The World in the Middle Ages; An Historical Geography, with Accounts of the Origin and Development, the Institutions and Literature, the Manners and Customs of Three Nations in Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa, from the Close of (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1854 edition. Excerpt: ... was after having expelled the Danish bailiff and garrison by a stratagem, in 1225, that Liibeck founded the celebrated Confederacy of the Hanse towns in 1241.1"--Reinholdsburg (Rendsborg) castle on an island in the Eider, where Waldemar the Victorious built a bridge to facilitate and secure the march of his armies into Germany.--Chiliana, Kyi (now Kiel), situated on a beautiful bay of the eastern coast, was the most ancient city in Holstein, and became, later, a member of the Hanseatic League. Scgeberg, with a castle on a high chalk-rock, was one of the strongest positions of the Danes in Holstein, and the fortress served them as a state prison for their unruly feudatories. Bornhoved, a small borough on the outskirts of the Kamp or dreary heath-covered plain eight miles north of Segeberg, was the battle-field on which the fate of Denmark was decided on July 22, 1227. Hamburg and Liibeck, the Counts of Holstein and Schwerin, prelates and feudatories, were here marshalled under the German banner against King Waldemar the Victorious. After a stoutly contested field, when victory again seemed to favor the Danish arms, their rear-guard, consisting of Ditmarskers, turned treacherously upon them, and they were defeated with fearful slaughter. Four thousand Danes covered the plain; the old King Waldemar, thrown down with his steed, and badly wounded was saved by an unknown German knight, who carried him safely to Kiel. From that day the downfall of Denmark followed with fearful rapidity. II. The Duchy Of Pomerania comprehended all the fertile lands on the Lower Elbe, eastward to the Vistula, with the counties of Ratzeburg, Lauenburg, on the Elbe, tichwerin, Miklinburg (Mecklenburg), the principalities of Riigen, Wcrle, and the lordships of...