After the lost 1164 Battle of Verchen, where Casimir and Bogislaw aided an Obodrite rebellion against the duke of Saxony, Henry the Lion, Casimir and Bogislaw joined Saxony receiving their respective part duchies as a fief from Henry the Lion.
After expelling the Obodrites from Christian territory, the crusaders targeted the Obodrite fort at Dobin and the Liutizian fort at Demmin.