. After more than ten years of struggle, Vytautas finally became the Grand Duke of Lithuania and ruled the country for thirty-eight years.
Background
Brothers Algirdas and Kęstutis peacefully co-ruled the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[1] Algirdas, who was the Grand Duke, spent most of his time dealing with the eastern provinces of the Grand Duchy, inhabited by Slavic people of Orthodox faith. Kęstutis in the name of Algirdas handled most of the affairs in the western part, including defense against the Teutonic Knights.[1] Algirdas died in 1377 and left the throne to Jogaila, his eldest son from the second marriage with Uliana of Tver. Kęstutis and Vytautas continued to collaborate with Jogaila even when his right of inheritance was challenged by Andrei of Polotsk, Algirdas' eldest son from his first marriage with Maria of Vitebsk.[2]
The Teutonic Knights continued their crusade against pagan Lithuania. A large campaign was organized in winter of 1378, during which the Teutons reached
Pripyat River.[3] The Livonian Order raided Upytė, and another campaign threatened the capital in Vilnius.[2] In summer 1379, Jogaila's brother Skirgaila was sent to the Knights to discuss the situation, possible ways of converting to Christianity, and termination of the Livonian Order's support to Andrei.[4] The details of the trip however remain unknown; rumors had it that he also visited the Holy Roman Emperor.[5] While the purpose or the outcome of the trip are unclear, it was often cited as the first intrigue behind Kęstutis' back.[6] In the meantime Kęstutis offered to negotiate a truce with the Knights and an exchange of prisoners. On September 29, 1379, a ten-year truce was signed in Trakai. It was the last treaty that Kęstutis and Jogaila signed jointly.[3] It was followed by a three-day secret negotiations between Jogaila and the Knights in Vilnius.[7] However, the truce protected only the Christian lands in the south, while Kęstutis' pagan realms in northern and western Lithuania were still vulnerable to Teutonic attacks.[8]
In February 1380, Jogaila, without Kęstutis, made a five-month truce with the Livonian Order to protect his Lithuanian domains and cease Livonian support to Andrei of Polotsk.
Vytautas and Kęstutis imprisoned by Jogaila. Painting by Wojciech Gerson
In early 1381, without violating the Treaty of Dovydiškės, the Teutonic Knights raided the
komtur of Osterode and godfather of Danutė of Lithuania, informed Kęstutis about the secret treaty.[8] When Kęstutis asked Vytautas if he knew anything about it, he denied any knowledge and suspected a Teutonic trap.[10] In fall 1381, Kęstutis took advantage of Polotsk's rebellion against Skirgaila. Jogaila was away to subdue the rebellion and his absence provided a good opportunity to capture Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy.[11] Kęstutis became the Grand Duke while Jogaila was taken prisoner on his way back to Vilnius.[11][12] Vaidila was executed.[14] Jogaila pledged his loyalty to Kęstutis, was released, and received his patrimony, Kreva and Vitebsk.[2] Kęstutis then resumed war with the Teutonic Knights: his army raided Warmia and attempted to capture Georgenburg (Jurbarkas).[3]
On June 12, 1382, while Kęstutis was away to fight
Galicia–Volhynia.[8] On August 3, 1382, the armies of Kęstutis and Jogaila met near Trakai for a decisive battle, but it never began.[2] According to Teutonic sources, Kęstutis saw that Jogaila, aided by the Teutonic Knights, had superior forces when his Samogitian contingent was reluctant to fight.[2] Both sides agreed to negotiate. Kęstutis and Vytautas arrived in Jogaila's camp, but were arrested and sent to a prison in the Kreva Castle.[11] Their army was disbanded. On August 15, five days after imprisonment, Kęstutis was found dead by Skirgaila.[12] Jogaila claimed that he had hanged himself, but rumors spread that he had been strangled.[5] Jogaila organized a large pagan funeral to Kęstutis: his body was burned along with horses, weapons, and other treasures in Vilnius.[5]
Vytautas' escape
Vytautas remained in prison until fall 1382. He managed to escape with help from his wife
Janusz I of Warsaw, then he turned to Siemowit IV, Duke of Masovia.[17] Eventually he came to his enemies, the Teutonic Knights, asking for protection and military aid against Jogaila. According to Wigand of Marburg, Birutė, mother of Vytautas, was drowned in Brest, likely in response to his escape.[14][18] Two of her relatives, Vidimantas and Butrimas, were also murdered.[14]
The Knights received Vytautas without enthusiasm.
Masovia, that Jogaila had started without consulting the Knights.[17] The Knights also attempted to play Vytautas and Jogaila off against each other.[17] Other historians suggest that Jogaila was already thinking about an alliance with either Moscow or Poland.[8] Eventually, in June 1383, a scheduled meeting between Jogaila and the Grand Master did not take place on a formal pretext and the alliance broke down.[17]
The Knights resumed their war with Lithuania.
Reconciliation
In early September, the Knights and Vytautas briefly took control of Trakai and unsuccessfully attacked Vilnius.
Nevėžis River and including Kaunas.[20] In May 1384, the Knights started constructing a new fortress in Kaunas, called New Marienverder.[21] On June 14, 1384, Vytautas renewed his promises, given in January in Königsberg, in this newly built fortress.[22]
In the meantime Jogaila, probably influenced by his Orthodox mother Uliana of Tver,
Neman River (New Marienburg and Georgenburg).[21] New Marienverder was besieged for six weeks by joint forces of Jogaila and Vytautas before it fell.[13] During these attacks Vytautas captured Marquard von Salzbach
, who later played an important role in Vytautas' relationship with the Knights.
Vytautas returned to Lithuania without a clear written agreement with Jogaila. He received
King of Poland. In August 1385, Jogaila signed the Union of Krewo, promising to Christianize Lithuania, marry Jadwiga, and form a personal union between Lithuania and Poland.[25] In 1386, he was baptized and crowned King. Skirgaila was left as his regent in Lithuania. Taking advantage of Jogaila's absence, Andrei of Polotsk renewed his bid for the throne of Lithuania. During this time Vytautas remained loyal and helped Jogaila and Skirgaila to defeat Andrei.[3]
On April 28, 1387, after Andrei's defeat, Skirgaila received Polotsk and Trakai – thus breaking the promise given to Vytautas that he would receive Trakai when Skirgaila received Polotsk.
Volodymyr-Volynskyi.[3][22] This did not help and the relationship turned sour. At the same time dissatisfaction with Skirgaila's rule continued to grow among the Lithuanians, who resented growing Polish influence in the state. They wanted to maintain Lithuanian legal distinctiveness and reserve offices for the Lithuanians.[26] The duped Teutonic Knights continued to demand Samogitia and continued to wage war. All these circumstances allowed Vytautas to renew his struggle for power. He escaped to the Teutonic Knights for the second time and waged another civil war. It ended with the Ostrów Agreement
of 1392, wherein Vytautas acknowledged fealty to Jogaila and was granted extensive autonomy in Lithuania. Thus he became the Grand Duke of Lithuania and started his 38-year reign.
^ abJonynas, Ignas (1937). "Dovydiškės sutartis". In Vaclovas Biržiška (ed.). Lietuviškoji enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Vol. VI. Kaunas: Spaudos Fondas. pp. 1341–1344.
Duchy of Samogitia
Teutonic State
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
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