Visual Culture and Politics in the Baltic Sea Region, 1100-1250

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Translated by Aet Varik. Focusing on visual sources and the cultural landscape, Kersti Markus offers a fresh perspective on the Baltic crusades in 'Visual Culture and Politics in the Baltic Sea Region, 1100-1250'. The book examines how visual propaganda was used by the Danish rulers as an instrument in establishing supremacy in the Baltic Sea region. In recent decades, Danish historians have highlighted the central role of the Valdemar dynasty and the bishops supporting them in the Baltic crusades, but visual sources show how the entire society was mentally prepared for a journey with redemption waiting at the end. A New Jerusalem was being built in Scandinavia, and the crusade to Livonia was conducted under the banner of Christ. Preface and Acknowledgements Figures Abbreviations Chapter 1 Visual Sources and the Danish Crusades 1.1 The Development of Church Studies in Estonia, Latvia and Scandinavia 1.2 Danish Historiography on the Crusades 1.3 Prospects of Visual Sources in the Study of Baltic Crusades Chapter 2 Visual Rhetoric in Denmark in the Period of the Baltic Crusades 2.1 The Chapel at the Christian Ruler’s Residence 2.2 Imitation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre 2.3 Round Churches of Eskil’s Era 2.3.1 Archbishop Eskil and the Valleberga Church 2.3.2 Churches of the Hvide Clan on Zealand 2.3.3 Himlingøje – the King’s Church? 2.4 Jerusalem of the North 2.4.1 The Heavenly Jerusalem: Kalundborg Church 2.4.2 Liturgical Drama 2.4.3 The Holy Sepulchre in Store Heddinge 2.4.4 Round Churches with Strategical Positions 2.4.5 Churches with a Round Western Tower 2.5 The Theocratic Reign of the Valdemar Dynasty 2.6 Warriors of Christ 2.6.1 William of Winchester and the Danish Chivalric Culture 2.6.2 Visual Propaganda on the Walls 2.6.3 The Road to the City of God: the Gable of the Portal of the Ribe Cathedral 2.7 Foothold of the Crusaders in the Baltic Sea: the Island of Bornholm 2.8 Conclusion Chapter 3 Visual Performances of Power in Sweden 3.1 The Holy City in Västergötland 3.2 Self-Assertion of the Sverker Dynasty in Östergötland 3.2.1 Vårdsberg Round Church 3.2.2 The Round Church of Klåstad 3.2.3 Judgment in the Name of God 3.2.4 The Knights of Christ 3.3 Warriors of Christ in the Valley of Lake Mälaren 3.4 Gate to Livonia: the Kalmar Sound 3.4.1 The Struggles for Möre 3.4.2 Hagby Round Church – a Site of St. Olaf’s Cult? 3.4.3 The Swedish Central Rule and Kalmar 3.4.4 The Danish Invasion on the Island of Öland 3.4.5 The Voxtorp Round Church – an Echo of the Danish Crusade? 3.5 Conclusion Chapter 4 From Trade to Crusade: Visby 4.1 Merchant Churches 4.2 Rus’ Trade of the Varangians: St. Olaf’s Churches 4.2.1 From a Cult Site to an International Trade Centre 4.2.2 St. Olaf’s Churches in Novgorod and Sigtuna 4.2.3 St. Olaf’s Cult Site at Akergarn 4.2.4 St. Olaf: Saint of the Crusaders 4.3 German Merchants and Crusaders in Visby: the St. Mary’s Church 4.4 The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Visby 4.5 Conclusion Chapter 5 Manifesting a Presence in Livonia and Estonia 5.1 Fortified Outposts 5.1.1 The Castles of Üxküll and Holme on the Lower Course of the Daugava 5.1.2 The Danish Crusades to Estonia and Castles Built on Saaremaa (Ösel) 5.1.3 The Stronghold of Lihula and the Swedish Campaign to Western Estonia (Wiek) 5.2 Founding a Town from the German Perspective: Riga 5.2.1 Ancient Riga 5.2.2 Fortifying the Positions in 1200–1211 5.2.3 Bishop Albert’s Town, 1211–1229 5.2.4 From a Trading Place to Town 5.3 Founding a Town from the Danish Perspective: Tallinn 5.3.1 Ancient Tallinn 5.3.2 Castrum Danorum 5.3.3 Under the Rule of the Sword Brothers (1227–1238) 5.3.4 From Estonian Trading Place to the Town of the Danish King 5.4 The Danish Mission and the Cistercians 5.4.1 The Monastery of Roma on Gotland 5.4.2 Grange of the Roma Abbey in Estonia: Kolga (Kolk) 5.5 The German Mission and the Cistercians 5.5.1 Monastery of Daugavgrīva near Riga 5.5.2 Grangies of the Daugavgrīva Abbey in Estonia 5.5.3 The Falkenau Abbey and the Role of Cistercians in the 13th Century Estonia 5.6 Conclusion Afterword: Art and Politics on the Borderland Bibliography Index