Niklot, Prince of the Obodrites

NIKLOT (-killed in battle 1160). Prince of the Obotrites, Kessins and Circipans, Herr zu Schwerin, Queitzow and Malchow[103]. Helmold records that "maiorem terre Obotritorum Niclotum" was captured by "Kanutum, filium Herici regis Danorum" after he was installed by Emperor Lothar as ruler of the Slavs and imprisoned in Schleswig[104]. Helmold records that "Pribizlaus atque Niclotus" succeeded in the Slav territories "uno…Wagirensium atque Polaborum, altero Obotritorum" after the death of "Kanutus cognomento Laward"[105], dated to 1131. As a heathen, he was the object of a coalition of Danish and Saxon forces which led a crusade against him in 1147 in response to a call from Pope Eugene III to convert "the infidels of the north"[106]. Niklot fortified the fortress of Dobin on Lake Schwerin and appealed to Adolf II Graf von Holstein, with whom he had a treaty of friendship, to mediate. Niklot advanced into Wagria, and in Jun 1147 raided Lübeck[107]. The Saxon/Danish army besieged Dobin, but the siege was raised after the Obotrites undertook to embrace Christianity[108]. Although some of his followers were nominally persuaded to be baptised, this proved to be a symbolic conversion and Niklot continued to rule as a heathen warlord. Helmold records that "Niclotus" held "castra…Ylowe, Mikilinburg, Zverin et Dobin…Wurle" which were overrun by Heinrich Duke of Saxony who defeated and killed Niklot[109]. The Annales Magdeburgenses record in 1160 that Duke Heinrich invaded “terram Sclavorum” and killed “principem eorum Niuclath qui et Nicolaus”[110]. m ---. The name of Niklot's wife is not known. Niklot & his wife had three children.

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(Wiki) Niklot or Nyklot (1090 – August 1160) was a pagan chief or prince of the Slavic Obotrites and an ancestor of the House of Mecklenburg. From 1130 or 1131 until his death he was chief of the Obotrite confederacy, the Kissini, and the Circipani. At the same time he was Lord of (Herr zu) Schwerin, Quetzin, and Malchow. For nearly 30 years he resisted Saxon princes, especially Henry the Lion during the Wendish Crusade. He also opposed the conversion of the pagan Polabian Slavs to Christianity.

Niklot's place of birth is unknown. After the death of the Obodrite prince Henry, a Christian, Niklot renounced Christianity in support of the traditional pagan beliefs.

Niklot began his open resistance when Lothar III, granted the Obotrite realm to his Danish vassal Canute Lavard. Together with Pribislaw, the son of Henry of Alt-Lübeck, Niklot fought against Lothar and Canute. After the murder of Canute in 1131, Niklot and Pribislav partitioned the Obotrite territory, with Niklot receiving the eastern lands. In order to weaken Pribislav in the following years, Niklot allied himself with Saxon lords, especially Count Adolf II of Holstein, allowing Slavic pirates to attack the Danes.[1]

The prince's Saxon allies turned against him during the 1147 Wendish Crusade. Although Niklot resisted the siege of his fortress at Dobin, he was forced to pay tribute to the Christian crusaders. He subsequently was on peaceful terms with Adolf of Holstein, Duke Henry the Lion of Saxony, and Henry of Ratzeburg.

By 1158, King Valdemar the Great of Denmark had begun to pay Henry the Lion for assistance, leading Niklot to retaliate. The Danish king and the Saxon duke then allied in 1160. While the Danes harried the coast and distracted the Rani, the Saxons killed Niklot at his stronghold of Burg Werle; the Obotrite territory was largely partitioned by the Christians.[2] Niklot's death ended Slavic control in Mecklenburg up to the Peene River. His son Pribislav recovered the inheritance of Niklot as Prince of Mecklenburg in 1167 as a Saxon vassal.