This chronology presents the timeline of the Northern Crusades beginning with the 10th century establishment of Christian churches in northern Europe. These were primarily Christianization campaigns undertaken by the Christian kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden together with the Teutonic Knights, primarily against the pagan Baltic, Finnic and West Slavic peoples around the southern and eastern shores of the Baltic Sea.

10th century 960–990. Christian churches are established among West Slavs, Danes, Poles and Russians. 983. The Wends participate in the Slavic Revolt of 983 against the Holy Roman Empire under Otto the Great.James Westfall Thompson (1916). The German Church and the Conversion of the Baltic Slav s. The American Journal of Theology, Vol. 20, No. 2, pgs. 205–230. 997. St. Adalbert of Prague is martyred in Prussia.St. Adalbert, Bishop of Prague. Britannica.

11th century 1000 (Date unknown). Archdiocese of Gniezno is founded in Poland.Joseph Lins (1909). "Archdiocese of Gnesen-Posen". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1045

(Date unknown, as late as 1050). The cathedrals of Holy Wisdom, the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Novgorod and Saint Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk, are built.

1064

(Date unknown). Gunther of Bamberg leads the Great German Pilgrimage of 1064–1065 to the Holy Land.Einar Joranson (1928). The Great German Pilgrimage of 1064–1065. In: The Crusades, and other historical essays: presented to Dana C. Munro by his former students. Lewis J. Paetow, editor. F. S. Crofts & Co., pgs. 8–43. 1066

10 November. Bishop John Scotus is killed during a Wendish revolt against Christianity.Joseph Lins (1911). "Mecklenburg". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company. (Date unknown). Adam of Bremen writes his chronicle Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum (Deeds of Bishops of the Hamburg Church).Arthur F. Remy (1907). "Adam of Bremen". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1086

10 July. Canute IV of Denmark is martyred.Patrick W. Ryan (1908). "St. Canute IV". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1088

12 March. Urban II is elected pope.Richard Urban Butler (1912). "Pope Bl. Urban II". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1093

(Date unknown). A Christian coalition led by the Obotrite prince Henry and Magnus of Saxony defeats the Wends at the Battle of Schmilau.James Westfall Thompson (1928). Feudal Germany. University of Chicago Press, pg. 421 1095

18 August. Eric I of Denmark becomes king. 17–27 November. At the Council of Clermont, Urban II issues a call for the First Crusade to reconquer the Holy Land for Christendom.Dana Carleton Munro (1906). The Speech of Pope Urban II. At Clermont, 1095, The American Historical Review, Vol. 11, No. 2, pgs. 231–242. 1099

7 June – 15 July. The Crusaders capture the Holy City after the Siege of Jerusalem.

12th Century 1103

(Date unknown). Eric I of Denmark and his wife Boedil begin a pilgrimage to the Holy Land as described in the Knýtlinga saga. He would die in July on Cyprus, but she made it to Jerusalem where she died shortly thereafter.Erik of Denmark. Independent Crusaders Project (2021).

1104 (Date unknown). Niels of Denmark becomes king, succeeding his brother Eric I of Denmark, and campaigns against the Wends in an alliance with Poland.Stefan Pajung (2011). Niels, 1065–1134. danmarkshistorien. (Date unknown). The Archdiocese of Lund is established as the metropolitan of the North by Alberic of Ostia.Phillip von Kettenburg (1910). "Lund". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1106

Approximate. Daniel of Kiev makes a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.Charles Raymond Beazley (1911). "Daniel of Kiev". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pg. 808.

1107

Autumn. The Norwegian Crusade led by Sigurd the Crusader begins with attacks on Iberia.Sigurd I Magnusson, King of Norway. Britannica, 1998.

1108

(Date unknown). The Archbishopric of Magdeburg calls for war against the Wends. 1109

(Date uncertain, 1108 or 1109). Sigurd the Crusader attacks Formentera in the Balearic Islands.Gary B. Doxey (1996). “Norwegian Crusaders and the Balearic Islands.” Scandinavian Studies, Vol. 68, No. 2, pgs. 139–160.

1116

(Date unknown). Novgorod and Pskov begin an expedition against Tartu and the fortress of Otepää. 1119

1 February. Callixtus II becomes pope.James MacCaffrey (1908). "Pope Callistus II". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company. (Date unknown). Hugues de Payens founds the Knights Templar and becomes its first Grand Master.Thomas Andrew Archer and Walter Alison Phillips (1911). "Templars". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 591–600. 1120 (Date unknown). Callixtus II issues the papal bull Sicut Judaeis laying out the Church's position on Jews.Papal Bulls. Jewish Virtual Library.

