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Gediminas

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For other uses, seeGediminas (disambiguation).
Gediminas
Grand Duke of LithuaniaGediminas withGediminas' Capas depicted in the SapiehaGenealogyinKodeń,1709
Grand Duke of Lithuania
Reign1316–1341
PredecessorVytenis
SuccessorJaunutis
Bornc. 1275
Diedc. 1341
Raudonė,Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Burial
Veliuona,Lithuania
SpouseVida
Jaunė
Issue
more...
DynastyGediminids
FatherButvydas

Gediminas(Latin:Gedeminne,[1]Gedeminnus;[2]c. 1275– December 1341) wasGrand Duke of Lithuaniafrom 1315 or 1316[3][4]until his death in 1341.[5][6]

He is considered the founder ofLithuania's capitalVilnius(see:Iron Wolf legend).[6]During his reign, he brought under his rule lands from theBaltic Seato theBlack Sea.[7][8]TheGediminidsdynasty he founded and which is named after him came to rule overPoland,HungaryandBohemia.[5][6][9]

Biography

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Origin

[edit]

Gediminas was born in about 1275.[10]Because written sources of the era are scarce, Gediminas' ancestry, early life, and assumption of the title of Grand Duke in ca. 1316 are obscure and continue to be the subject of scholarly debate. Various theories have claimed that Gediminas was either his predecessor Grand DukeVytenis' son, his brother, his cousin, or hishostler.[11]For several centuries only two versions of his origins circulated. Chronicles — written long after Gediminas' death by the Teutonic Knights, a long-standing enemy of Lithuania — claimed that Gediminas was a hostler to Vytenis;[12]according to these chronicles, Gediminas killed his master and assumed the throne. Another version introduced in the Lithuanian Chronicles, which also appeared long after Gediminas' death, proclaimed that Gediminas was Vytenis' son. However, the two men were almost the same age, making this relationship unlikely.[citation needed]

Recent research indicates that Gediminias' ancestor may have beenSkalmantas.In 1974 historian Jerzy Ochmański noted thatZadonshchina,a poem from the end of the 14th century, contains a line in which two sons of Algirdas name their ancestors: "We are two brothers – sons of Algirdas, and grandsons of Gediminas, and great-grandsons of Skalmantas." This discovery led to the belief that Skalmantas was the long-sought ancestor of the Gediminids. Ochmański posited that the poem skipped the generation represented by Butvydas, and jumped back to the unknown ancestor. Baranauskas disagrees, believing Skalmantas was Butvydas' brother rather than his father, and that Vytenis and Gediminas were therefore cousins.[12]

Gediminas became theGrand Dukein 1316 at the age of 40 and ruled for 25 years.[13]

Choice of religion

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Gediminas inherited land consisting ofLithuania proper,Samogitia,Navahrudak,Podlasie,PolotskandMinsk.[14]However, these possessions were all threatened by theTeutonic Knightsand theLivonian Order,which desired to conquer them.[3][15]Gediminas allied himself with theTatarsagainst the Teutonic Order in 1319.[16]

Position of theGrand Duchy of Lithuaniain Eastern Europe until 1434.

The systematic raiding of Lithuania by the knights under the pretext of converting it had long sinceunited all the Lithuanian tribes.For this purpose, he entered into direct diplomatic negotiations with theHoly See.At the end of 1322, he sent letters to PopeJohn XXIIsoliciting his protection against the persecution of the knights,[17]informing him of the privileges already granted to theDominicansandFranciscansin Lithuania for preaching Christianity.[18][15]Gediminas also asked that legates should be dispatched to him in order to be baptized.[19]This action was supported by theArchbishop of Riga,Frederic Lobestat.[20]Following these events, peace between the Duchy and the Livonian Order was eventually conducted on 2 October 1323.[21]

On receiving a favourable reply from the Holy See, Gediminas issued circular letters, dated 25 January 1323, to the principalHanseatictowns, offering a free access into his domains to men of every order and profession from nobles and knights to tillers of the soil.[17][22]The immigrants were to choose their own settlements and be governed by their own laws. Priests and monks were also invited to come and build churches atVilniusand Navahrudak. In October 1323, representatives of the archbishop ofRiga,thebishop of Dorpat,the king of Denmark, the Dominican and Franciscan orders, and the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order assembled at Vilnius, when Gediminas confirmed his promises and undertook to be baptised as soon as the papal legates arrived. A compact was then signed at Vilnius, in the name of the whole Christian World, between Gediminas and the delegates, confirming the promised privileges.[23][15]

