Rūsiņš of Satekle ( la, Russinus de Sotekele) was a Latgalian duke during early 13th century who is several times mentioned in ancient sources due to his activities in

Livonian Crusade The Livonian crusade refers to the various military Christianisation campaigns in medieval Livonia – in what is now Latvia and Estonia – during the Papal -sanctioned Northern Crusades in the 12–13th century. The Livonian crusade was cond ...

. Rūsiņš date of birth is unknown and it's presumed that his residence was Satekle castle (most likely Tanīsa hillfort in modern

Rauna Rauna (german: Ronneburg) is a village in Rauna Parish, Smiltene Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. It is the administrative center of Rauna Parish Rauna Parish ( lv, Raunas pagasts) is an administrative unit of Smiltene Municipali ...

village) which was important centre in Latgalian county of

Tālava Tālava was a Latgalian country in the northern Vidzeme and northern Latgale region of today's Latvia. It was bordered by the Latgalian Principality of Jersika to the south, the Livonian counties of Metsepole and Idumeja to the west, the Estonian ...

. According to Chronicle of the Henry of Livonia Rūsiņš had permanent group of warriors with him (Latin: amici Russini) most likely similar to

Druzhina In the medieval history of Kievan Rus' and Early Poland, a druzhina, drużyna, or družyna ( Slovak and cz, družina; pl, drużyna; ; , ''druzhýna'' literally a "fellowship") was a retinue in service of a Slavic chieftain, also called ''knyaz ...

. Rūsiņš is first time mentioned by name in 1208 when he together with dukes Varidots of Autīne and

Tālivaldis Tālivaldis or Tālibalds ( la, Thalibaldus de Tolowa; d. 1215) was a Latgalians, Latgalian Elder (administrative title), elder, the ruler of Tālava, whose support for Albert of Riga and the German crusaders brought about his death at the hands o ...

of Beverīna signed military alliance with the

Livonian Brothers of the Sword The Livonian Brothers of the Sword ( la, Fratres militiæ Christi Livoniae, german: Schwertbrüderorden) was a Catholic military order established in 1202 during the Livonian Crusade by Albert, the third bishop of Riga (or possibly by Theoderi ...

. In the next few years Rūsiņš was often involved in the military campaigns against estonian tribes. In the autumn of 1208 Rūsiņš together with Varidots raided into estonian land of Saccalia and heavily devastated it. In the winter of 1209 latgalians signed a one-year peace treaty with

estonians Estonians or Estonian people ( et, eestlased) are a Finnic ethnic group native to Estonia who speak the Estonian language. The Estonian language is spoken as the first language by the vast majority of Estonians; it is closely related to oth ...

. Soon as the treaty expired Rūsiņš joined the

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

Berthold of Wenden in his campaign against

Ugandians Ugaunians or Ugannians ( et, ugalased) ( lv, ugauņi), referred to as Chudes by the earliest Russian chronicles were historical Finnic people inhabiting the ancient southern Estonian Ugandi County (Latin: Ungannia) (also Ugania, Ugaunia) that ...

. After this campaign

livonians The Livonians, or Livs ( Livonian: ''līvlizt''; Estonian: ''liivlased''; Latvian: ''līvi'', ''lībieši''), are a Balto-Finnic people indigenous to northern and northwestern Latvia. Livonians historically spoke Livonian, a Uralic language c ...

and part of the latgalians signed a new peace treaty with estonians but Rūsiņš was among those latgalians who together with Swordbrothers continued warfare. It is known that Rūsiņš participated in military campaign against estonians in early 1211 also in a raid to estonian land of Soontagana together with crusaders, Russians from Pskov and livonian dukes Dabrels, Ninns and

Caupo of Turaida Caupo of Turaida, or Kaupo (died 21 September 1217) was a leader of the Finnic-speaking Livonian people in the beginning of the 13th century, in what is now part of Latvia and Estonia. He is sometimes called a 'King of Livonia', the Chronicle ...

. Most likely he also took part in joint livonian, latgalian and crusader campaign into Saccala and subsequent siege of

Viljandi Viljandi (, german: Fellin, sv, Fellin) is a town and municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 17,407 in 2019. It is the capital of Viljandi County and is geographically located between two major Estonian cities, Pärnu and Tartu. ...

castle. In 1211 ugandians raided into latgalian lands and killed several of Rūsiņš relatives. In summer of 1212 latgalians from Autīne land came into conflict with German crusaders. This conflict soon turned into armed uprising against German knights so called '' Autīne revolt''. Rūsiņš joined the uprising and came to livonian Satesele castle (modern Satezele hillfort in

Sigulda Sigulda (; german: Segewold, pl, Zygwold, russian: Сигулда) is a town in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, from the capital city Riga. Overview Sigulda is on a picturesque stretch of the primeval Gauja river valley. Because of the reddish De ...

) which was main centre of uprising. Crusaders soon besieged the castle. According to the Chronicle of the Henry of Livonia Rūsiņš was on the castle wall when he saw his friend and former ally knight Berthold among crusaders, he took off his

helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...

to greet him and almost immediately was killed by

crossbow A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an elastic launching device consisting of a bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar fashion to the stock of a long fire ...

arrow. It is still not known why Rūsiņš who was loyal ally of crusaders quite suddenly joined the anti German uprising. Maybe he felt that German crusaders are threat to his authority and estates or maybe that crusaders are exploiting him and other latgalians to consolidate their rule in Livonia. Due to Rūsiņš activity in battles author of the Chronicle of the Henry of Livonia calls him bravest of all latgalians (Latin:Letthorum fortissimus)Chronicle of the Henry of Livonia, XII:6

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rusins 1212 deaths Medieval Latgalian people People of the Livonian Crusade Military personnel killed in action