De vastacione terre Sambie et edificacione castri Witow f.
The Revolt of the Pagan Neighbors
The Nadrovians, Scalovians, and Sudovians, enraged by the Sambians' submission to the faith, ravage Sambia and build a castle at Wilow to block the brothers' advance.
In the same year that Königsberg was built, the Nadrovians, Scalovians, and Sudovians — neighboring peoples — were angered that the Sambians had submitted themselves to the faith and to the brothers. For they feared that through them they too would be brought under the faith, just as the outcome of the matter later confirmed. From there, having gathered a great force of their army, they swept through the land of Sambia with plundering and burning, capturing and killing many men. And as they were withdrawing, it pleased them to build a castle at Wilow, so that unexpected and easy access into the land of the Nadrovians would no longer lie open to the brothers and the Sambians.
The Garrison Left Behind
Tirsko and his son Maudelob are left to garrison the new castle at Wilow with a strong force while the allied armies withdraw.
After the aforementioned castle was built, they left Tirsko and his son Maudelob there with many armored men and returned to their own lands.
God's Wondrous Reversal
The chronicle marvels at divine providence, which turned the Nadrovians' own fortress into the instrument of their future ruin.
But behold the wondrous providence of God, which in its ordering is never deceived: it ordained that the very things the Nadrovians had then made for their own protection afterward became for them a great snare and ruin.
The Conversion of Tirsko
God touches the hearts of Tirsko and his men, who abandon idolatry, embrace the Christian faith, and become valiant fighters for Christ.
For God had touched the hearts of the aforesaid Tirsko, captain of the said castle, and of the men who were with him, so that, abandoning idolatry, they would convert themselves to the faith of Christ and the brothers — and they have become valiant fighters of the Christian faith.
Read the original Latin
Eodem anno, quo Kunigsbergk fuit edificatum, Nadrowite, Scalowite et Sudowite gentes vicine indignate ex hoc, quod Sambite se fidei et fratribus subdidissent (timebant enim, quod ipsi per eos deberent eciam fidei subjugari, sicut rei eventus postea comprobavit), unde congregata magna exercitus sui potencia, terram Sambie rapina et incendio transiverunt, captis hominibus pluribus et occisis, et dum recederent, placuit eis, ut castrum Wilow edificarent, ne improvisus et facilis aditus in terram Nadrowie pateret amodo fratribus et Sambitis. Unde edificato Castro predicto, relictisque ibi Tirskone" et filio suo Maudelob cum multis armigeris, ad propria sunt reversi. Sed ecce mira deiprovidencia, que in sui disposicione non fallitur; ordinavit, quod ea, que Nadrowite tune sibi fecerant in presidium, postea fuerunt eis facta in magnum laqueum et ruinam. Tetigerat enim deus corda dictorum Tirskonis capitanei dicti castri et virorum, qui cum eo fuerunt, ut relicta ydololatria, se ad Cristi fidem converterent et fratres, et facti sunt strenui pugiles fidei Cristiane.
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