On his raid uponDobrzyń,the latest acquisition of the knights on Polish soil, gave them a ready weapon against him. ThePrussianbishops, who were devoted to the knights, questioned the authority of Gediminas' letters and denounced him as an enemy of the faith at asynodinElbing;his Orthodox subjects reproached him with leaning towards the Latin heresy, while the pagan Lithuanians accused him of abandoning the ancient gods. Gediminas disentangled himself from his difficulties by repudiating his former promises; by refusing to receive the papal legates who arrived at Riga in September 1323, and by dismissing the Franciscans from his territories. This led Gediminas to maintain paganism in Lithuania,[15]even if more than twice as many Orthodox Christians lived in his realm than pagans.[24]

A peace agreement between Gediminas and the Order

At the same time Gediminas privately informed the papal legates at Riga through his ambassadors that his difficult position compelled him to postpone his steadfast resolve of being baptised, and the legates showed their confidence in him by forbidding the neighbouring states to war against Lithuania for the next four years, besides ratifying the treaty made between Gediminas and the archbishop of Riga. Nevertheless, disregarding the censures of the church, the Order resumed the war with Gediminas[15]by murdering one of his delegates sent to welcome the Grand Master for his arrival to Riga in 1325.[20][25]He had in the meantime improved his position by an alliance withWladislaus Lokietek,[26]king of Poland, and had his daughterAldonabaptized for the sake of betrothing her to Władysław's sonCasimir III.[27]

Baptizing himself would have implications for Gediminas domestically; it would have offended the staunchly pagan inhabitants of the major Lithuanian regions ofŽemaitijaandAukštaitija.In addition, these heartland pagans together with the Orthodox Rus' threatened Gediminas with death if he decided to convert;[28]a similar scenario also happened toMindaugas,which he desperately wanted to avoid.[citation needed]

His strategy was to gain the support of the Pope and other Catholic powers in his conflict with the Teutonic Order by granting a favourable status to Catholics living within his realm and feigning a personal interest in the Christian religion. While he allowed Catholic clergy to enter his realm for the purpose of ministering to his Catholic subjects and to temporary residents, he savagely punished any attempt to convert pagan Lithuanians or to insult their native religion.[29]Thus in about 1339–1340 he executed twoFranciscan friarsfromBohemia,Ulrich and Martin, who had gone beyond the authority granted them and had publicly preached against theLithuanian religion.Gediminas ordered them to renounce Christianity, and had them killed when they refused. Five more friars were executed in 1369 for the same offence.[citation needed]

Despite Gediminas' chief goal to save Lithuania from German attacks, he still died as a pagan reigning over semi-pagan lands. Also, he was equally bound to his pagan kinsmen in Samogitia, to hisOrthodoxsubjects inBelarus,and to hisCatholicallies inMasovia.[23][15]Therefore, it is still unclear whether the letters sent to the Pope were an actual request for conversion or simply a diplomatic maneuver.[30]Nevertheless, Gediminas began a new baptism campaign in 1340–41 to prevent the Teutonic Knights aggression.[6]

In addition from promoting paganism, the Jewish community of Lithuania prospered during his reign.[24]

Incorporation of Ruthenian lands

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"Gediminas, by the grace of God, the King ofLithuaniansandRuthenians,the ruler and duke ofSemigallia."

— Gediminas's titles mentioned in his 26 May 1323letter,which was sent to theGermaniancities.[31]

Gediminas CastleinLida

While on his guard against his northern foes, Gediminas from 1316 to 1340 was aggrandizing himself at the expense of the numerous Ruthenian principalities in the south and east.[8][32]Gediminas conquered a long series of cities across Belarus and northern Ukraine as well, but the various stages of these battles are impossible to follow. Especially from 1325 to 1340, sources about Eastern campaigns being few and conflicting, and the date of every salient event exceedingly doubtful.[33]One of his most important territorial accretions, the principality ofHalych-Volynia,was obtained by the marriage of his sonLubartwith the daughter of the Galician prince.[15]

Gediminas Towernamed after the founder of Vilnius, although it was built considerably later.

