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Vytautas

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Vytautas the Great, 17th century painting
The recently built castle in Trakai. Vytautas was born in Senieji Trakai

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Vytautas the Great (Lithuanian: Vytautas Didysis, Belarusian: Vitaŭt, Polish: Witold, Ruthenian: Vitovt, German: Witavdt. Born circa 1350, near Trakai, died on October 27 1430, and was buried in the Cathedral of Vilnius. Vytautas was one of the most famous rulers of medieval Lithuania, with the title Didysis Kunigaikštis, the equivalent of King. He was the supreme ruler of his dominions. The later construct for its translation is Grand Duke (for its etymology, see Grand Prince). He was the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, 1401 – 1430, which chiefly encompassed the Lithuanians and Ruthenians. He was also the Prince of Hrodna, (1370-1382) and the Prince of Lutsk, (1387-1389). He was the son of Kęstutis, cousin of Jogaila, who became King of Poland as Władysław II, and Grandfather of Vasili II of Russia. In Lithuania, Vytautas is revered, and is a national hero, and was an important figure in the national rebirth of the early 20th century. Vytautas is still one of the most popular first names for boys. Vytautas Magnus University was named after him. During the interwar period, 1918-1939, many towns in the independent Republic of Lithuania, built monuments in his honor.

Struggle for power

1377-1384

Lutsk castle

Vytautas' father Kęstutis, and his uncle Algirdas, were brothers and did not compete for power. Algirdas was the Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Kęstutis was primarily responsible for defense against the Teutonic Knights. However, after Algirdas' death in 1377, his son Jogaila, became Grand Duke. The harmonious relationship of his father and uncle ended, and a struggle for power between them ensued. In 1380, Jogaila signed the secret Treaty of Dovydiškės with the Teutonic Knights against Kęstutis. When Kęstutis discovered this in the following year, he seized Vilnius, imprisoned Jogaila, and made himself Grand Duke. However, Jogaila managed to escape and raised an army against Kęstutis, and his son Vytautas. The two opposing sides confronted each other, but never engaged in battle. Kęstutis was ready to negotiate, but he and Vytautas were arrested and transported to Kreva castle. One week later Kęstutis was found dead. Whether he died of natural causes or was murdered, is still an object of debate amongst historians.

In 1382, Vytautas was able to escape from Kreva. The story of his escape is well-known. Vytautas' wife Anna was allowed to visit him in the castle. During one of these visits, Vytautas dressed in the clothes of one of Anna's female servants. After the escape, he sought help from the Teutonic Knights. At the time Jogaila was negotiating with the Teutonic Order. They formulated the Treaty of Dubysa where Jogaila promised to accept Christianity, and become an ally of the Order, and give the Order some territory of Samogitia, up to the Dubysa River. However, the treaty was never ratified. In summer of 1383, the war between Jogaila and the Order started up again. Vytautas was baptized in the Catholic rite, receiving the name of Wigand (Lithuanian: Vygandas). Later, however, he drifted away from Christianity and back towards paganism. Vytautas participated in several raids against Jogaila. In January 1384, Vytautas again promised to cede part of Samogitia, to the Teutonic Order, up to the Nevėžis River in return for the title of Grand Duke of Lithuania. However, in July of the same year, Vytautas reconciled with Jogaila, burned three important Teutonic castles, and redeemed all Kęstutis' lands, except for Trakai.

1389-1392

File:Vitovt grav xvi.jpg
Vytautas the Great, as depicted on an engraving of the 16th century

Vytautas participated in the signing of Union of Krewo with Poland in 1385 and he was re-baptized in 1386 in the Catholic rite, receiving the name Alexander. This treaty provided for the marriage of Jogaila to Jadwiga of Poland, and for him to become the King of Poland. He left his brother Skirgaila as a regent of Grand Duchy of Lithuania. However, he was unpopular with the people and Vytautas saw an opportunity to become the Grand Duke again. In 1389 he started a war and attacked Vilnius but failed. Vytautas was forced to ask the Teutonic Knights for help for the second time in the beginning of 1390. Vytautas had to promise to keep the original agreement of 1384, and turn over Samogitia to the Order. His army now attacked Lithuanian lands.

