The fall of Fellin fortress in 1560 effectively dissolved the Livonian Order, triggering partition of its territory among Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, and Russia.
Key Facts
- Date besieged
- 17 August 1560
- Duration of siege
- 3 days days
- Capture method
- Artillery fire exclusively
- Preceding engagement
- Battle of Erms, July 1560
- Outcome for Livonian Order
- Effective dissolution and partition
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
In July 1560, Russian forces advanced on the Fellin fortress during the Russo-Livonian War. Livonian knights attempted to halt the advance in the field but were decisively defeated at the Battle of Erms, leaving the fortress exposed and without effective relief.
On 17 August 1560, Russian forces besieged Fellin and subjected it to three days of intense artillery bombardment. The fortress, unable to withstand the shelling, surrendered after this brief but relentless cannonade, marking one of the concluding episodes of the Russo-Livonian War.
The fall of Fellin effectively caused the Livonian Order to disintegrate. Its former territories were divided among neighboring powers — Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, and Russia — fundamentally redrawing the political map of the eastern Baltic region.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent