Who ruled the Principality of Lithuania. Abstract: The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the first Lithuanian princes

1264-1267- Voishelk, son of the Prussian king Mindaugas (1, ch. 132) professed Orthodoxy. Mindovg, being invited to Novogrudok by the prince, with his help captured Lithuania (2, p. 541), which, according to the Tale of Bygone Years, paid tribute to the Slavs. In 1253, Mindovg proclaimed himself the Grand Duke of Lithuania, which contributed to his son Voishelk in 1263, with the help of the Pinsk squad, to annex Lithuania to his Novogrudok principality, where he was elected prince after Mindovg. In 1264, Voishelk became the first Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Russia (GDL), formed from the Principality of Novogrudok and Lithuania (2, p. 569). The capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania became the city of Novogrudok.

1267-1270- Schwarn, Prince of Galicia, son of Prince Danila of Galicia. In 1253 he married the daughter of Mindaugas. In 1268, after his brother Lev killed Voishelk, he became the Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (2, p. 573).

1270-1282 - Three days, according to the Ipatiev Chronicle (2, p. 574) his brothers Borza, Surputiy, Lesiy and Svelkeniy were Orthodox. It can be said with a high degree of probability that Troyden was a Slav.

1283 -1285- Domont. The Laurentian Chronicle (3 p. 459) states that the Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Domont was killed by joint forces led by the Tver Army in 1285.

1285-1293- The period in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, when it was not known who in these years was the Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. There are no sources, or rather there are sources - various chronicles, but they do not inspire confidence. And even such a serious Lithuanian historian as Edvardas Gudavičius in his book “History of Lithuania” could not resist and described the fictitious Grand Dukes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania of that time, emphasizing their non-Slavic origin. Many authors, taking advantage of the fact that there are practically no reliable sources from the time of the formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, invent not only characters, but also events.

In accordance with the works of Lysenko P.F. (4, p. 34, 35) and Urban P. (5, p. 35), at the time of the formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Lithuania occupied the entire space between the Neman and Viliya rivers. Lithuania began from the city of Kaunas, ending with the headwaters of these rivers along the line between the cities of Vileika - Stolbtsy. Taking into account the work of E.E. Shiryaev (6), where it is clear that Lithuania of that period was already 60% Slavicized, we can confidently say that almost all the Grand Dukes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were Slavs. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Russia was formed on the basis of the Novogrudok principality through the voluntary annexation of Lithuania, which, as we see above, was already practically Slavicized.

It should be noted that the Gediminovichs from the Principality of Troki are also most likely Slavs, since on ethnographic maps (6) the Principality of Troki is located in the area of ​​​​settlement of the Slavs.

1293-1316 Viten, brother of Gediminas. He strengthened the unity of the state, relying on the Novogrudok, Grodno and Polotsk principalities. In 1294, he suppressed the uprising of the Zhmud feudal lords, who were inclined towards an alliance with the German knights. Under him, the crusaders' campaigns against Samogitia (1298, 1305) and the Krivichy lands (1314) were repulsed (7).

1316-1341 Gediminas. He probably descended from the Polotsk princes (7). Founder of the Gedimin dynasty. In 1323 he moved the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from Novogrudok to Vilna. Under Gediminas, the Vitebsk, Berestey, Minsk and Turov lands became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The sons of Gediminas were the founders of the clan: Narimund (Gleb) - Prince. Golitsyns, Patrikeevs, Khovanskys, Kurakins, Pinskys and Bulgakovs; Evnut (Ivan) - Prince. Zaslavskikh; Olgerd - royal dynasty of the Jagiellons; Keistut was the father of Vel. book Vytautas and Sigismund. Gediminas was killed in 1341 during the siege of the German fortress of Baerburg. By the beginning of the 20th century. from the Gediminovichs the princely families of the Golitsyns, Kurakins, Khovanskys and Trubetskoys remained.

1341-1345 Evnut (Ivan), son of Gediminas. His brothers Olgerd and Keistut overthrew Evnut in 1345. Evnut fled to Moscow and in the fall of 1345 converted to Orthodoxy (under the name John). But soon he returned and received Zaslavl and separate lands in Volyn.

