The office of the Livonian Landmaster was the successor to the Lord Master of the Order of the Sword Brothers. With the integration of the remains of the Order of the Sword Brothers in 1236 in the aftermath of the Battle of Saule into the Teutonic Order, the land master of Prussia, Hermann Balk, in 1237 in personal union for the first time took over position of the Landmeister in Livland. It was also decided that this procedure should remain the exception of the rule in the future.