Draft:Siege of Viborg (1294)

The Siege of Viborg (1294) was a siege of the then Swedish fortress of Viborg by Novgorodian forces in 1294. The siege failed and the Novgorodians were forced to retreat.

Beginning of the Third Swedish Crusade
In the beginning of Spring 1293, a large fleet under the command of Torkel Knutsson sailed towards Finland with the goal of extending the Swedish border eastwards. The tatar attacks also gave Sweden a good opportunity to do so.

Siege
In March 1294, the Novgorodian troops led by Roman Glebovitj reached Viborg and quickly moved against one of the towers in the fortress, they put six large trebuchets which in turn threw boulders against the walls, and quickly organized for an assault across the ice against the fortress. The Novgorodians led the assault against Viborg on 30 March, but the weather saved the Swedes, as a mild and warm wind came from the south-west which partly melted the ice and made it break which make an assault impossible without boats. It is likely that within the defenders there were praises to Saint Olaf and Saint Mary, the Swedes saw the weather changes as the saints confirming Viborg as being Swedish.

Aftermath
After the failed siege, the Swedes went on a counteroffensive and in the spring they managed to capture Kexholm after a successful assault.