1345-1377 Olgerd, son of Gediminas. Father of 12 sons, including: Jagiailo, Svidrigailo, Skirgailo. He ruled jointly with his brother Keistut. After his marriage to the Vitebsk princess Maria Yaroslavovna, from 1320 he owned the Vitebsk principality. Since 1341 Krevo, lands along the river. Berezina. In 1355 he annexed the Bryansk Principality to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1363 he annexed the lands from the mouth of the river to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Seret to the Black Sea, bass. Dniester, south Buga, south Dnieper region. He captured almost all of the Chernigov-Seversk, Podolsk, Pereyaslav and Volyn lands, the Smolensk principality, etc. He fought with Poland for Volyn and Podlasie. During his reign, the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania doubled.

1377-10.1381, 08.1382-1392 Jagiello, son of Olgerd, grandson of Gediminas. Founder of the Jagiellonian dynasty. He concluded the Union of Krevo with Poland in 1385, which in 1386 was strengthened by marriage to the Polish Queen Jadwiga and his coronation as the Polish king under the name of Vladislav the Second (1386-1434). Contributed to the planting of Catholicism in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1387, he issued a privilege, according to which the nobility who converted to Catholicism received additional rights and liberties, which caused a split in the society of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1392 he transferred the title of Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to Vytautas. In 1410 he defeated the crusaders in the Battle of Grunwald.

10.1381-08.1382 Keistut, son of Gediminas, uncle of Jagiello. In 1381 he seized power in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1382 he was killed by order of Jagiello.

1388-1392 Skirgailo, brother and governor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Jagiello. In 1392, after the victory of Vytautas, Jagiello and Skirgailo ceded to Vytautas GDL.

1392-1430 Vytautas, son of Keistut. He signed the Vilna-Rodom Union of 1401 and the Gorodel Union of 1413, granting privileges to Catholics. Samogitia twice lost to the Teutonic Order (1384, 1389). In 1399 he was defeated by the Tatars on the river. Vorskla, but Yuzh took it from them. Podolia. In 1404 he conquered Smolens; in 1408, after the war with the Moscow principality, he established a border with it along the river. Ugra and Oka. After the Battle of Grunwald, in 1422 he finally annexed Samogit to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Twice (1429, 1430) tried to accept royal title, but Poland prevented this. Vytautas significantly expanded the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, under him it reached its greatest power.

1430-1432 Svidrigailo, son of Olgerd. Opponent of union with Poland, supported the Orthodox.

1432-1440 Sigismund Keistutovich, brother of Vytautas. He introduced the Inquisition into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Killed by the Czartoryski princes in 1440 as a result of a conspiracy.

1440-1492 Casimir the Fourth, son of Jagiello. King of Poland since 1447. In 1471, he finally liquidated the appanage Principality of Kiev.

1492-1506 Alexander, son of Casimir the Fourth, grandson of Jagiello. King of Poland from 1501 In 1505, he introduced a general set of laws - the Radom Constitution, which expanded the rights of the gentry.

1506-1529 Sigismund the First (Old), son of Casimir the Fourth, grandson of Jagiello. King of Poland since 1506 Sigismund the First introduced the first Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1529.

1529-1572 Sigismund the Second (August), son of Sigismund the First. King of Poland since 1548. In 1564, Sigismund the Second renounced the title of Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in favor of Poland. After this, when the King of Poland was elected, the applicant automatically became the Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Sigismund the Second introduced the second Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1566. In 1569, on his initiative, the Union of Lublin was concluded between Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russian, Prussian, Samogitian, Mazowieckian and Inflantian, which led to their unification into one federal state - Rech Pospolita. The last representative of the Jagiellonian dynasty.

1573-1574 Henry of Valois, son of King Henry II of France. King of Poland.

1576-1586 Stefan Batory - Transylvanian prince. King of Poland.

1587-1632 Sigismund the Third (Vase), son of King Johan the Third of Sweden. King of Poland. Introduced the third Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1588.

1632-1648 Vladislav the Fourth (Vase), son of Sigismund the Third. King of Poland.

1648-1668 Jan II Casimir, son of Sigismund III. King of Poland.

1655- At the Union of Keydan in 1655, King Charles the Tenth of Sweden was elected Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

1669-1673 Mikhail Vishnevetsky, son of Prince Yarema Vishnevetsky. King of Poland.

1674-1696 Jan III Sobieski, son of Krakow Kasztelan. King of Poland.

1704-1709 Stanislav the First Leshchinsky. King of Poland.

1733-1734 Stanislav the First Leshchinsky. King of Poland.

1764-1795 Stanisław II Poniatowski, son of Krakow Kastelian Stanisław Poniatowski. King of Poland.

In 1791, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was abolished.

In 1812, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was restored by the Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte.