To further advance his influence, Vytautas married his only daughter Sophia to Vasili I of Russia in 1391. The Polish nobility was unhappy that Jogaila, their new king, now Władysław II Jagiełło, spent too much time on the affairs of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was clear that the war could continue for years and would not bring any benefit to the country. In 1392, Wladyslaw II Jagiełło offered Vytautas to become his regent instead of Skirgiello. Vytautas accepted and once again burned three Teutonic castles and returned to Vilnius. Jagiełło and Vytautas signed the Astrava treaty in which Vytautas redeemed all Kęstutis' lands, including Trakai, and was given more. He could rule Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the name of Wladyslaw II Jagiełło. After Vytautas death all lands and powers were to be returned to the King of Poland.

Grand Duke of Lithuania

Vytautas the Great privilege to Vilnius Cathedral. Issued in Vilnius 1410-02-16. Latin language.

Policy in the east

Vytautas continued Algirdas vision to control as many Muscovy lands as possible. Many lands already were under the Grand Duke rule, but the rest were controlled by the Mongols. In 1385 Tokhtamysh, Khan of the Golden Horde, was removed from the throne. Tokhtamysh sought Vytautas' help. An agreement was reached, Vytautas would help Tokhtamysh to regain power, and in return, the Horde would cede more lands to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1398, Vytautas' army attacked a part of the Crimea, and built a castle there. Now Lithuania spanned from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. A number of Tatar prisoners were brought back to Lithuania.

Inspired by this successful campaign, Vytautas and Wladyslaw II Jagiełło, got support from Pope Boniface IX for organizing a crusade against the Mongols. This political move also demonstrated that Grand Duchy of Lithuania had fully accepted Christianity, and was defending the faith on its own, and that the Teutonic Knights had no further basis for attacks against Lithuania. The campaign resulted in total defeat at the Battle of the Vorskla River in 1399. Over twenty princes, including two brothers of Wladyslaw II Jagiełło, were killed and Vytautas himself barely escaped alive. This came as a shock to Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland. A number of territories revolted against Vytautas, while Smolensk was retaken by its hereditary ruler, George of Smolensk, and was not re-conquered by Lithuanians until 1404. Vytautas waged a war in 1406-1408 against his son-in-law Vasily I, ending in peace at Ugra. This peace allowed Vytautas to concentrate on defeating the Teutonic Knights.

Wars against the Teutonic Order

Main article: Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War
Battle of Grunwald. Center figures are Ulrich von Jungingen and Vytautas

In 1398 in preparation for the crusade against the Golden Horde, Vytautas signed Salynas peace treaty with the Teutonic Knights and transferred Samogitia to them. Samogitia was especially important for the order because it separated Teutonic Knights, based in Prussia, from the Livonian Order, based in Latvia. The two orders desired to unite and form a mighty force. However, the knights ruled Samogitia only for three years: in 1401 Samogitians supported by Vytautas rebelled and burned two castles. The knights received support from Švitrigaila, brother of Jagiełło who desired to taker over Vytautas title. In 1404 another treaty was signed which, in essence, repeated the Salynas treaty: Samogitia was transferred to the Teutonic Knights. Poland promised not to support Lithuania in case of another war. The knights promised to support Vytautas in the east and not to support any Gediminid who could have claims to the Grand Duke of Lithuania title. However, the treaty did not solve the problems and all parties were getting ready for a war.

