacht von Schaulen; Latvian: Saules kauja) was fought on 22 September 1236, between the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and pagan troops of Samogitians and Semigallians. 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.
Why is Lithuanians and Semigallians defeat the Livonian Brothers of the Sword in the... significant?
The Battle of Saule (Lithuanian: Saulės mūšis / Šiaulių mūšis; German: Schlacht von Schaulen; Latvian: Saules kauja) was fought on 22 September 1236, between the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and pagan troops of Samogitians and Semigallians.

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