Northern Crusades

The Northern Crusades were a series of military campaigns undertaken by Catholic Christian states from the late 12th to the 14th centuries aimed at converting the pagan peoples of the Baltic region, including modern-day Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. These campaigns were driven by a combination of religion, politics, and economic interests, often involving knights and military orders like the Teutonic Knights. Unlike the more famous Crusades to the Holy Land, the Northern Crusades primarily focused on expanding Christianity and territorial control in Northern Europe, leading to significant cultural and social changes in the region.