Battle of Julin Bridge

The Battle at Julin Bridge
Part of the Danish Crusades
Date 1170 Location Wolin, Poland Result Decisive Danish victory
Belligerents
Denmark	Pomeranians
Commanders and leaders
Valdemar I Absalon	Bogislaw I Casimir
Strength
~1,560 men (a third probably cavalry) Unknown amount of ships but probably 13	~7,200–10,000 men 60 ships
Casualties and losses
Minor losses in men No ships lost	10-20 ships crashed, sunk or burnt and 7 ships captured ~3000–7000 Wends dead Army of Bogislaw scattered Entire camp of Casimir looted

The Battle at Julin Bridge was a naval and land conflict fought around 1170 between the kingdom of Denmark and the Pomeranians. It took place in modern-day Wolin, Poland. The Danish fleet under the leadership of Valdemar I and Absalon met the army and fleet of Casimir and Bogislaw I.

Background

During the Danish civil war, Wendish raiders had harried much of central and western Denmark. This was partly due to an invitation and alliance with Sweyn III, however, after suffering a crushing defeat at the Battle of Grathe Heath and being decapitated; Sweyn lost the war for the Danish throne. After Valdemar took the throne, the bishop Absalon repulsed a Wendish raid on Zealand; with both his lands and the lands of Denmark's allies harried by these raids, the two of them set out to put an end to them. Valdemar began reorganizing the Danish forces along the lines of the Vikings, now they were merely optimised for heavy cavalry as well. In the late 1160s Valdemar and Absalon conquered Rügen, and used the isle as a base to launch further raids.

Expedition

The Danish fleet began sailing deeper and deeper within the Wendish territory, and so the king and his bishop grew bold and sailed down the Oder raiding and plundering all the villages and towns they passed. They finally stopped their raiding when reaching Kammin, where they decided to return to Denmark.

Here Absalon pushed out into the open sea through the eastern gap at Dziwnow. As they turned east so did the winds, which blew water from the shoals that lie there so the ships could by no means get through. This is what the Wends under Casimir had counted on, blocking the way back for the danes with fifty ships at the Julin Bridge, the only exit for the Danes.

Battle

When the Danes arrived at Julin bridge they were met by the fleet and the army of Casimir who was recently reinforced by his brother Bogislaw. The Wends were very numerous compared to the Danes, as the coasts were said to be overcrowded with Wendish men that gave them a numerical superiority.

Here the Danish soldiers and nobles berated Absalon for his plan, and were very much in despair by the size of the Wendish forces. Here Valdemar stoutly defended his old friend and said: "It ill becomes men and soldiers in an hour of need to belabour others with reproaches like a lot of women; and now I do not think that the man who has made so many good plans for us will fail to have one this time". Absalon did indeed have a plan; He wanted to smuggle all the Danish cavalry onto the shore under the leadership of Valdemar. As for the ships; all the most heavily armed and armoured men would be stationed at the seven leading vessels, so they may break through at the bridge, realising how crucial it was for the men heading the seven vessels to not break since Absalon himself would be leading them at the front; all they needed now was a time to strike.

To Casimir and his men the outcome seemed inevitable, so he and his men feasted in celebration of their coming victory. However the feasting Wends were interrupted by the Danish fleet who were on the move. The Wends hastily embarked on their onto their own vessels presumably half-drunk to go and prevent a breakthrough, as the army once more assembled at the neck of the outlet, from which they shot at the Danish forces frontline.

A reimagination of the Battle

The Wendish projectiles did little against the fully armoured Danish frontline, in turn the Danish archers assembled behind the frontline and rained arrows upon them, which somewhat shook the Wends and distracted them sufficiently. The Wends were therefore surprised to see all the Danish cavalry crashing into their flank and routing their army, which further went on to panic the Wendish navy with their numerical superiority, became a burden as their ships crashed into each other in an attempt to flee. The Wends were either slain, scattered or hiding behind the walls of their town with their camp looted.

Aftermath

The Danes not only escaped, but dealt a heavy blow so decisive that Valdemar would not deal with any Wendish raiders for the rest of his rule and laid the groundwork for the later conquests of his sons and successors. "The Danes not only escaped the trap, but carried away much honour and booty; which shows that when swords are bared, nothing is to be taken as certain until they are bloodied"