From about 23 km (14 mi) south west of Kiev, Gediminas defeated Stanislav of Kiev and his allies in theBattle on the Irpin River.He then besieged and conqueredKievsending Stanislav, the last descendant of theRurik Dynastyto ever rule Kiev, into exile first inBryanskand then inRyazan.Theodor,brother of Gediminas, and Algimantas, son of Mindaugas from theOlshanski family,were installed in Kiev. After these conquests, Lithuania stretched very close to theBlack Sea.[34]

While exploiting Ruthenian weakness in the wake of theMongol invasion,Gediminas avoided war with theGolden Horde,a great regional power at the time, while expanding Lithuania's border almost towards theBlack Sea.He also secured an alliance with the nascentGrand Duchy of Moscowby marrying his daughter,Anastasia,to the grand dukeSimeon.However, Gediminas offsetted the influence of Muscovy in northern Russia, and assisted the republic ofPskov,which acknowledged his overlordship, to break away fromGreat Novgorod.[15]

Domestic affairs and death

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Funeral of GediminasbyKazimierz Alchimowicz

Gediminas was known for protecting Catholics and Orthodox people in addition to pagans, and he is known for improving the efficiency of the Lithuanian Army. Also, he is known for building a chain of fortresses as well as numerous castles in towns includingVilnius.[35][36]At first he moved the capital to the newly built town ofTrakai,but in c. 1320 re-established a permanent capital inVilnius.[37]

Gediminas died in 1341,[16][38]presumably killed during acoup d'état.[38]He wascrematedas a part of a pagan ceremony in 1342, which included ahuman sacrifice,with his favourite servant and several German slaves being burned on the pyre with the corpse.[39]

He was succeeded by one of his sons,Jaunutis,who was unable to control the unrest in the country,[40]as a result of which he was deposed in 1345 by his brotherAlgirdas.[41]

Legacy

[edit]
Gediminas on a 2021 stamp of Lithuania
Gediminas Monument with the howling Iron Wolf in Vilnius next to thePalace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania

He was a founder of a new Lithuanian dynasty; theGediminids,and laid the foundations of the state's expansion while sometimes referred as the "true" state founder.[3]

In 1862, theMillennium of Russiamonument was unveiled inVeliky Novgorodwith a sculpture for him on base.[citation needed]

In modern historiography, he is also regarded as founder of Vilnius, the modern capital ofLithuania.According to a legend, possibly set in 1322 while he was on a hunting trip, he dreamt of aniron clad wolf,who stood on a hill, howling in an odd manner as if thousand of wolves would be howling at once. He consulted his vision with his priestLizdeikawho told him the dream spoke of a city that must be built at the exact place and decided to build a fortification on theconfluenceof riversVilniaandNeris,where the place of his vision was pointed out.[37][42][43]This event inspired theRomantic movement,particularlyAdam Mickiewicz,who gave the story a poetic form.[44]

Gediminas is depicted on a silverLitascommemorative coin, issued in 1996.[45]

The Lithuanian folk music groupKūlgrindareleased an album in 2009 titledGiesmės Valdovui Gediminui,meaning "Hymns to Ruler Gediminas".[46]

Gediminas (asHiedyminorGedymin) is also widely celebrated inBelarusas an important figure of national history.[citation needed]

In September 2019, a monument to Gediminas was unveiled inLida.[47]

Titles and symbols

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Titles

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Gediminas' normal Latin style is as follows:

  • Gedeminne Dei gratia Letwinorum et multorum Ruthenorum rex[48]

Which translates as:

  • "Gediminas, by the grace of God, king of the Lithuanians and many Ruthenians"[48]
  • More titles: Rex paganus Lytaonie, Illustri principi domino Gedemynde Dei gratia Lethwinorum Ruthenorumque regi, regem Lithuaniae Godemunde Dei gratia Lethwinorum Ruthenorumque regi, item predecessor noster rex Viten, Gedeminne Dei gratia Letphanorum Ruthenorumque rex, princeps et dux Semigallie, in civitate nostra regia dicta Vilna, civitate nostra regia Vilna, sub speciali forma et sigillo regio regis Letphanorum presentaverunt, S DEI GRACIA GEDEMINNI Lethwinor et Rutkenor Reg, rex Litwinorum, illustris domini Regis Letwinorum, Ghodeminne de koningh van Lettowen, Gedeminne Letwinorum et multorum Ruthenorum rex, et Olgherdem, Keystutten fratres reges Lethovie, kunge der Littouwin, koning Gedeminne van Lettowen, Gedeminne de koninge van Lethowen.

