Kaupo

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Kaupo von Turaida (also Caupo ; * unknown ; † September 21, 1217 ) was a live prince at the beginning of the 13th century in a part of what is now Latvia . He is sometimes referred to as the King of the Livs ; the chronicle of Henry of Latvia calls him "quasi rex" (like a king ).

Memorial stone for Kaupo near Krimulda, Latvia

Life

It was the first outstanding live to be Christianized . He was probably baptized by Theodoric of Estonia around 1191 . He became an ardent advocate of Christianity and a loyal ally of Albert von Buxhoeveden , the bishop of Livonia , who took him to Rome from 1203 to 1204 to meet Pope Innocent III. to introduce. The Pope was impressed by the tribal chief who had converted from paganism and presented him with a manuscript from the Bible. After returning from this trip, his tribe rose against him, and Kaupo was forced to support the Brothers of the Sword Order in the conquest and destruction of his own castle, Turaida , in 1212 . Two years later, Bishop Albert had a stone castle built in its place for his own purposes, some of which has been preserved or restored to this day.

Kaupo took part in bloody revenge campaigns against the belligerent, unbaptized Estonians and was killed on Matthew's Day in 1217 in a battle against the army of the Estonian chief Lembitu . After his son Bertold had already fallen against the Estonians in the Battle of Ümera near Wenden in 1210 , he had no male descendants and bequeathed his property to the church. The Lieven family later made claims as they traced their descent in the female line to Kaupo.

Its historical role is controversial today among Latvians , Estonians and the few remaining Livs . His name is synonymous with betrayal and collaboration for many . But there are also voices who see him as a far-sighted leader who endeavored to integrate his people into Western European culture.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Chronicle of Heinrich the Latvian, Bishop Albert's fourteenth year, para. 3
  2. ^ The Chronicle of Heinrich the Latvian, Bishop Albert's nineteenth year, paras. 2-4
  3. ↑ Ārijs Geikins: Vēstījums par lībiešu kuningu Kaupo (story of Liv Kuning Caupo. Historical novel. Riga 2005)
personal data
SURNAME Kaupo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Caupo
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Liv leader
DATE OF BIRTH 12th Century
DATE OF DEATH September 21, 1217