Anti Selart

During the thirteenth century, Livonia - essentially modern Estonia and Latvia - was conquered by mostly German crusaders, and converted from paganism to Catholic Christianity. This brought the crusaders into direct contact with the Russian principalities of Novgorod, Pskov, and Polotsk, and clashes followed, most famously the Battle of Lake Peipus, also known as the Battle on the Ice, in 1242.

According to one school of thought, these clashes reflect an intention of the Germans to subjugate Russia (or Rus', to use the form of the name Selart prefers when talking about medieval affairs) and forcibly convert it from Orthodoxy to Catholicism. The maximalist version of this thesis would have this ambition as part of a papal master-plan to swallow Orthodoxy whole, coordinated with efforts of church union in the Byzantine world (Constantinople itself being in Latin hands 1204-60).

Selart's purpose in this book is to refute this interpretation, as well as the vaguer idea that there was a civilizational clash between Catholicism and Orthodoxy going on between Livonia and Rus'. The popes were in no position to direct policy in the Baltic area, being preoccupied with matters closer to home. Their interventions in Livonia were essentially limited to responding to petitions from the squabbling local factions. Initiative came invariably from local leaders, and ambitions were local in nature - an attack on Pskov, like that thwarted at Lake Peipus, was precisely an attack on Pskov, and not part of any wider strategy to stretch control towards the Urals. Rhetoric against "schismatics" could be fierce, but in the presence of unconquered pagans - in the case of the Lithuanians, conquering pagans - they were recognized as fellow Christians and the lesser evil at worst. Both sides where internally divided and quite ready to enlist help from the other side, and even the pagans, in internal struggles. The Catholic-Orthodox divide was a factor in 13th century eastern European politics, but rarely if ever the most important one.

Moreover, the Russians in particular had greater worries than the relationship with Livonia: from the 1240s most of Rus' was conquered by the Mongols, and much of what wasn't was absorbed by Lithuania. It's an irony not explicitly pointed out by Selart that Alexander Nevsky, a Russian prince hailed as a national saviour in later tradition for repulsing relatively minor incursions by the Swedes and Livonians, ended up going to Karakorum to do homage to the Mongol conquerors.

Decidedly on the academic side, this is hardly anyone's idea of a riveting read, but it does present and analyze a lot of interesting material. As for the thesis, I was basically in agreement with it already, so it mostly provided additional confidence in my views.… (more)