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 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. The Germans made war on him promptly, but were defeated. Mindog, in celebrating his victory, made a great sacrifice. It was not enough for him to burn bulls and horses; he took one of the knights whom he had captured and burned him on horseback in complete battle armor, as an offering.