Vykint, Daniel’s envoy, roused the Yatvyags, and half the Jmud region. The Germans sent this answer to Daniel: “Though Vykint, thy relative, has killed many of our men, we have made peace with him, and will assist you.” The brothers now set out to make war in earnest. Daniel sent Vassilko to Volkovisk, his son to Slonim, and then marched to Zditov. They captured many towns and returned to Galitch well satisfied. After that, he sent Tovtivil with Russians and Polovtsi against Mindog. The Germans made no move whatever, until Tovtivil went to Riga, where he received baptism from them; then they made ready for action.
Mindog saw that he could not meet two foes in one conflict. He could not war with the Germans and Daniel of Galitch at the same time. Hence he sent secretly rich gifts to the Grand Master Von Schtükland, and the following proposal: “If thou kill Tovtivil or expel him, thou wilt get still greater gifts from me.” Von Schtükland replied that he felt immense friendship for Mindog, but could give no aid till baptism had changed him. Mindog asked for a meeting, which was granted, and he settled the question while feasting with Von Schtükland. The Lithuanian prince was to be baptized. On hearing this news, the Pope was delighted, and wrote to the bishop that no one should offend the new convert. The Bishop of Culm was to crown him.
But Mindog was forced to Christianity under the sword-blade, just as the Prussians had been forced to it earlier, and had gone back to the faith of their fathers whenever the chance came. Mindog, however, escaped all the dangers which threatened him from the Order. Tovtivil fled to Vykint, his uncle. He assembled warriors from the Yatvyags and Jmud, and, aided by warriors from Daniel, marched against Mindog assisted now by the Germans.
During 1252, the war was not marked by notable action, but in 1253 Daniel took part in it personally, and with such success that Mindog asked for peace. He offered his daughter to Daniel’s son, Svaromir, and found still other means of persuasion.
Tovtivil declared now that Mindog had bribed the Yatvyags, who refused to assist Daniel longer. Daniel was enraged at the Yatvyags, but that could not serve him. Two years passed. In 1255, there was peace between Daniel of Galitch and Mindog’s son, Voishelk. Voishelk was a man greatly noted, even in that [[327]]time of bloodshed. Mindog was cruel and terrible, but Voishelk surpassed him, if the annalist is truthful. Voishelk shed blood from his youth up. “Every day he killed three or four men for amusement. When his time passed without bloodshed, he was sad, and when he had killed a man, good feeling returned to him.”
All at once news came of Voishelk’s baptism; nay, more, it was said that he had left ruling, and had put on a monk’s habit. This man now appeared as a peacemaker between Daniel and Mindog. The conditions seemed so favorable that Daniel did not reject them. Daniel’s son, Svaromir (familiarly Shvarn), was to marry Mindog’s daughter; Shvarn’s elder brother, Roman, was to have Novgrodek from Mindog, and Daniel was to get Slonim and Volkovisk from Voishelk, on condition of recognizing Mindog as his superior in those places.
Mindog had promised the Order to accept its religion for himself and all the people under him. He was to receive the friendship of the Order, and the kingly office as a reward. In exchange, he was to give the Order various places in Jmud, those same places where there had been such terrible bloodshed because of newcomers fleeing from Prussia. The friendship seemed to be made for the ages, and a speedy union of the two lands appeared imminent. In case that he had no heir, Mindog agreed to give his kingdom to Livonia, now of one faith with him.
The Bishop of Culm came with priests and monks; the Grand Master with knights of the Order. Mindog was christened, anointed, and crowned at Novgrodek. Pope Innocent IV in 1255 blessed the new convert to war against Russia and its inhabitants who were schismatic, and confirmed in advance to him all regions which he might join to his kingdom.
“The God-Crowned King,” as he was entitled, freed himself gradually from every one. From Tovtivil he freed himself by perfidy; from the Yatvyags by money, from Daniel through marriage and lands, from Poland by victories. One Polish prince was slain in battle, another was captured. Then the Knights of Livonia discovered what kind of man their good friend and new convert was. Mindog turned on them and fought like a hero. He sent a message stating that he dropped them and their baptism. He roused Jmud to the struggle, and those people whom he had so recently surrendered to the Order rose up against it in pitiless [[328]]warfare. To one who did not understand Mindog’s keen policy, it might seem strange that he should show such hatred for his godfathers, and should openly irritate the Order. The Germans, however, knew from the first that his conversion was feigned for the purpose of obtaining aid.
He did not cease to observe the ancient rites of his people; he made sacrifices to their deities, but for him that was not sufficient. He was a shrewd leader of men; he had also learned the policy of Germans. It was necessary to fire the hearts of his people, and to purify himself perfectly from any taint of German religion, hence before Lithuanians he ridiculed his own pretended conversion.