Town · The Livs · as at first light, 1 January 1200

Turaida

The chief hillfort of the Livs of Treiden (Thoreida) on the right bank of the Gauja, above the deep valley; the Cistercian Theodoric worked here in Meinhard's time.

The later brick castle of the archbishops of Riga (from 1214) stands on or by the old fort.

Who holds it

Name
Anno and Caupo among the elders (Anno of Treiden, Caupo)
Title
the elders of Treiden
Since
not applicable
Born
not applicable
Confidence
low

See sources.

Lord in 1200

The elders of Treiden; Henry later calls it Caupo's fort, but whether Caupo leads on 1 January 1200 is not pinned.

How things stand that morning

A free Liv fort.

Charter

None: an unwritten customary community.

Council

The elders of the land; no town council.

Communities

Livs, with a Christian minority from Theodoric's work.

Fairs and markets

None recorded.

Militia

The men of the fort and its villages.

Walls and castle

Earth and timber hillfort; the brick castle is later.

Trade and crafts

Farming and the Gauja.

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.

  1. 1200 (Henry IV.4)Boys of Treiden taken as hostages by Albert.

Where the sources disagree

Evidence: Henry I.10-11, IV.4, VII.

Primary sources for The Livs

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.

Sources and studies

  1. 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
  2. Caupo of Turaida (en.wikipedia)

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.