The bishop now prepared for a serious uprising. He left Holm and encamped at the mouth of the river Rigje. People began to gather from far and near, crowds of half-naked men, armed with sharp sticks, clubs and axes. The more they increased, crowd after crowd, the more they gathered courage. The knights let the natives assemble in the greatest possible number—they did not hasten to begin the battle, but when at last they did rush forward, they had not long to struggle for victory. It was impossible to stop the onrush of the conquerors. The bishop, Berthold, in pursuing the people, was carried away by excitement. He lost control of his spirited horse and became separated from his men. The Livs immediately surrounded him, and chopped him into small bits. The triumph on the German side was complete, and they made a terrible use of it. It might be said that the warriors of the cross became executioners. The people begged for mercy, and promised to submit to baptism again, and to receive into the villages the priests who had been driven out. But in vain did they plead. All were sentenced to death. Separate divisions of knights passed through the country, and in every village dealt out dreadful punishment to “apostates.” The youthful Livonian church was thus reëstablished. Then the Western crusaders, considering their holy work finished, and their sins absolved, reëmbarked and sailed away home. But all at once, and most unexpectedly, there was a new outburst of rage and indignation through the whole country. The natives rushed at the “vile strangers,” killing or beating them, and looting their homes. They intended to act in like manner with all foreigners, but the merchants gave them great presents, and bought their good-will. Those who had been re-baptized sprang a second time into the river, and a second time washed themselves clean of the German religion. When this news reached Bremen and Rome, they decided to delay no longer, but acquire Livonia in permanence. To do this they needed a military brotherhood warring for Christ. The Germans appeared now in a triple character: as a military order to strike down opposition; as merchants to extend trade; as a church to bring all to the faith. As their leader stood forth Albert von Apeldern Bukshevden, and to aid in subjecting Livonia the Pope gave him permission to found a new knightly order, the members of which would spend their lives in extending the Livonian church. Albert visited the chief German cities, enlisted knights, and collected contributions for his great “patriotic work.” His knights wore a white mantle on which was a red cross and a red sword. In Russia they were called “Bearers of the Sword.” They took the name willingly, and called themselves “Brothers of the Sword.”