2011 Minsk Vorsa S. A.

Literature

1. The Great Chronicle of Poland, Rus' and their neighbors. M. 1987

2. Ipatiev Chronicle. Ryazan, Alexandria, 2001.-672 p.

3. Laurentian Chronicle. Ryazan, Alexandria, 2001.-584 p.

4. Lysenko P.F. Dregovichi Ed. V.V. Sedova.- Mn.: Navuka and technology, 1991.-244p.

5. Urban P. Old-timers: Language, pakhodzhanne, ethnic propriety / P. Urban.-Mn.: Tekhnalogiya, 2001.-216 p.

6. Shiryaev E.E. Belarus: White Rus', Black Rus' and Lithuania in maps.-Mn.: Navuka and technology, 1991. 119 p.

7. Byelorussian SSR: Concise Encyclopedia. In 5 volumes. T. 5. Biographical reference book / Editorial Board: Bel. Sov. Encyclopedia named after. P. Brovki, 1981.-740 p. Il.

Some modern historians, disputing the Imperial conclusions Geographical Society(although without access to his archives - no one worked with the Polotsk Chronicle after Tatishchev), they consider Gedimina a descendant of the Zhmudins, who “they had been sitting on the princely thrones of the appanages of the Principality of Polotsk for a long time - it was weakened and princes from the strong Lietuva (Zhmudi) were invited/appointed there, so the annexation of the Polotsk lands took place voluntarily and peacefully”

A question immediately arises that cannot be answered.
How likely is an invitation (peaceful - there was no conquest) to the princely throne to the Christian center of the pagan aboriginal leaders

[ “The Samogits wear poor clothes and, in the vast majority of cases, are ashen in color. They spend their lives in low and, moreover, very long huts; in the middle they maintain a fire, near which the father of the family sits and sees the cattle and all his household utensils. For they have the custom of keeping cattle, without any partition, under the same roof under which they themselves live. The more noble ones also use buffalo horns as cups... They blast the earth not with iron, but with wood... When going to plow, they usually carry it with them. there are a lot of logs with which to dig the ground"
S. Herberstein, “Notes on Muscovy”, 16th century, about contemporary Zhmudins. (It was even sadder in the 13th century) ]

And what guided the residents, preferring them to people from neighboring (Volyn, Kyiv, Smolensk, Novgorod, Mazovia) principalities, which

• represent powerful public education
• closer in culture
• closer in language
• dynastically related
• live in cities, know writing and similar laws

And this despite the fact that at that time in Polotsk there was "freedom Polotsk or Venice"- undesirable rulers were quite often simply expelled.

Grand Duchy of Lithuania - a state that existed in the northern part Eastern Europe in 1230-1569

The basis of the Grand Duchy was made up of Lithuanian tribes: Samogitians and Lithuanians, who lived along the Neman River and its tributaries. The Lithuanian tribes were forced to create a state by the need to fight the advance of the German crusaders in the Baltic states. The founder of the Principality of Lithuania was Prince Mindovg in 1230. Taking advantage of the difficult situation that had developed in Rus' due to Batu’s invasion, he began to seize Western Russian lands (Grodno, Berestye, Pinsk, etc.). Mindovg’s policy was continued by princes Viten (1293-1315) and Gediminas (1316-1341). By the middle of the 14th century. the power of the Lithuanian princes extended to the lands located between the Western Dvina, Dnieper and Pripyat rivers, i.e. almost the entire territory of present-day Belarus. Under Gediminas, the city of Vilna was built, which became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

There were ancient and close ties between the Lithuanian and Russian principalities. Since the time of Gediminas, most of the population of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania consisted of Russians. Russian princes played a large role in the administration of the Lithuanian state. Lithuanians were not considered foreigners in Rus'. The Russians calmly left for Lithuania, the Lithuanians - for the Russian principalities. In the XIII-XV centuries. the lands of the Principality of Lithuania were part of Kyiv Metropolis Patriarchate of Constantinople and were subordinate to the Metropolitan of Kyiv, whose residence since 1326 was in Moscow. There were also Catholic monasteries on the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania reached its highest strength and power in the second half of the 14th - early 15th centuries. under princes Olgerd (1345-1377), Jagiello (1377-1392) and Vytautas (1392-1430). The territory of the principality at the beginning of the 15th century. reached 900 thousand sq. km. and extended from Black to Baltic seas. In addition to the capital Vilna, important political and shopping centers there were the cities of Grodno, Kyiv, Polotsk, Pinsk, Bryansk, Berestye, etc. Most of them were previously the capitals of Russian principalities, were conquered or voluntarily joined the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In the XIV - early XV centuries, along with Moscow and Tver, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania acted as one of the centers of the possible unification of Russian lands during the years of the Mongol-Tatar yoke.

