Philipp Schall von Bell

Who was Philipp Schall von Bell?

Philipp Schall von Bell was the commander-in-chief of the Livonian Order forces during the first two years of the Livonian War. Von Bell was taken prisoner after the disastrous Battle of Ergeme and executed by tsar Ivan IV of Russia.

Philipp Schall von Bell joined Livonian Order about 1540. Since 1545 he was vice commander in Riga, 1551 he became commander of Marienburg. After the Livonian War began in 1558, he became the last Land Marshal or commander-in-chief of the Livonian Order.

On 2 August 1560, upon hearing the news of Muscovites leaving Dorpat for a siege of Fellin, von Bell set up an ambush near Ermes. Von Bell miscalculated the strength of the enemy; he expected to attack and destroy a small detachment but instead ran into the main Muscovite army. His small force of a few hundred members of the Order and 500 auxiliaries succeeded in smashing through the Muscovite front, however, Russian flank successfully maneuvered through the woods, enveloped Livonian forces and forced them to flee in disarray. It was the last battle of Livonian Order, after that, Order only managed to give resistance in castles, for example in Weissenstein.