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The Forgotten Front: How the Wendish Crusade Redefined Power in the Baltic Region | Ancient Origins
the Forgotten Front, how the Windish Crusade redefined power in the Baltic region. A major episode of territorial expansion in Northern Europe, the Crusade was a complex interaction between religion, politics, ruthless military conquest, and ethnic strife. As we examine the Windish Crusade, we can better appreciate its historical significance. Paganism and Christianity in the Baltic. In the early medieval period, the Baltic region was a true mosaic of cultures, religions, and political entities. While much of Western and Central Europe had been Christianized by the 11th century AD, the Baltic remained a stronghold of pagan beliefs. A vast territory comprising much of what is today Germany, and stretching even to the Jutland Peninsula, was inhabited by Slavs, whom the Germans called "Winds." The winds were a loose federation of closely connected Slavic tribes who were united by their shared language, beliefs, traditions, and deities. Fiercely devoted to their pagan faith, these Slavs, always resisting external domination, were a prime target for the Christian rulers of Western Europe, who sought to get richer and expand their influence. And so it was that the crusading movement, which began in 1095 AD with Pope Urban II's call to reclaim the Holy Land, soon extended its scope. By the mid-12th century AD, the idea of a crusade had evolved into a broader justification for waging war against non-Christians, including those in Europe. The windy-ish crusade was born out of this ideological shift, blending religious zeal with political ambition. Sadly, the term crusade in this case was hiding a genocide in plain sight. The Slavs were guilty only for adhering to their age-old beliefs. But for the Catholic Church, this was a good excuse to fill the coffers. And so, the Slavs were targeted for forced conversion. The windy-ish crusade was part of the second crusade, a pan-European effort that included campaigns in the Holy Land, Iberia, and the Baltic. It was initiated by Bernard of Clervo, a prominent Cistercian abbot, who called for a holy war against the pagan winds. Through his eloquence and power of persuasion, he brought many prominent nobles of the time to his cause. Pope Eugenius III made the matter official and issued a papal bull-granting participants the same spiritual benefits as those who fought in the Holy Land. Armed, ambitious, and ever so greedy, the nobles of West Europe descended upon the rural winds with fire and sword, bringing their religion of peace through war. Read more. "Source Public Domain" by Alexa Vacavic.