Battle of Durbe
Lake Durbe, Courland, western Latvia
What happened
Samogitian and Curonian warriors fought the Livonian Order and Teutonic Knights, with Danish, Swedish and Prussian troops, under Burkhard von Hornhausen. The armies met on 13 July 1260 on the southern shore of Lake Durbe. The ground was swampy, and according to one chronicler, local Curonian troops left the knights when their demands were refused. The knights were surrounded and defeated, and their master, Burkhard von Hornhausen, fell.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was the knights' largest defeat of the 13th century and undid about twenty years of their conquests. It inspired the Great Prussian Uprising and revolts by other Baltic peoples.
What came next
The Order needed about thirty years to restore control. The unrest also delayed a full crusade against Lithuania until the 1280s, giving the new state time to grow.
Did you know?
The town of Durbe was first mentioned in writing in 1260, the year of the battle.
Timeline
- 13 July 1260The Samogitians and Curonians win at Durbe.
- 1260-1274The Great Prussian Uprising.
- 1893Durbe receives town rights.