Ungannians

Ugaunians[1] or Ugannians[2] (Estonian: ugalased;[3] Latvian: ugauņi), referred to as Chudes by the earliest Russian chronicles,[4] were a historic Finnic people inhabiting the southern Estonian Ugandi County (Latin: Ungannia;[5] also Ugania, Ugaunia) that is now Tartu, Põlva, Võru and Valga counties of Estonia.

Due to its location, Ugaunia always bore the brunt of East Slavs' attacks against Chudes, as they called Finnic peoples around their North-Eastern boundaries.

[6] Kievan rule of Ugaunia may have lasted until 1061, when, according to Russian chronicles, Yuryev was burned down by Sosols (probably Sackalians, Oeselians or Harionenses).

[7] Rulers of Novgorod and Pskov made frequent raids against Ugaunians in the 12th century but never succeeded to subjugate them.

German crusaders had established a foothold at the mouth of the Daugava river and started to expand and christen local tribes.

Many years ago the Ugaunians, upon the advice of the Livonians, had robbed a caravan of German merchants by the Daugava river.

Next year the Letts and Livonian Brothers of the Sword sent a new delegation to Ugaunia and returned with Ugaunian envoys.

Ugaunians were offered "eternal peace" if they accept Christianity and return everything they had robbed from Germans and Letts.

When all Ugaunian provinces were burnt down, the people still alive sent messengers to Riga, asking for peace and promised to receive baptism.

Ugaunians and German crusaders fortified Otepää and avenged Russians, raiding lands of Pskov and Novgorod.

While troops of 20000 of Russians and Oeselians attacked Otepää, Ugaunians along with crusaders made raids against Novgorod, Vironians and Votians.

In Tharbata they decided by lot whether to sacrifice to the gods an ox or their priest Hartwig, who was equally fat.

The Russians left Vyachko (Vetseke) as their prince to rule Ugaunians and any other Estonian province around he could gathered tax from.

Bishop Hermann and his Ugaunian subjects fought frequently against Novgorod and were defeated by prince Alexander Nevsky in the Battle on Lake Peipus in 1242.