Philipp Schall von Bell

Philipp Schall von Bell (died 1560) was the commander-in-chief (Landmarschall) of the Livonian Order forces during the first two years of the Livonian War (1558–1583). 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 (Hauskomtur) in Riga, 1551 he became commander (Komtur) of Marienburg (Alūksne). 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 (Tartu) for a siege of Fellin (Viljandi), von Bell set up an ambush near Ermes (Ergeme). 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 (Paide).

Philipp von Bell was taken prisoner by Aleksey Adashev's men; in total, Russians captured eleven senior officers and 120 German nobles. Initially, Muscovite commanders treated the prisoners with respect, hoping that it would help in securing the loyalty of conquered Livonia. Von Bell and senior Livonian officers were sent to the court of tsar Ivan IV of Russia. When they finally met, Ivan was enraged by von Bell's hostile and unforgiving answers, and ordered immediate execution of the prisoners. Philip and his brother, Werner Schall von Bell, and three other nobles were beheaded, their bodies thrown to the dogs. According to another version, the prisoners were doomed by Adashev's patronage; Ivan was displeased with Adashev earlier and demoted him from court service to combat troops. Aleksey Adashev died of fever in Dorpat in the same year; his brother Daniil was executed by Ivan in 1563.

The sole survivor among the high-ranking prisoners, Hermann II Wesel, Bishop of Dorpat, retained Ivan's favor and was allowed to bury the dead in Catholic faith out of town. Centuries later the tombstones of an abandoned cemetery were reused for pavement of Moscow streets. In 1823, the tomb of Werner Schall von Bell was discovered in the mud of Yakimanka District, and since then was preserved, first in Rumyantsev Museum and now in Moscow Kremlin.