The Livonian order built the castle on the west bank of the Berze river in 1335, on the site of an old hillfort.

In 1279 a crusader army from Kuldīga reinforced by allied Curonians attacked the Semigallian fort but was unable to conquer it.

In the winter of 1280–81 a Livonian army commanded by master Konrad von Feuchtwangen unsuccessfully attacked Dobele fort.

During the winter of 1288–89 a large crusader army, including allied estonians and latgalians under command of master Kuno von Hazzingenstein, attacked Dobele.

In 1289, after the crusaders had adopted a scorched earth policy and famine had struck the region, the remaining Semigallians burned their fort to the ground and migrated to Lithuania.