In 1385, at the Krevo Castle near Vilna, at a congress of Polish and Lithuanian representatives, a decision was made on a dynastic union between Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (the so-called “Krevo Union”) to fight the Teutonic Order. The Polish-Lithuanian union provided for the marriage of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello with the Polish Queen Jadwiga and the proclamation of Jagiello as king of both states under the name Vladislav II Jagiello. According to the agreement, the king had to deal with issues foreign policy and the fight against external enemies. The internal administration of both states remained separate: each state was entitled to have its own officials, own army and treasury. Catholicism was declared the state religion of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Jagiello converted to Catholicism with the name Vladislav. Jagiello's attempt to convert Lithuania to Catholicism caused discontent among the Russian and Lithuanian populations. The dissatisfied people were led by Prince Vitovt, Jogaila's cousin. In 1392, the Polish king was forced to transfer power in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania into his hands. Until the death of Vytautas in 1430, Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania existed as states independent from each other. This did not stop them from time to time to jointly oppose common enemy. This happened during the Battle of Grunwald on July 15, 1410, when the united army of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania completely defeated the army of the Teutonic Order.

The Battle of Grunwald, which took place near the villages of Grunwald and Tannenberg, became decisive battle in the centuries-old struggle of the Polish, Lithuanian and Russian peoples against the aggressive policy of the Teutonic Order.

The Master of the Order, Ulrich von Jungingen, entered into an agreement with the Hungarian King Sigmund and the Czech King Wenceslas. Their combined army numbered 85 thousand people. The total number of combined Polish-Russian-Lithuanian forces reached 100 thousand people. A significant part of the army of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas consisted of Russian soldiers. The Polish king Jagiello and Vytautas managed to attract 30 thousand Tatars and a 4 thousand Czech detachment to their side. The opponents settled near the Polish village of Grunwald.

The Polish troops of King Jagiello stood on the left flank. They were commanded by the Krakow swordsman Zyndram from Myszkowiec. The Russian-Lithuanian army of Prince Vytautas defended the center of the position and the right flank.

The battle began with an attack by Vytautas' light cavalry against the left wing of the Order's troops. However, the Germans met the attackers with volleys of cannons, scattered them, and then launched a counterattack themselves. Vytautas' horsemen began to retreat. The knights sang the victory anthem and began to pursue them. At the same time, the Germans pushed back the Polish army stationed on the right flank. There was a threat of complete defeat of the Allied army. The Smolensk regiments stationed in the center saved the situation. They withstood the fierce onslaught of the Germans. One of the Smolensk regiments was almost completely destroyed in a brutal battle, but did not retreat a single step. The other two, having suffered heavy losses, held back the onslaught of the knights and made it possible to rebuild Polish army and Lithuanian cavalry. “In this battle,” wrote the Polish chronicler Dlugosh, “there were only one Russian knights of the Smolensk Land, built by three separate shelves, steadfastly fought the enemy and did not take part in the flight. Thus they have earned immortal glory."

The Poles launched a counteroffensive against the right flank of the Order's army. Vytautas managed to strike at the detachments of knights returning after a successful attack on his position. The situation has changed dramatically. Under enemy pressure, the order's army retreated to Grunwald. After some time, the retreat turned into a stampede. Many knights were killed or drowned in the swamps.

The victory was complete. The winners received big trophies. The Teutonic Order, which lost almost its entire army in the Battle of Grunwald, was forced in 1411 to make peace with Poland and Lithuania. The land of Dobrzyn, recently torn away from it, was returned to Poland. Lithuania received Žemaitė. The Order was forced to pay a large indemnity to the winners.

Vitovt had a great influence on the policies of the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily I, who was married to his daughter Sophia. With the help of his daughter, Vitovt actually controlled his weak-willed son-in-law, who treated his powerful father-in-law with trepidation. In an effort to strengthen his power, the Lithuanian prince intervened in the affairs of Orthodox Church. Trying to free the Russian regions that were part of Lithuania from ecclesiastical dependence on the Moscow metropolitan, Vitovt achieved the establishment of the Kyiv metropolitanate. However, Constantinople did not appoint a special independent metropolitan of Western Rus'.