In his letters to the papacy in 1322 and 1323, he addsPrinceps et Dux Semigalliae(Prince and Duke ofSemigallia).[49]In contemporaryLow Germanhe is styled simplyKoningh van Lettowen,mirroring the LatinRex Lethowyae(both meaning "King of Lithuania" ).[48]Gediminas' right to use the Latinrex,which the papacy had been claiming the right to grant from the 13th century onwards, was not universally recognized in Catholic sources. Thus, he was calledrex sive dux( "King or Duke" ) in one source;Pope John XXII,in a letter to the King of France, referred to Gediminas as "the one who calls himselfrex".However, the pope did call Gediminasrexwhen addressing him (regem sive ducem,"king or duke" ).[49]

German sources also titled Gediminas asRex de Owsteiten(English:King ofAukštaitija).[50]

Seal

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Grand Duke Gediminas's authentic symbols did not survive to this day. In 1323 Gediminas sentseven lettersto various recipients in western Europe. Their contents are known only from later copies, some of which contain a description of the Gediminas' seal.[51]On 18 July 1323 inLübeckimperial scribe John of Bremen made a copy of three letters sent by Gediminas on 26 May to the recipients in Saxony,[52]his transcripts contain also a detailed description of the oval waxy seal which was attached to the letter.[53][51]According to the notary's transcript, the oval seal of Gediminas had a twelve corners edging, at the middle of the edging was an image of a man with long hairs, who sat on a throne and held acrown(or awreath) in his right hand and asceptrein his left hand, moreover, acrosswas engraved around the man along with aLatininscription:S DEI GRACIA GEDEMINNI LETHWINOR ET RUTKENOR REG(English:Gediminas', by the grace of God, the King of theLithuaniansand theRus' people,seal).[51][53][54]The cross' usage in a pagan ruler's seal is explained as a diplomatic action because Gediminas did not acceptbaptismin his life and kept Lithuania pagan, despite several negotiations.[51][55][56]In addition, Gediminas strictly distinguishedLithuaniaandLithuaniansfrom the region ofRus'(Ruthenia) andRus' people(Ruthenians) in legal documents (e.g. in a 1338 Peace and Trade Agreement, concluded inVilnius,between the Grand Duke Gediminasand his sonsand the Master of theLivonian OrderEverhard von Monheim).[57]

[edit]

In 1337, aLithuanian banneris mentioned for the first time inWigand of Marburg's chronicles, who wrote that during the battle atBayernburg Castle(nearVeliuona,Lithuania) Tilman Zumpach, head of the Teutonicriflemen,burned the Lithuanian banner with a flaminglanceand then mortally wounded the King ofTrakai,however, he didn't describe its appearance.[58]

Issue

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Main article:Family of Gediminas
Gediminids- predecessors of theJagiellonian dynasty(1521)

It is uncertain how many wives Gediminas had. TheBychowiec Chroniclementions three wives: Vida fromCourland;Olga fromSmolensk;andJaunėfromPolotsk,who wasEastern Orthodoxand died in 1344 or 1345.[59]Most modern historians and reference works say Gediminas' wife was Jewna, dismissing Vida and Olga as fictitious, since no sources other than this chronicle mention the other two wives.[60]

Some arguments state that Gediminas had two wives, one pagan and another Orthodox. This case is supported only by theJüngere Hochmeisterchronik,a late 15th-century chronicle, mentioningNarimantasas half-brother to Algirdas. Other historians support this claim by arguing this would explain Gediminas' otherwise mysterious[61]designation of a middle son, Jaunutis, as his succession would be understandable if Jaunutis were the first-born son of Gediminas and a second wife.

He is said to have left seven sons and six daughters including:

