Battle of Viljandi

1223 CE.

Shown on the map at 58.360°, 25.593°.

On 29 January 1223, during a church service, the Sackalians attacked the Germans inside the stronghold of Viljandi. They killed Sword-Brothers, vartels, merchants, and even Mauritius, the vogt of Viljandi. The rest of the Germans were put in stocks and shackles. Some men advanced on to the stronghold of Leole, where they told others to do the same. Subsequently, the same Sackalians took Hebbe, the vogt of Järvamaa, and brought him to Viljandi. The heart of a still-alive Hebbe was torn out of his chest, baked on fire and eaten ritually, in order to "become strong in the fight against the Christians". Elders of Viljandi sent a victory notice to Otepää and Tartu, calling for Estonians to act the same way. Swords covered in German soldiers' blood, captured horses, and clothes were sent to the people of Tartu. Soon after, Otepää and Tartu were liberated and Johannes, the vogt of Tartu, killed. Like in Sakala, the bodies of the killed enemy were left on the fields "for dogs and birds". A year later after this battle, construction of a new stone fortifications - Viljandi Castle - has started.

Text from the Wikipedia article Battle of Viljandi (1223), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Everything else in 1223 CE

HistoryLayer draws the world as it was in any year from 123,000 BCE to 2026. Move the slider and the borders redraw for that year; the map carries 23,890 events, 12,790 people, 837 wars and 13,183 cities, each one readable in place. Signing in is optional and lets you keep what you find.

HistoryLayer
1914CE
World Wars
123,000 BCE2026 CE
54 stops — one per surviving map on file, evenly spaced drag the pin · ←→ steps one stop the same 54 stops by true elapsed time ↑
Map & filters
Show on the map
Filter
Colour by
Polity Empire