In 1408 Vytautas reached peace in the east and returned back to Samogitia matters. In 1409 a second rebellion, backed by Vytautas, against the Teutonic Knights started. The rebels burned Skirsnemunė castle. Since both Poland and Lithuania supported the rebels, the war started. Vytautas gathered a large army from 18 lands under his control. The army joined Polish forces and advanced towards the Teutonic headquarters at the castle of Marienburg (present-day Malbork). In 1410 Vytautas himself commanded the forces of the Grand Duchy in the Battle of Grunwald (also called the Battle of Tannenberg or Žalgirio mūšis). The battle ended in a decisive Polish-Lithuanian victory. Even though the siege of Marienburg was unsuccessful, the Teutonic Knights never regained their strength and posed no further danger to Poland-Lithuania.

As a result of the First Treaty of Torun in 1411, he received Samogitia for his lifetime. However, the parties could not agree on the border. Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor agreed to mediate the dispute. In 1413, it was declared that the whole right bank of the Neman River is Samogitia and therefore belongs to Lithuania. The Teutonic Knights disagreed and a new war started in 1414. The war lasted for just a couple of months and the dispute was brought to the Council of Constance. Even though the dispute was not resolved, Samogitians had a chance to present their case to the leaders of Europe. It is seen as an important event in the diplomatic history of Lithuania. Several other mediation attempts failed and yet another war with the Teutonic Order started in 1422. After a couple of months of fighting, the Treaty of Lake Melno was signed. Samogitia was returned to Lithuania for eternal times while the city of Memel (present-day Klaipėda) and surrounding territories stayed with the Order. This border, as established by this treaty, remained stable for some 500 years until the Memel Territory dispute of 1923. The peace was established and Vytautas could now concentrate on reforms and relationship with Poland.

Relationship with Poland

File:Kaunas Vytautas.jpg
Vytautas the Great monument in Kaunas
Church of Vytautas the Great. Built around 1399-1400. Kaunas

In 1399 Jadwiga of Poland and her newborn died in childbirth. Jagiełło's power in Poland was jeopardized as he was a foreigner king with no other ties to the throne but his wife. Also, the defeat at Vorskla forced to re-evaluate the relationship between Poland and Lithuania. The result was the Union of Vilnius and Radom in 1401. Vytautas was granted wide autonomy, but after his death the title and powers of Grand Duke of Lithuania were to be transferred to king of Poland. In case Jagiełło would die first without a heir, Polish nobility agreed not to elect a new king without asking Vytautas for advice. The unique feature of this union was that Lithuanian nobility presented their own document: for the first time somebody else than dukes played a role in the state matters.

Vytautas was one of the creators of Union of Horodło with Poland in 1413. This union was more important culturally than politically because Lithuanian christian nobles received the same rights as Polish szlachta. This act did not include orthodox nobles. This paved the way for more contacts and cooperation between the nobles and for the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

He tried to receive the title of king with the backing of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, but the envoys who were transporting the crown were stopped by Polish magnates in 1429. Another crown was sent, but Vytautas died several weeks before it reached Lithuania.

Reforms

Vytautas backed economic development of his state and introduced many reforms. Under his rule Grand Duchy of Lithuania slowly became more centralized, as local princes with dynastic ties to the throne were replaced by the governors loyal to Vytautas. The governors were rich landowners who formed the basis for the Lithuanian nobility. During Vytautas rule influential Radziwiłł and Goštautas families started to form.

Family

Parents

Wives

Brothers

Sisters

Daughter

Title

  • Latin: magnus dux Lithuanie terrarumque Russie etc
  • English translation: Grand duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia etc

(Breviary excerpt from a document in 1422: Nos Alexander alias Witoldus eadem < Dei > gracia, magnus dux Lithwanie terrarumque Russie etc.)

Observe: Technically, Vytautas was most of his reign a nominal vassal of his cousin Jagailo, then king of Poland, who used an additional title Supreme Prince of Lithuania.

See also

References

Preceded bySkirgaila Grand Duke of Lithuania
1392-1430 		Succeeded byŠvitrigaila

 

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