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^Gediminas' letter to Lübeck, 1323.VII.18
  2. ^Gediminas' letter to Riga, 1326.III.2
  3. ^abcPlakans 2011,p. 51
  4. ^Christiansen 1980,p. 154
  5. ^ab"Gediminas | grand duke of Lithuania".Encyclopedia Britannica.Retrieved25 June2021.
  6. ^abcd"Gediminas".Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija(in Lithuanian).Retrieved13 March2023.
  7. ^Pelenski 1998
  8. ^abBugajski 2002,p. 125
  9. ^"Gediminaičiai".Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija(in Lithuanian).Retrieved13 March2023.
  10. ^Tęgowski 1999,p. 15
  11. ^Vjachaslaў Nasevіch. Gedzimin // Vialikaje kniastva Litoŭskaje: Encyklapedyja. U 3 t. / red. G. P. Paškoŭ і іnš. T. 1: Abalenskі — Kadencyja. — Minsk: Belaruskaja Encyklapedyja, 2005. S. 519.
  12. ^abBaranauskas, Tomas (1996-11-23)."Gedimino kilmė".Voruta(in Lithuanian).44(278): 6. Archived fromthe originalon October 6, 2007.Retrieved2007-03-10.
  13. ^Kiaupa 2000,p. 114
  14. ^The New Encyclopædia Britannica: Volume 5
  15. ^abcdefghBain 1911,p. 548.
  16. ^abAkiner 2009,p. 22
  17. ^ab"Letters of Gediminas".Lithuanian Quarterly Journal of Arts and Sciences. Winter 1969. Archived fromthe originalon 27 April 2019.Retrieved23 April2011.
  18. ^Housley 1986,p. 274
  19. ^Muldoon 1997,p. 135
  20. ^abSlavonic and East European review, Volume 32; Published by the Modern Humanities Research Association for the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University of London, 1953
  21. ^Kiaupa 2000,p. 115
  22. ^Chase 1946,p. 24
  23. ^abO'Connor 2003,p. 15
  24. ^abKasekamp, Andres (9 November 2017).A history of the Baltic states(second ed.). London.ISBN9781137573643.OCLC989048338.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  25. ^Olins 1928,p. 60
  26. ^Lietuvos aukštųjų mokyklų mokslo darbai: Istorija, Volume 36, Alna litera, 1997
  27. ^Christiansen 1980,p. 147
  28. ^Rowell 1994,pp. 222–223
  29. ^Guyda Armstrong; Ian N. Wood (2000).Christianizing Peoples and Converting Individuals.Brepols. p. 23.ISBN978-25-03-51087-3.
  30. ^Muldoon 1997,p. 134
  31. ^Gedimino laiškai [Letters of Gediminas](PDF)(in Lithuanian).Vilnius:Vilnius University,Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore. p. 2.Retrieved30 May2021.
  32. ^Ertl 2008,p. 402
  33. ^Kiaupa 2000,pp. 116–117
  34. ^Smith 1991,p. 356
  35. ^Purton 2009,p. 154
  36. ^Bain 1911,pp. 548–549.
  37. ^abRutter 1925,p. 20
  38. ^abTaylor 2008,p. 20
  39. ^Jones-Bley & Huld 1996,p. 210
  40. ^Ingrao & Szabo 2008,p. 52
  41. ^Turnbull 2003,p. 14
  42. ^University of Colorado 1968,p. 140
  43. ^Grossman 1979,p. 157
  44. ^Metelsky 1959,p. 37
  45. ^"Lithuanian Coins in Circulation, Issue of 1996".Bank of Lithuania. Archived fromthe originalon 18 March 2012.Retrieved23 April2011.
  46. ^Kūlgrinda – Giesmės Valdovui Gediminui.Discogs.
  47. ^"Monument to Duke Gedymin of Lithuania unveiled in Lida".euroradio.fm.8 September 2019.Retrieved9 September2019.
  48. ^abcRowell 1994,p. 63
  49. ^abRowell 1994,p. 64
  50. ^Rowell 1994,p. 50.
  51. ^abcdSajauskas, Stanislovas (2004).Pirmųjų Lietuvos didžiosios kunigaikštystės monetų ypatybės [The peculiarities of the earliest Lithuanian coins](PDF)(in Lithuanian). Kaunas:M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum.p. 81.
  52. ^Rowell 1994,p. 329.
  53. ^abRowell 2003,p. 133-149.
  54. ^Bučys, Algimantas(11 September 2016)."Apie Lietuvos karalių Gediminą (I)".Alkas.lt(in Lithuanian).Retrieved22 April2021.
  55. ^"Gediminas".Vle.lt(in Lithuanian).Retrieved18 April2021.
  56. ^"Gediminas | grand duke of Lithuania".Encyclopedia Britannica.Retrieved18 April2021.
  57. ^Rowell 2003,p. 380-385.
  58. ^"The Historical Lithuanian State Flag".President of Lithuania(Dalia Grybauskaitė).5 January 2015. Archived fromthe originalon 7 April 2022.Retrieved20 March2021.
  59. ^(in Lithuanian)Ivinskis, Zenonas (1953–1966). "Jaunė".Lietuvių enciklopedija.Vol. IX. Boston, Massachusetts: Lietuvių enciklopedijos leidykla. p. 335.LCCN55020366.
  60. ^Vytautas Spečiūnas, ed. (2004). "Jaunutis".Lietuvos valdovai (XIII-XVIII a.): enciklopedinis žinynas(in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas. pp. 38, 46.ISBN5-420-01535-8.
  61. ^Kiaupa 2000,p. 118

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[edit]
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1316–1341 		Succeeded by
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