For the year of our Lord 1220 "... they (the crusader army) invested Mezotne castle and attacked it for a long time. Some carried logs and stones to fill the moats, others built attack towers and pushed them against the castle walls, still others dug tunnels under the towers, and hurled stones from balistas. Many Ziemgalians were killed by arrows and thrown stones. However, the Ziemgalian defenders did not give in. Then finally the big catapult was ready. The duke of Saxony himself directed the first large stones. The first stone hit the gate tower and killed the people within it..."
 

It was to be long siege that eventually ended in a stalemate. For Uvis it was the beginning of a four year long enslavement, four eventful and difficult years that he spent principally in the city of Riga.

Riga at the time was the principal stronghold of the crusaders in the land of the Baltic pagans.  It was founded by the missionary Bishop Albert with the support of crusaders predominantly from the northern German lands.   By 1220 Albert was approaching the culmination of his life's work. The city he had founded was growing. It was guarded by formidable defensive walls, and supported by  a regular flow of crusading armies maintained by the exhortation of Popes.   Crusading armies had the enormous advantage that they were self financed, but there were drawbacks.   Once they fought and obtained their sought for absolution, those that survived, were eager to return home and presumably to sin again.
 

A more permanent solution was needed. In 1220 Bishop Albert was of the opinion that he had solved this problem as well.   Using the Templar's as a model he had founded the Order of fighting monks which was to be known as the 'Order of the Sword'.   As history was to show, this was a fateful step.

Uvis, of course, knew nothing about these issues at that time. He was but ten years old, torn out of his familiar pagan surroundings, and from a head-strong thanes son turned into an abject slave. It was a bewildering turn of events and only his native stubbornness and toughness could pull him through.
 

The depiction of the central part of Riga shown on this page hails from a later time, but it does show some features which Uvis met. Thus by the time he arrived in the city the central cathedral was already completed. It was the largest church in the Baltic lands and has remained so to this day. The great market, St. Johns church and the inner defensive wall had all been built.