The castle Werle belonged beside the Mecklenburg and the castle Ilow to the most important fortifications of the country and was probably built at the earliest in the 9th century by the resident Slavs here. Unfortunately, nothing has survived from the former Slavic castle. Part of the story about Werle Castle was co-written by Obotritenfürst Niklot and his sons Pribislaw and Wertislaw. Niklot had to abandon the western part of the Obotritenland by warlike arguments with Henry the Lion. The prince withdrew behind the marshy Warnowniederungen in his castle Werle. In 1160 Niklot was ambushed in the fight against the Saxons and Danes and was killed. His sons retired to the woods and fought against the strangers. It was Wertislaw captured and executed in 1164 by Henry the Lion. In 1167, Henry the Lion offered peace and friendship to power Pribislaw. They sealed this covenant with the marriage of their children Borwin and Mathilde. Pribislaw received most of Niklot's land back as a fief. From then on he remained closely associated with the Duchy of Saxony and founded the monastery of Doberan in 1171. In 1178 he died at a knight's tournament in Lüneburg. Rebuilt around 1200 for the last time, the castle was abandoned in favor of the new residence Güstrow. The descendants of Pribislaw led the fortunes of the country Mecklenburg until 1918.