Battle of Lyndanisse

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Dannebrog falling from the sky during the Battle of Lyndanisse.
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Dannebrog falling from the sky during the Battle of Lyndanisse.

The Battle of Lyndanisse took place in 1219.

To help the Crusade in Palestine, the Danish king Valdemar II Sejr, defeated the Estonians at Lyndanisse, on orders from the Pope.

With 5,000 longboats, the king, together with Bishop Anders Sunesen, Bishop Theoderik of Estonia, Count Albert of Nordalbingien and Vitslav I of Rügen sailed to Lyndanisse what is today known as Tallinn and took over the castle there (Castrum Danorum).

On 15 June, the Estonians attacked the Danes near the castle, and it came to such a surprise to the crusaders, that they fled in all directions. But under Vitslav, they regrouped and drove off the Estonians.

Legend holds that during this battle, in the Danes' biggest time of need, the Danish flag, Dannebrog fell from the sky and gave them new hope. Dannebrog is the oldest national flag in use today.

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