Livonian Brothers of the Sword

The order of Livonian Brothers of the Sword or Sword Brethren (German: Schwertbrüderorden), formally known as The Militia of Christ of Livonia (Latin: Fratres militiæ Christi Livoniae) was a Catholic military order of German crusading knights established in 1202 in Livonia by Albert, the third bishop of Riga. Pope Innocent III sanctioned the establishment in 1204 for the second time.