Gercike photos

56°15′15″ N. 26°12′09″ E.

The fortress on the settlement of Ersika has been founded in the 10th century. Local princes paid tribute to the Polotsk principality. Visvaldis was the name of one of them, ruled at the end of the 12th century. Scientists offer different versions of its origin, Latvian, Lithuanian and Russian. The princes of Ersike ruled the lands in the basin of the Western Dvina and the Gauja, which, apparently, can presumably be identified with the concept of "Lotygol land" in the Russian chronicle. At the beginning of the 13thI century Gersika faced German knights. In 1209 they took Gersika. Prince Visvaldis recognized himself as a vassal of the German bishop Adalbert. In 1211-1213 the ruler of Gersike concluded an agreement on the division of territories with the Order of the Swordsmen. But concessions did not help: in 1214 the knights took and ravaged the town. Actually, after these events, the principality is no longer mentioned. Around 1229, near the settlement of Gersike, the bishop's castle Kreuzburg was built. By 1255, apparently, the Gercike finally fell into decay. Today, only the earthen hill itself remains from it, no fortifications have survived.

Tags: castles and fortresses, before 13 century, 13 century, Teutonic Order (Livonia)