Marienhausen

57° 25′ 45″ N, 27° 03′ 08″ E

Marienburg Castle (modern Alūksne) was founded in 1342 upon the order of the Master of the Livonian Order Burchard von Dreileben on the site of the former Latgalian fortress Oliste (13th century). It was intended to defend the border between Livonia and Pskov. In 1406 (or 1409) it was set to fire by the order of Vytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithania. In 1478 and 1481 battles between Pskovitan forces and the Livonians took place around the stronghold. Since 1558 the vicinities of the castle had been attacked by Pskov several times, and in February 1560 Marienburg was eventually taken by assault. Vogt Eberhard von Siburg capitulated after the Russian artillery broke a gap in the wall. The Order's Master Gotthard Kettler impeached him for treason and condemned to incarceration for the capitulation of Marienburg. The city remained under control of a Russian garrison until 1582 when the castle passed to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This castle is famous as the place where Marta Helena Skowrońska, the future Russian Empress Catherine I, was taken prisoner in 1702 during the Northern War.

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Tags: castles and fortresses, 14 century, 15 century, 16 century, Teutonic Order (Livonia), Routes of the Livonian War