Ch. XV THE SECOND CRUSADE 493 p.663; Wibaldi epistolae (ed. Jaffé),
no. 150; Giesebrecht, Kaiserzeit, IV, 296—302; Bernhardi,Konrad 111,
pp. 563—578. 
 
Apparently the agitation for a crusade against the Slays had not come as
the result of any recent invasion or at the instance of the people living
nearest them. By 1147 count Adolf of Holstein had managed to build up his
position in connection with the Wends quite successfully. He had brought
in German colonists and reestablished Lübeck, had restored churches
like Neumünster, and had won the friendship of Nikiot, the Obotrite
prince who was the chief leader of the Wends. News of the crusade disrupted
these arrangements; although Nikiot asked Adolf to remain his ally, it was
impossible for the count to oppose the holy war. The pact had to be broken
off. Nikiot retired to the northeast, establishing a strong fortress, and
mustering an army, and on June 26 took the offensive before the crusaders
arrived. He sailed into the harbor of Lübeck, burned parts of the city,
killed many of the citizens or took them prisoners, and captured much booty.
Then he proceeded to lay waste the surrounding country, so that all the recently
won advantages were lost. 
 June 29 had been set as the time for the crusade to leave Magdeburg, but
as usual recruits were slow in coming. Finally approximately 40,000 men set
off from Artlenburg in the middle of July under the leadership of the duke
of Saxony, Conrad of Zähringen, archbishop Adalbero of Bremen, and others.
Anxious to punish Nikiot, they crossed the lower Elbe and arrived at the
Wends' stronghold, Dobin. There the Saxons were joined by a large army and
fleet of Danes who had come to retaliate for sea-raids which Niklot had perpetrated.
The Wends, however, made a successful foray against the Danes and took many
prisoners; and their allies the Rani attacked the fleet and partially destroyed
it. In reply the Danes harassed the inhabitants along the coast and rescued
much of their fleet. Despite this lively beginning, it early became apparent
that the siege was being conducted with mixed feelings. The Saxons apparently
thought that it was not to their advantage to devastate a land belonging
to them and to harass a people which was becoming more and more dependent
on them. Those who had come to seek fiefs found little encouragement; and
those who had come in order to fulfil the crusading vow and return home as
quickly as possible grew restive. Furthermore the Danes were anxious to regain
their men who had been captured. And so a truce and then a peace were concluded
on the following terms: 
Idolatry was to be discontinued; the Danish prisoners were to be