The fort of the princes of Jersika on the right bank of the Daugava, about 165 km south-east of Riga (en.wikipedia), centre of the largest Latgalian lordship, whose lands in the 13th-century documents run north to Cesvaine and east into Lotygola (realm map part).
Henry, describing its capture in 1209, speaks of churches with bells and icons. By 1203 its king is allied with the Lithuanians and married to a Lithuanian (his wife is captured in 1209). Polotsk held tribute rights over it until 1212 (en.wikipedia). On 1 January 1200 its prince is not named.
Who holds it
- Name
- Not pinned for 1 January 1200
- Title
- prince of Jersika (Henry's rex de Gercike), tributary to Polotsk
- Since
- not applicable
- Born
- not applicable
- Confidence
- low
See sources.
Lord in 1200
A Rus' prince tributary to Polotsk, not named for 1 January 1200. Henry first mentions the king of Gercike in 1203 (VII.8); his later chapters and the charter of 1209 (as usually dated) call him Vsevolod (Latvian Visvaldis). He may already rule in 1200 but no source says so. His origin is unknown: some scholars make him a son of Boris Davydovich of Polotsk by a Latgalian mother (en.wikipedia, unconfirmed); he is married to a daughter of the Lithuanian duke Daugerutis (en.wikipedia), when is not pinned.
How things stand that morning
Held by a Rus' prince tributary to Polotsk; name not pinned.
Council
The prince with his retinue.
Communities
Latgalians and Rus'; Orthodox clergy; the prince's retinue.
Fairs and markets
None recorded.
Militia
The prince's retinue and the men of the fort and its lands.
Walls and castle
Earth and timber fort with a settlement and Orthodox churches (Henry, 1209; archaeology).
Trade and crafts
The Daugava trade to Polotsk; tribute from the Latgalian lands round it.
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 1203 (later)The king of Jersika raids the flocks of Riga with the Lithuanians (Henry VII.8).Depends on: Riga founded; the Lithuanian alliance.
- 1209 (later)Albert and the Sword Brothers take Jersika and capture Vsevolod's wife; Vsevolod gives his kingdom to the Church and takes part back as a fief (the charter is usually dated 1209; en.wikipedia).Depends on: The crusade's advance.
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Henry from 1203; the extent of the lordship from the post-1209 documents (en.wikipedia).
Primary sources for The Latgalians
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- The Livonian Chronicle of Henry, Henry of Livonia (1225 to 1227). The chief source for the Baltic mission. Read online
- Charter book of Livonia, Estonia and Courland, volume 1, 1093 to 1300 (documents of 1093 to 1300, edited 1853). The documents of the Livonian mission: Innocent III's bull of 5 October 1199 calling for a crusade to protect the Livonian church, the privileges for Bishop Albert, Archbishop Hartwig of Bremen's acts for the see of Üxküll, and the later charters that settle who held what on the Düna.
Sources and studies
- Henry of Livonia, Chronicon Livoniae, tr. J. A. Brundage, The Chronicle of Henry of Livonia (1961): Books I-III, chapters I-IX read for this record
- Principality of Jersika (en.wikipedia)
- Visvaldis (en.wikipedia)
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.