Livonian Brothers of the Sword

The Livonian Brothers of the Sword (, ) was a military order organized in 1202 by Albert of Buxhoeveden and composed of German "warrior monks". They were also known as the Livonian Order, Christ Knights, Sword Brethren, and The Militia of Christ of Livonia. The Livonian Order was founded during the Northern Crusades to defend German settlements in the Baltic; their rule was primarily based on that of the Knights Templar. Following their defeat by Lithuania in the Battle of Schaulen (Saule) in 1236, they were merged into the Teutonic Knights as an autonomous branch. The Livonian Order was ultimately secularized and became the Duchy of Courland during the 16th century Livonian War.
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