Ports for whom? Harbors in the early thirteenth-century Eastern Baltic

ABSTRACT

The thirteenth-century crusades to Estonia and Livonia have traditionally been seen from the conquerors’ perspective, considering the local actors only as passive subjects of these processes. Recent archeological research has challenged this. Various centers, such as hillforts or harbors, were controlled by locals and functioned as more or less neutral places. This article examines three harbors, which may have possessed a central importance in the region: Daugavgrīva (Dünamünde) in the lower reaches of the Daugava River, portus novus (the New Harbor) in Saaremaa, and the port of Tallinn. The discussion treats local magnates as active participants in these places, thus creating a more nuanced picture of how different foreigners were treated in the ports of the Eastern Baltic.

KEYWORDS:

• Northern crusades
• medieval harbors
• medieval society
• Chronicle of Henry of Livonia

Acknowledgments

The research for this article was funded by Foundation Osiliana and supported by the Estonian Research Council, grant no. PRG1931. The author thanks Piia Sandra Sandrak and Piret Ruustal for the help in translating and editing the language of the text.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Even though Caune (2007) has sometimes referred to eleventh and twelfth century layers as the oldest in Riga, there is yet no definitive publication about finds dating to the eleventh century.

2. The basin of the Daugava and the islands located there are a constant movement of sandy sediments. In addition, these areas have been modified throughout the centuries by construction works. Therefore, reconstructing the actual landscape situation in the thirteenth century is difficult.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marika Mägi

Marika Mägi is an Associated Professor at Tallinn University and Head of the Foundation Osiliana, a research center for Saaremaa archaeology and early history. She is an archaeologist and historian. Her main research interests are social archaeology and late prehistoric/early medieval communication in northern Europe.