Vilyandi

58 ° 21 ′ 15 ″ N, 25 ° 35 ′ 45 ″ E

Viljandi was an Estonian settlement of the 12th-13th centuries. It is located in the city of Viljandi today, above the lake of the same name. In the Middle Ages Viljandi was the center of the chiefdom of the tribes of the Sakala land. In 1211 the Order of the Swordsmen came here. The first attack was repulsed, but the Germans began to convert the local population to Christianity. On September 21, 1217, not far from the fortress, a major battle took place between the Estonian tribes from the lands of Revala, Rotalia, Garien, Vironia, Gerven and Sakala, which were opposed by the troops of the Order of the Swordsmen, a detachment of German knights from German lands, warriors of the Riga bishop and allies of the crusaders - detachments Latgalians and Livs. It received the name "Battle of St. Matthew ”and is considered a turning point in the history of the Northern Crusades. The crusaders won this battle, during which Lembit, the leader of the Estonian resistance, was killed. Tradition connects the place of the battle with Tammemägi hill (north of modern Viljandi, modern village of Hiiemägi (Vanamõisa) of Viljandi County 58 ° 26 ′ 17 ″ N, 25 ° 30 ′ 2 ″ E). Legend has it that Lembit was buried here, but no archaeological evidence of this has been found.

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