De moribus tartarorum, lituanorum et moscorum

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Title page of the book (1615)

De moribus tartarorum, lituanorum et moscorum ("On the Customs of Tatars, Lithuanians and Muscovites") is a 16th-century Latin treatise by Michalo Lituanus ("Michael the Lithuanian"). The work, which was originally dedicated to King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund II Augustus, survived only in ten fragments that were first published in 1615 by Johann Jacob Grasser in Basel, Switzerland.[1]

Content

The treatise is thought to date from around 1550: the author's ideas and writing style show the clear influence of humanism.

While the treatise contains some useful historical information, this should be treated with care. The work is neither a

Vytautas the Great, when the ruling class supposedly did not pursue self-interests, and instead served the state.[1]

Michalo supports the theory that the Lithuanian nation was founded by the legendary dynasty of the Palemonids from the late Roman Empire, and he proposes introducing Latin as the Grand Duchy's official language, thereby restoring forgotten ancestral traditions.[1] As proof of the similarity between Lithuanian and Latin, Michalo includes a list of 74 words that are similar in the two languages. He also compares ancient Roman traditions with pagan Lithuanian customs.[1]

Author

The identity of the author -- also known as Mýkolas Lietùvis, Michalo Lituanus, Michałon (Michalon) Litwin, and Michalo the Lithuanian -- is not known. In the book's title his name is given in the

Catholic. Polish historian Jerzy Ochmański [pl] has proposed notary Vatslav Nikolayevich (Vaclovas Mikalojaitis or Wacław Nikołajewicz, c. 1490 – c. 1560) from Maišiagala.[3]

Nikolayevich began to serve

Grand Duke's Chancery. He was an envoy of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to Moscow in 1537 and 1555–56, and to Crimea in 1543.[4]

Notes

  1. ^
    LCCN 74-114275
    .
  2. ^ Introduction to the Russian translation: Михалон Литвин. О нравах татар, литовцев и москвитян. Moscow 1994
  3. ^
    LCCN 86232954
    .
  4. ^ a b Gudavičius, Edvardas (25 May 2009). "Mykolas Lietuvis". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras.

References

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