In the first half. XV century The political influence of the Poles and the Catholic clergy on Lithuanian affairs increases sharply. In 1422, the union of Lithuania and Poland was confirmed in Gorodok. Polish positions were introduced in the Lithuanian lands, Sejms were established, and the Lithuanian nobility, who converted to Catholicism, were given equal rights with the Polish.

After the death of Vytautas in 1430, an internecine struggle for the grand-ducal throne began in Lithuania. In 1440 it was occupied by Casimir, the son of Jagiello, who was also the Polish king. Casimir wanted to unite Lithuania and Poland, but the Lithuanians and Russians strongly opposed this. At a number of sejms (Lublin 1447, Parczew 1451, Sierad 1452, Parczew and Petrakov 1453), an agreement was never reached. Under Kazimir's heir, Sigismund Kazimirovich (1506-1548), the rapprochement of the two states continued. In 1569, the Union of Lublin was concluded, which finally formalized the merger of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The head of the new state was the Polish king Sigismund Augustus (1548-1572). From this moment on, the independent history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania can be considered over.

FIRST LITHUANIAN PRINCE

MINDOVG

(d. 1263)

Mindovg - prince, founder of the Principality of Lithuania, ruler of Lithuania in 1230-1263. Chroniclers called Mindaugas “cunning and treacherous.” The tribes of Lithuania and Samogit were prompted to unite under his rule by the increased need to combat the onslaught of German crusader knights in the Baltic states. In addition, Mindovg and the Lithuanian nobility sought to expand their possessions at the expense of the western lands of Rus'. Taking advantage of the difficult situation in Rus' during the Horde invasion, the Lithuanian princes from the 30s. XIII century began to seize the lands of Western Rus', the cities of Grodno, Berestye, Pinsk, etc. At the same time, Mindovg inflicted two defeats on Horde troops when they tried to penetrate into Lithuania. The Lithuanian prince concluded a peace treaty with the crusaders of the Livonian Order in 1249 and observed it for 11 years. He even transferred some Lithuanian lands to the Livonians. But in 1260 a popular uprising broke out against the rule of the Order. Mindovg supported him and in 1262 defeated the crusaders at Lake Durbe. In 1263, the Lithuanian prince died as a result of a conspiracy of princes hostile to him, who were supported by the crusaders. After the death of Mindaugas, the state he created disintegrated. Strife began between the Lithuanian princes, which lasted for almost 30 years.

VITEN

(d. 1315)

Vyten (Vitenes) - Grand Duke Lithuanian in 1293 - 1315 Its origin is legendary. There is information that Viten was the son of the Lithuanian prince Lutiver and was born in 1232. There are other versions of his origin. Some medieval chronicles call Viten a boyar who had large land holdings in the Zhmud lands, and one of the legends considers him a sea robber who was engaged in pirate fishing off the southern shores of the Baltic. Viten was married to the daughter of the Zhmud prince Vikind. This marriage allowed him to unite the Lithuanians and Samogitians under his rule.

Viten became the Grand Duke after a long internecine war that began in Lithuania after the death of Mindaugas. He managed to strengthen the Principality of Lithuania and resumed the fight against the Teutonic Order. Armed clashes with German knights during the reign of Witen occurred constantly. In 1298, the Lithuanian prince large forces invades the Order's possessions. Taking the big one is full The Lithuanians tried to go home, but were overtaken by a detachment of knights. In the battle, Viten's army lost 800 people and all prisoners. Soon the Lithuanians manage to avenge their defeat. They captured the city of Dinaburg (Dvinsk), and in 1307 - Polotsk. In Polotsk, Lithuanian soldiers killed all the Germans and destroyed the buildings they had built. Catholic churches.

In 1310, Viten's army made a new campaign into the lands of the Teutonic Order. Hostilities continue throughout the following years. In 1311, the Lithuanians were defeated in a battle with knights at the Rustenberg fortress. In 1314, the Germans tried to take Grodno, but in turn retreated, suffering heavy losses. Viten's last military campaign was directed against the German fortress of Christmemel, built on the border with Lithuania and constantly threatening its security. He was unsuccessful. The Teutonic knights repelled the attack. Soon after this, in 1315, Viten dies. According to some information, he was killed by his own groom Gedemin, who then took possession of the throne of Viten. According to others, he died own death and was buried according to Lithuanian custom: in fully armed, princely vestments and a pair of hunting falcons.

