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Chronicon Terrae Prussiae (Chronicle of the Prussian Land)/Book 4 · Tercia pars: De bellis fratrum domus Theutonice contra Pruthenos
Chapter 115ChrP.4.115

De bello singulari omnium castrorum et civitatum terre Prussie in secunda.

The Apostasy of Balga

The chapter opens by identifying Balga as the first place affected by apostasy.

The apostasy, first of all, concerns Balga.

Returning to the Second Apostasy

The narrator sets aside the general account of the second apostasy to focus on individual battles for each castle and territory.

Having set aside the general account of the war of the second apostasy, we must now come down to the individual battle for each castle and territory of the land of Prussia.

On Forgotten Wars and Lost Dates

The chronicler explains that some wars are out of order or missing because they have passed from living memory, and many events are recorded by anticipation since their exact dates are lost.

So don't be troubled, reader, if you don't find some of the wars within the second apostasy already recorded—or about to be recorded—in the order in which they're arranged here, because they've already passed from the memory of men now living, since no one could set them forth properly from his own knowledge. The deed itself is for the most part recorded, but the proper date is not preserved. Therefore you'll find many things placed and described here by way of anticipation.

Ra Against the Christians

After apostatizing in 1260, the Warmians, Nattangians, and Bartians ravaged their own lands, killing Christians, taking captives, and plundering the brothers' horses and livestock at Balga.

After the Warmians, Nattangians, and Bartians had apostatized from the faith and from the faithful in the year of our Lord 1260, they went through their own lands with armed hand and killed as many Christians as they found, leading away captive the women and children. After this they advanced toward Balga and plundered the horses of the brothers and the livestock—something that was done not just once but on many occasions.

Read the original Latin

apostasia, primo de Balga. Premisso in generali de bello secunde apostasie descendendum est ad sin gulare prelium cujuslibet castri et territorii terre Prussie. Unde non moveat lectorem, si alicpia bella infra secundam apostasiam jam posita vel ponenda non inveniat eo ordine, quo sunt digesta, quia jam transiverunt a memoria hominum nunc viventium, quod nullus de ipsis posset se modo debito expedire. Factum quidem pro majori parte ponitur, sed tempus debitum non servatur. Unde per anticipacionem multa reperies hic posita et descripta. Postquam Warmienses, Nattangi et Barthi anno domini mcclx apostatassent a fide et fidelibus, circuierunt terras suas armata manu, et quotquot invenerunt Cristianos, occiderunt, mulieres et parvulos captos deduxerunt. Posthec processerunt versus Balgam, et equos fratrum et pecora spoliaverunt, quod nona una sed pluribus vicibus factum fuit.

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