[1][2] In 1625 the Swedish royal army under king Gustavus Adolphus swept through Livonia and subsequently captured strategically important towns gaining advantageous footholds before the upcoming truce which ended the Polish–Swedish War (1600–1629).

However, Livonia still remained a theater of war, and the Swedish king left Jacob De la Gardie as first in command, and Gustav Horn as second, to defend his conquers.

De la Gardie then planned to recapture the city as it was of great strategic importance and the key to defense of the Swedish held Kokenhausen, further up the Daugava River.

[1] The Polish army had established a strong foothold near Selburg after its capture and Swedish general De la Gardie executed successful cavalry assaults on their positions which inflicted significant casualties.

As a result, the Poles destroyed the city walls of Selburg and then rapidly retreated towards Bauske with a loss of about 300 men during the battle (according to Swedish sources of Polish captured and deserters).