GEDIMIN

(d. 1341)

Gediminas - Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1316-1341. The legendary "Genealogy of the Principality of Lithuania" indicates that Gediminas was a servant ("slave") of the Lithuanian prince Viten. After the death of Viten, Gediminas married the widow of a Lithuanian prince, and himself became a prince.

Under Gediminas, Lithuania began to flourish. He extends his power to the lands between the Western Dvina and Pripyat, to almost the entire territory of modern Belarus. Through the efforts of Gediminas, the city of Vilna was built, where he moved with his court. During his reign, many Russian principalities joined the Grand Duchy of Lithuania: Gediminas conquered some of them, but most came under his rule voluntarily. During the reign of Gediminas political life The influence of Russian princes sharply increases in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Some sons of Gediminas married Russian princesses and converted to Orthodoxy. The Grand Duke of Lithuania himself, although he remained a pagan, did not oppose Russian customs and Orthodox faith. His daughter Augusta was married to the Moscow prince Simeon the Proud.

The biggest threat to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania at this time was the Livonian Order. In 1325, Gediminas concluded an agreement with the Polish king Vladislav and, together with the Poles, undertook a number of successful campaigns against the crusaders. The Livonians suffered a heavy defeat in the battle of Plovtsi in 1331. Subsequently, Gediminas constantly intervened in the internal strife of the Order, contributing to its weakening.

Gediminas was married twice, his second wife was the Russian princess Olga. In total, Gedemin had seven sons. The most famous are the sons from his second marriage, Olgerd and Keistutu.

The Grand Duke of Lithuania died in 1341. Since there was no of a certain order succession to the throne, his death almost led to the disintegration of the Grand Duchy into independent fiefs. Civil strife between the sons of Gediminas continued for 5 years, until Olgerd and Keistut seized power.

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GRAND DUCHY OF LITHUANIA - a state in the northern part of Eastern Europe in the 13th-16th centuries.

The basis of the Grand Duchy was made up of Lithuanian tribes: Samogitians and Lithuanians, who lived along the river. Neman and its tributaries. The formation of the state was accelerated by the need to combat the advance of the German crusaders in the Baltic states. In the 1240s. Lithuanian prince Mindovg, taking advantage of the difficult situation that developed in Rus' after Batu’s invasion, annexed Western Russian lands (Grodno, Berestye, Pinsk, etc.) to Lithuania. The policy of Mindaugas was continued by princes Viten (1293-1315) and Gediminas (1316-1341). K ser. 14th century the power of the Lithuanian princes extended to the lands located between the rivers. Western Dvina, Dnieper and Pripyat. Under Gediminas, the city of Vilna was rebuilt, becoming the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

There were ancient and close ties between the Lithuanian and Russian principalities. Since the time of Gediminas, the majority of the population of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania consisted of Russians. Russian princes played a prominent role in the administration of the Lithuanian state. People from Lithuania were not considered foreigners in Rus'. Russians freely left for Lithuania, Lithuanians - for Russian principalities. In the 13th-15th centuries. the lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were part of the Kyiv Metropolis of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and were subordinate to the Metropolitan of Kyiv, whose residence since 1326 was in Moscow. There were also Catholic monasteries on the territory of the principality.

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania reached its highest strength and power in the 2nd half. 14 - beginning 15th centuries under princes Olgerd (1345-1377), Jagiello (1377-1392) and Vytautas (1392-1430). The territory of the principality at the beginning. 15th century reached 900 thousand square meters. km and stretched from the Baltic to the Black Seas. In addition to the capital Vilna, the cities were important political and commercial centers. Grodno, Kyiv, Polotsk, Pinsk, Bryansk, Berestye, etc. At 14 - beginning. In the 15th century, along with Moscow and Tver, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was one of the centers of consolidation of Russian lands.

In 1385, at the Krevo Castle, near Vilna, at a congress of Polish and Lithuanian representatives, a decision was made on a dynastic union between Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Krevo Union) to fight the Teutonic Order. The Polish-Lithuanian union provided for the marriage of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello with the Polish Queen Jadwiga. Jagiello converted to Catholicism and became king of both states under the name of Vladislav II Jagiello. According to the agreement, the king had to deal with foreign policy issues and the fight against external enemies. Internal administration remained separate: each state had its own officials, its own army and treasury. Catholicism was declared the state religion of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which caused discontent among the Russian and Lithuanian populations. The opposition was led by Jagiello's cousin, Prince Vytautas. In 1392, the Polish king was forced to transfer power in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania into his hands. Until the death of Vytautas in 1430, Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania existed as states independent of each other. This did not stop them from taking joint action against a common enemy. During the Battle of Grunwald on July 15, 1410, the united army of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeated the army of the Teutonic Order.

