Henry of Livonia and the Wends of the Eastern Baltic: ethnography and biography in the thirteenth-century Livonian Mission

The chronicle of the priest Henry of Livonia is the most important source for the early history of the Catholic mission and crusades in the eastern Baltic region. The present study aims to clarify Henry’s origins and early career in Germany and Livonia, with particular reference to his linguistic knowledge and his place in the Baltic mission. The starting point relates to the Wends, a small ethnic group resident in central Livonia. Although the Wends were a numerically small people, they held a key position after their conversion as reliable allies of the Catholic mission. They also figured prominently in the propaganda of the church of Riga in its attempts to retain the support of the papacy at a time when the diversity of crusading was making many claims on its attention. Archaeological evidence also suggests that the Wends were Slavic in origin, which offers a new perspective on Henry’s origins and career. The chronicler was not only employed as a missionary among the indigenous peoples, but also served as an ambassador in higher-level political communications with local powers and the Russian principalities of the region. While he seems to have acquired some acquaintance with of the regional tongues, it is also likely that he made use of an existing knowledge of Slavic as a contact language.