Pilėnai

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Siege of Pilėnai
Part of the Lithuanian Crusade
Duke Margiris defending Pilėnai against the Teutonic Order by Władysław Majeranowski [pl] (1817–1874)
Date February 25, 1336 Location Pilėnai Result Decisive Teutonic victory
Belligerents
Teutonic Order	Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Commanders and leaders
Dietrich von Altenburg	Margiris †
Strength
200 nobles; 6,000 total soldiers	4,000 people
Casualties and losses
Minimal	Nearly all

Pilėnai (also Pillenen in German) was a

The only contemporary source that describes the events in greater detail is the chronicle of Wigand of Marburg. However, Wigand's original German text has not survived. His work is known from a Latin translation commissioned by Jan Długosz in 1464. Several excerpts of the original German text were published by Caspar Schütz (died 1594) and Stanislaus Bornbach [de] (died 1597). When Theodor Hirsch prepared Wigand's chronicle for publication in Scriptores Rerum Prussicarum, he included these excerpts alongside the Latin translation. In particular, Hirsch believed that Schütz's text on Pilėnai was more complete and accurate copy of Wigand than the Latin translation. This opinion has been widely accepted and historians used Schütz's text, which paints a much more heroic and dramatic picture of Pilėnai, as Wigand's original. This long-standing belief has been challenged by Lithuanian historian Darius Baronas. He has shown that Schütz's text was an unreliable and embellished retelling of Wigand's work. Therefore, the only reliable source is the Latin translation of Wigand's chronicle.

The Teutonic Order waged the decades-long Lithuanian Crusade against the pagan Grand Duchy of Lithuania in hopes of converting it to Christianity. In early 1336, the Order organized another large campaign into Lithuania. Their force included Louis, Margrave of Brandenburg, counts of Henneberg (most likely Johann I, Count of Henneberg [de])^[1] and Namur (most likely Guy II, Marquis of Namur),^[1] and other nobles from France and Austria.^[2] In total, according to Wigand of Marburg, there were 200 nobles. Another German chronicle, known as Der Chronist von Wolfenbüttel, counted a total of 6,000 soldiers.^[3]

On the feast day of

That is all of the information available from contemporary sources. Later historians and authors added many heroic and dramatic details. For example, they added a large pyre and murder of children and women; the 4,000 people seeking shelter in the fortress became 4,000 armed soldiers; Lithuanians bravely and determinedly defended the fortress but chose death over converting to Christianity and becoming slaves of the Order; Margiris cut his wife in half and then killed himself; the Teutonic soldiers were moved by the terrible sight and noble sacrifice and returned to Prussia without loot. Possibly some of these details were inspired by similar events from the antiquity, including mass suicides in Astapa following the destruction of Illiturgis (206 BC), to "death or victory" defense of Abydos (200 BC), and mass suicide during the desperate siege of Masada (c. 74 CE).^[4]

It is difficult, if not impossible, to objectively evaluate the events as all that is known about Pilėnai comes from a single source, a German chronicler who saw Lithuanians as heathens and enemies. While there is written evidence about suicides in medieval Lithuania, Pilėnai is the only known instance where a ruler killed his own men.^[4]

The exact location of Pilėnai is unknown and historians propose many different locations. Annalista Thorunensis and Wigand of Marburg mentioned that it was located in Trapėnai land (terra Troppen) but its location is also unknown.

Maciej Stryjkowski (1547–1593) identified Punia as the location of Pilėnai (54°30′43″N 24°05′25″E / 54.51194°N 24.09028°E / 54.51194; 24.09028 (Punia)).^[5] This opinion, while not based on any historical arguments, spread widely to historical works and was popularized by various works of fiction.^[5] Punia hill fort became known as Margiris Hill^[6] and in 1973 a monument was erected in memory of Margiris^[7] (the monument is inscribed with four lines from a poem by Maironis).^[2] The town organizes events to commemorate the events of 1336.^[6]

Based on superficial etymological connections,

According to Zabiela's survey in 1995, the fifth hill fort, Ižiniškiai (55°24′25″N 22°48′53″E / 55.40694°N 22.81472°E / 55.40694; 22.81472 (Ižiniškiai hill fort)), is now severely damaged by erosion and human activities but was a strong hill fort with a large settlement.

The heroic defense of Pilėnai inspired many artistic works. The events were described by Władysław Syrokomla in his epic poem Margier (1855). The 4000-line poem inspired an opera by Konstanty Gorski which premiered in 1927. The poem also prompted novel Kunigas (1881) by Józef Ignacy Kraszewski. This novel, in turn, inspired an opera by Marcelinas Šikšnys (1905).^[18] In 1933, Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius published a collection of legends from Dainava, including a story about Pilėnai. Maironis and Paulius Širvys composed short poems on the events.^[18]

The opera Pilėnai was written by the musical composer Vytautas Klova, and the libretto was written by Jonas Mackonis. The opera premiered in 1956, and is often performed in Lithuania. In 2001 the performances took place at the Trakai Island Castle. The Lithuanian Opera Company of Chicago performed the work in 2006 to commemorate its 50th anniversary.

In 2002, there was a proposal to create Duke Margiris state award for defending Lithuanian independence with emphasis on loyalty and sacrifice.^[19] It was intended for members of armed and unarmed resistance during the Soviet and Nazi Germany occupations in 1940–90.^[19]

The story of Pilėnai spread from one history book to another, from Simon Grunau, Maciej Stryjkowski, Albert Wijuk Kojałowicz, to Teodor Narbutt, but these are just retellings and embellishments of Wigand's original information.