Prince Vitovt, having married his daughter Sophia to the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily I, had a great influence on the policy of the Moscow state. Trying to remove the Russian regions that were part of Lithuania from the power of the Moscow Metropolitan, Vitovt achieved the establishment of a separate Kyiv Metropolis. However, Constantinople did not appoint a special metropolitan of Western Rus'.

In the 1st half. 15th century The political influence of the Poles and Catholic clergy on Lithuanian affairs increased sharply. In 1422, the union of Lithuania and Poland was confirmed in Gorodok. Polish positions were introduced in the Lithuanian lands, Sejms were established, and the Lithuanian nobility, who converted to Catholicism, were given equal rights with the Polish.

After the death of Vytautas in 1430, a struggle for the grand-ducal throne began in Lithuania. In 1440 it was occupied by Casimir, the son of Jagiello, who was also the Polish king. Casimir's attempts to unite the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with Poland failed. At a number of sejms (Lublin 1447, Parczew 1451, Sierad 1452, Parczew and Petrakov 1453), an agreement on concluding a union was never reached. The rapprochement of the two states continued under Casimir's heir, Sigismund I Casimirovich (1506-1548). In 1569, the Union of Lublin was concluded, which finally formalized the merger of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania into single state- Rzeczpospolita. The head of the new state was the Polish king Sigismund II Augustus (1548-1572). I.V.

MINDOVG (?-1263) - prince, founder of the Principality of Lithuania, ruler of Lithuania from 1230.

Chroniclers called Mindaugas “cunning and treacherous.” The unification of the Livonian and Samogitian tribes was facilitated by the need to combat the onslaught of German crusader knights in the Baltic states. Taking advantage of the difficult situation in Rus' during the Horde invasion, Mindovg from the 30s. 13th century began to unite the lands of Western Rus' under his rule, including the cities. Grodno, Berestye, Pinsk, etc. At the same time, Mindovg inflicted two defeats on Horde troops when they tried to penetrate into Lithuania. In 1249 he concluded a peace treaty with Livonian Order, transferring some Lithuanian lands to the Livonians. In 1260, an uprising broke out in the Lithuanian lands against the rule of the Order. Mindovg supported him in 1262 near the lake. Durbe defeated the crusaders. Mindovg died as a result of a conspiracy. I.V.

VITEN ( lit. Vytenes) (?-1315) - Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1293-1315.

Semi-legendary information has been preserved about the origin of the prince. According to one version, Viten was the son of the Lithuanian prince Lutiver and was born in 1232. Some medieval chronicles call Viten a boyar who had large land holdings in the Zhmud lands, and one of the legends considers him a sea robber who was engaged in pirate fishing off the southern shores of the Baltic.

Viten was married to the daughter of the Zhmud prince Vikind. This marriage allowed him to unite the Lithuanians and Zhmud (Zhemaitians) under his rule. After a long internecine war that began in Lithuania after the death of Mindaugas, Viten became the Grand Duke. He managed to strengthen the Principality of Lithuania and resumed the fight against the Teutonic Order. Armed clashes with German knights during the reign of Witen occurred constantly. In 1298, the Lithuanian prince invaded the Order's possessions. The Lithuanians returning with a large load were overtaken by a detachment of knights. In the battle, Viten's army lost 800 people and all prisoners. Soon the Lithuanians captured Dinaburg (Dvinsk), and in 1307 - Polotsk. In Polotsk, Lithuanian soldiers killed all the Germans and destroyed the Catholic churches they had built. Hostilities continued throughout the following years. In 1311, the Lithuanians were defeated in a battle with knights at the Rustenberg fortress. In 1314, the Germans tried to take Grodno, but retreated big losses. Soon after the campaign against the German fortress of Christmemel (on the border with Lithuania), Viten died. According to legend, he was killed by his groom Gediminas, who then took over the throne of Viten. According to other sources, Viten died of his own death and was buried according to Lithuanian custom: in full armor, princely attire and with a pair of hunting falcons. I.V.

This article provides a list and characteristics of the reign of the most famous for their achievements of the Grand Dukes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania of the Middle Ages.

Prince's name: Mindovg

Dates of reign: 1253 - 1263

Policy and activities: fought with the German Livonian Order. Captured the Russian and Belarusian cities of Novogrudok, Polotsk, Grodno. Being a pagan, he converted to Christianity so that the Pope would recognize Lithuania as an independent state. Later he abandoned Christianity as soon as he no longer needed the help of the Pope.

