Battle of Wiłkomierz
Battle of Pabaiskas | |
---|---|
Part of the Šventoji River 55°9′57″N 24°46′17″E / 55.16583°N 24.77139°E | |
Result | Decisive victory of Sigismund Kęstutaitis |
Franco Kerskorff †
Sigismund Korybut †
Michael Žygimantaitis
Jakub Kobylański
The Battle of Pabaiskas (see
Names
The battle is also known as the Battle of Vilkomir or Ukmergė after Ukmergė/Vilkmergė, the nearest large settlement. It is also known as Battle of Święta/Šventoji[3] after the Šventoji River that flows near the battle site. In Lithuanian, the battle is known as the Battle of Pabaiskas. The word "pabaiskas" is derived from Polish "pobojowisko" literally meaning "battle site" or "place where a battle was fought". It came into use as a name for the town of Pabaiskas which grew around the Church of the Holy Trinity built at the site in 1436–40 by Sigismund Kęstutaitis.[1]
Background
In October 1430,
The Teutonic Knights secretly supported Švitrigaila chiefly through its branch in Livonia.[5] Švitrigaila and Sigismund were now engaged in a destructive civil war. In December 1432, their armies fought in the Battle of Ashmyany; Švitrigaila was defeated, but the victory was not decisive.[6] In 1433, together with the Livonian knights, Švitrigaila raided Lida, Kreva, Eišiškės and devastated the surrounding areas near Vilnius, Trakai, and Kaunas.[6] After Jogaila's death in 1434, the Teutonic Knights resumed their war against Poland.[5] In total, Švitrigaila and Livonia organized six raids into Lithuania, the last of which resulted in the Battle of Wiłkomierz.[7]
Battle
Švitrigaila commanded a force of about 11,000 men: Lithuanians and Orthodox Ruthenians from
Švitrigaila gathered his forces in Vitebsk and marched towards Braslaw where he joined with the Livonian forces on August 20.[7] The plan was to march Trakai and Vilnius. The opponents met about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) south of Vilkmergė.[9] At first, the armies were separated by Lake Žirnajai and a marshy creek (Žirnaja or Vintara).[9][1] The armies did not engage each other. After two days, Švitrigaila and Livonian Grand Master Franco Kerskorff decided to change their position and move north towards Vilkmergė.[9] As the army regrouped and was separated by a rivulet, it was attacked by Sigismund Kęstutaitis. Švitrigaila's army was split in half; the first to fall was the flag of Livonian marshal Werner von Nesselrode.[7] In the ensuing panic, Švitrigaila's army was soundly defeated.
Švitrigaila managed to escape to
Aftermath
The battle reduced the power of the Livonian Order as its army was defeated, its Grand Master killed and of its many senior officers killed or taken prisoner.
The peace did not alter borders established by the
Švitrigaila escaped and continued to resist, but he was losing his power in the eastern provinces of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1437, he proposed a compromise to continue to rule
A church was built in the battlefield by Sigismund Kęstutaitis to commemorate his victory. The town of Pabaiskas later grew around the church.[12]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-9986-827-05-4.
- ^ ISBN 9986-810-13-2.
- ISBN 0-19-822136-3.
- ^ ISBN 9986-810-13-2.
- ^ ISBN 0-929700-25-2.
- ^ LCCN 74-114275.
- ^ a b c d e f Mačiukas, Žydrūnas (2015-09-01). "LDK vidaus karo atomazga: Pabaisko mūšio 580-osioms metinėms paminėti" (in Lithuanian). Lietuvos žinios. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2016-06-03.
- ^ ISSN 0134-3084. Archived from the originalon 2011-05-15.
- ^ LCCN 74-114275.
- ^ ISBN 9986-9216-9-4. Archived from the originalon 2008-02-26. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
- ISBN 978-9949-415-84-7.
- ^ "Lankytinos vietos" (in Lithuanian). Utena district municipality. Retrieved 2008-07-03.