1124

June–August. Sigurd the Crusader conducts the Kalmar Expedition, a leidang to Christianize the region of Småland. This is the first of the Northern Crusades. (Date unknown). Otto of Bamberg begins the Christianization of Pomerania.Klemens Löffler (1911). "St. Otto". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1128

(Date unknown). The Santa Maria Alemanna (Church of Saint Mary of the Germans) is founded in Jerusalem.St. Mary's of the German Knights. The Jerusalem Foundation. 1130 14 February. Innocent II becomes pope.Francis Mershman (1910). "Pope Innocent II". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1134

4 June. Beginning a series of the Danish Civil Wars, Eric II of Denmark defeats Niels of Denmark and Magnus the Strong at the Battle of Fotevik and becomes king on 25 June.The Viking Museum in Foteviken and the battle in 1134. WordPress. (Date unknown). The Saxons erect the castle of Segeberg. 1135

(Date unknown). Eric II of Denmark defeats the Lechites under Ratibor I of Pomerania in a naval battle off the coast of Denmark.Klemens Löffler (1911). "Pomerania". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1136 Summer. Danish forces under Eric II of Denmark attack Slavic Rügen, taking its capital Arkona.Carl Frederik Bricka (1890). Dansk Biografisk Lexikon, Vol. IV, pgs. 540–542. 1137

18 September. Eric III of Denmark becomes king after the death of his uncle Eric II of Denmark.

1143 (Date unknown). Henry the Lion grants the Slavic lands of Wagria and Polabia to Saxon counts.Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Henry "The Lion". Encyclopædia Britannica. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 294–295. 1144

(Date unknown). During the reign of Sverker I of Sweden, the Cistercians establish Catholic abbeys in Sweden and Denmark at the invitation of queen Ulvhild Håkansdotter.Edward Cuthbert Butler (1911). "Cistercians". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 393–395.

1145

15 February. Eugene III becomes pope.James Francis Loughlin (1909). "Pope Eugene III". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1 December. Eugene III issues the papal bull Quantum praedecessores calling for the Second Crusade. 25 December. Louis VII of France declares his intention at Bourges to support the crusade.James Thomson Shotwell (1911). "Louis VII of France". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pg. 36.

1146

1 March. The reissue of papal bull Quantum praedecessores allows Bernard of Clairvaux to preach the crusade throughout Europe.Father Marie Gildas (1907). "St. Bernard of Clairvaux". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 31 March. Louis VII of France and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine take the cross and lead the French forces of the crusade.Thomas Andrew Archer (1889). "Eleanor (1122–1204)". In Dictionary of National Biography. 17. London. pgs. 175–178. Before August. Eric III of Denmark abdicates and the throne of Denmark is contested between Sweyn III of Denmark and Canute V of Denmark.Svend Grathe. Gyldendals Åbne EncyklopædiKnud Magnussen. Gyldendals Åbne Encyklopædi. 5 October. Eugene III issues the first part of the papal bull Divina dispensatione urging Italians to join the Second Crusade.Giles Constable (1953). The Second Crusade as seen by Contemporaries. Traditio Vol. 9, pg. 255. 24 December. Conrad III of Germany and Frederick Barbarossa take the cross and lead the German forces of the crusade.Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Conrad III. Encyclopædia Britannica. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 966–967.Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Frederick I, Roman Emperor. Encyclopædia Britannica. 11 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 45–46.

1147 11 April. The second part of the papal bull Divina dispensatione is issued, calling for the Wendish Crusade against the Polabian Slavs.Pegatha Taylor (2000). Moral Agency in Crusade and Colonization: Anselm of Havelberg and the Wendish Crusade of 1147. The International History Review, Vol. 22, No. 4, pg. 772. Later. In response, Christian forces are assembled including Saxons under Albert the Bear and Henry the Lion and Danes under Canute V of Denmark and Sweyn III of Denmark assemble.Kirk Freeman (2007). Baptism or Death: The Wendish Crusade, 1147-1185. Military Heritage. 26 June. The Wendish Crusade begins as the Wends under Slavic prince Niklot sack Lübeck. October. The Christian forces of the Wendish Crusade led by Anselm of Havelberg withdraw after the Danes are defeated and the crusade is abandoned by the Saxons.Pegatha Taylor (2000). “Moral Agency in Crusade and Colonization: Anselm of Havelberg and the Wendish Crusade of 1147.” The International History Review, Vol. 22, No. 4, pgs. 757–784. 1148

28 July. The Crusader commanders retreat to Jerusalem, ending the Second Crusade. 1151

(Date unknown). Danish nobleman Wetheman founds a lay confraternity in Roskilde organized into leidang to help fight the Wends. (Date unknown). Rognvald Kali Kolsson begins his pilgrimage to the Holy Land as documented in the Orkneyinga saga.Rognvald of Orkney. Independent Crusaders Project. 1152

(Date unknown). Clergyman and historian John of Salisbury writes his Historia Pontificalis quae Supersunt, covering the years 1148–1152.Reginald Lane-Poole (1892). "John of Salisbury". In Dictionary of National Biography. 29. London. pgs. 439–446. 1156

21 December. Erik IX of Sweden becomes king.Eric IX. The American Cyclopædia (1879). 1157 Approximate. Erik IX of Sweden conducts an expedition to Finland in the (likely mythical) First Swedish Crusade.

1157

July. Valdemar I of Denmark, Sweyn III of Denmark and Canute V of Denmark agree to jointly rule Denmark. 23 October. Sweyn III of Denmark is defeated by Valdemar I of Denmark in the last phase of the Danish Civil Wars, culminating in the Battle of Grathe Heath.Robert Nisbet Bain (1911). "Valdemar I". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 840–841. 1159

7 September. Alexander III becomes pope.James Francis Loughlin (1907). "Pope Alexander III". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, pg. 287.

1160

18 May. Magnus II of Sweden becomes king after murdering Erik I of Sweden.Hans Gillingstam, "Magnus Henriksson", Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. June. Henry the Lion begins his conquest of the Wends.