The first king of Lithuania in history. In 1261 he entered into an alliance with Veliky Novgorod for the war with the German knights of the order.

Prince's name: Voyshelk

Dates of reign: 1264-1267

Policy and activities: was also a prince in Russian Novogrudok. He voluntarily renounced the throne and entered an Orthodox monastery, traveling to distant countries as a pilgrim.

Main events of the reign and achievements: In 1254 he made peace between Lithuania and the Galician-Volhynian princes.

Prince's name: Gediminas

Dates of reign: 1316 - 1341

Policy and activities: Founded the princely dynasty of Gediminovich. He was an enemy of the Prince of Moscow and the South Russian princes and an ally of Prince Tver. He had great influence in Novgorod and Pskov.

Main events of the reign and achievements: Inflicted a number of major defeats on the German knights, with whom he fought all his life. He annexed a number of Western Russian, or rather Belarusian, lands. He re-annexed Polotsk and Grodno to Lithuania, as well as Minsk (1326), Pinsk and Turov (1336), Vitebsk (somewhat earlier, in 1320). In 1325 he entered into an alliance with Poland, marrying his daughter to the son of the Polish king. In 1323 he founded the city of Vilnius, making it his capital. In 1324 he captured Kyiv.

Prince's name: Olgerd

Dates of reign: 1345- 1377

Policy and activities: fought with the Tatars (defeated them at the Battle of Blue Waters in 1362), Moscow (war of 1368-72). He did not actively fight the Teutons and did not gather troops against them. but he did not approve of the crusaders and twice personally fought against the crusaders together with the squad of his brother Keistut. Was an ally of Tver.

Apparently, he was a pagan who formally converted to Christianity for the purpose of a diplomatic marriage with a Belarusian princess. Christianity, according to some historical sources, didn't like it.

Main events of the reign and achievements: significantly increased the territory of the Principality of Lithuania. He annexed Kyiv, Chernigov, Bryansk, Volyn, part of the Black Sea coast, and made the Smolensk Principality the patrimony of Lithuania. He failed to capture Moscow lands, since Prince Dmitry Donskoy gave him a worthy rebuff. I had to make peace and marry my daughter into the Moscow princely family.

Prince's name: Jagiello

Dates of reign: 1377-1381 (Grand Duke of Lithuania), 1382-1392, in 1386-34, King of Poland and the new state of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth)

Policy and activities: Son of Olgerd. He became the founder of the European dynasty of rulers of the Jagiellons. His Christian mother baptized Jogaila into Orthodoxy under the name Yakov, but he never used his baptized name. Fought against his brother and uncle in civil war in Lithuania (1381-84). He was an implacable enemy of the Crusaders.

Main events of the reign and achievements: He united Lithuania and Poland, creating a new powerful state - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This happened on August 14, 1384 during the signing of the Krevo Union. After this, Jagiello called on all of Lithuania to accept Catholicism to strengthen the new union, he himself accepted the new faith and married the 12-year-old Queen of Poland Jadwiga. Crowned as King Vladislav.

In 1384, he also concluded a peace treaty with Moscow (before that he was hostile to Dmitry Donskoy and almost acted on the side of Mamai in the Battle of Kulikovo). In 1409-11 he fought against the crusaders in the Great War. Along with other Lithuanians and Poles, he defeated the Teutonic Order of Crusader Knights in the Battle of Grunwald on July 15, 1410. Thus, he stopped the advance of the crusaders to the east once and for all.

Prince's name: Vytautas (Alexander) the Great

Dates of reign: 1392-1430

Policy and activities: He was an ally of Moscow and the Tatar Khan Tokhtamysh, an opponent of Mamai, and intervened in the affairs of the Golden Horde (participated in the battle of the khans on Vorskla in 1399). He changed religions several times for political gain.

Main events of the reign and achievements: Was an active participant Great War against the crusaders of 1409-1410. Together with the Polish king, Jagiello defeated the knights of the Teutonic Order, the German crusaders in the Battle of Grunwald on July 15, 1410. Thus, he stopped the advance of the crusaders to the east once and for all.

He also extended his power to Podol and the Tula lands. Under him, fortresses were founded on the Black Sea - the future cities of Ochakov and Odessa. He ravaged Ryazan in 1397. Under Vytautas, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania flourished.