Burchard von Dreileben

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Burchard von Dreileben (also Borchart van Dreinlove or Borchart van Dreyleven; Latin Borgardus de Drelegen) was master of the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order from 1340 to 1345 ( Landmeister of Livonia of the Teutonic Order ).

Consolidation of religious power

During his tenure there were revolts of the local Estonian peasants against Germans and Danes, which culminated in the uprising on St. George's Night (1343/45). The feudal lords who the rebels could get hold of were mostly killed. Numerous goods were burned down.

Burchard had the uprisings in Harju (German: Harrien ), Viru ( Wierland ) and on the island of Saaremaa ( Ösel ) suppressed, sometimes bloody and sometimes through negotiating skills. The four leaders ("kings") of the Estonians were executed in Paide ( Weißenstein ) in early summer 1343 during negotiations with Burchard.

In addition, at the end of his term of office, Burchard succeeded in subordinating the Danish territories in old Livonia , which had been weakened by internal Danish crises and financial shortages under King Waldemar IV, to the Teutonic Order in 1346 and its Livonian branch a year later. The most important object was the city of Tallinn ( Reval ), which had been (again) in Danish possession since 1238.

Foundation of order castles

On March 25, 1342, Burchard von Dreileben gave the order to build the two new order castles Maasilinn ( Soneburg ) on the island of Saaremaa , which was then an order country and was shaken by uprisings, Alūksne ( Marienburg ) and Vastseliina ( Frouwenborch or Neuhausen ) in the then diocese Tartu ( Dorpat ). One possible reason for building a new fortress close to the border was probably to reinforce the opposing castle of Izborsk from the 1330s. Burchard explicitly suggested to the Tartu prince-bishop to wage war against the Russian Pskow ( Pleskau ).

Term expires

In 1345 Burchard gave up his post as landmaster in favor of his successor Goswin von Herike (1345-1359). In 1346/47 he was probably Commander of Tallinn.

Remarks

  1. ↑ The most important contemporary source is the Younger Livonian Rhyming Chronicle, written by Bartholomäus Hoeneke around 1346/48 , in which the events are presented from the perspective of the order
  2. ↑ However, the Danes continued to have influence in Tallinn and other Estonian places until the 15th century, especially in the occupation of the episcopal offices of Tallinn and in the diocese of Ösel-Wiek
  3. ↑ Maasilinn was supposed to replace the fortress of Poide , which had been destroyed a short time before
  4. ↑ http://bricks.eurob.org/index.php?node_id=69&lang_id=1&ds_target_id=485
personal data
SURNAME Burchard von Dreileben
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Borgardus de Drelegen
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Landmaster of Livonia of the Teutonic Order
DATE OF BIRTH 14th Century
DATE OF DEATH after 1347