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Lithuanian Civil War (1432–1438)

April 30, 2023

The Lithuanian Civil War of 1432–1438[1] was a war of succession to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, after Vytautas the Great died in 1430 without leaving an heir.[2][3][4] The war was fought on the one side by Švitrigaila, allied with the Teutonic Knights, and on the other by Sigismund Kęstutaitis, backed by the Kingdom of Poland. The war threatened to sever the Union of Krewo, the personal union between Poland and Lithuania.[2] Švitrigaila's alliance with the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Paul von Rusdorf, launched the Polish–Teutonic War (1431–1435) but failed to secure victory for Švitrigaila.[5]

Lithuanian Civil War

Monument at the field of the Battle of Wiłkomierz
DateAugust 1432 – 1438
Location
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Result Švitrigaila's defeat
Belligerents

Support:

Support:

Commanders and leaders

When Sigismund seized power in Lithuania by staging a coup in 1432, Lithuania split into two opposing camps, and there began three years of devastating hostilities. To prevent the Knights from continuing their support of Švitrigaila, Poland backed a Hussite invasion of Prussia in 1433.[6] The war ended in a decisive defeat for Švitrigaila and his ally, the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Knights, at the Battle of Wiłkomierz in September 1435. Švitrigaila eventually surrendered in 1437; Sigismund Kęstutaitis ruled Lithuania for only eight years before he was assassinated in 1440.

Prelude

See also: Lithuanian Civil War (1381–1384), Lithuanian Civil War (1389–1392), and Andrei of Polotsk

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland had created several tenuous unions in the decades preceding the conflict, including the 1385 Union of Krewo, the 1392 Ostrów Agreement, and the 1413 Union of Horodło. The two states had successfully joined forces against a common enemy, the Teutonic Knights, at the 1410 Battle of Grunwald. The Knights' defeat in the battle weakened but did not completely vanquish their military power and they continued to engage in lesser conflicts.[7] Internal tensions within the tentatively unified state persisted after the battle. While Jogaila (Jagiełło) and Vytautas had converted to Roman Catholicism, the Eastern Orthodox elite, along with some Lithuanian magnates, opposed a closer union with Poland.[citation needed]

On 27 October 1430 Vytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithuania, suddenly died without leaving an heir or a will. His coronation as King of Lithuania had been scheduled for September 1430, but the Poles had prevented the crown from reaching Lithuania.[8] Vytautas' only daughter, Sophia of Lithuania, had married Vasily I of Moscow and had only one surviving son, Vasily II. He was Orthodox and could not lead the recently Christianized Catholic Grand Duchy.[9] Their adherence to the Orthodox faith also prevented many other Gediminids from becoming pretenders to the throne. There were two most suitable Catholic candidates: Vytautas' brother and legal heir, Sigismund Kęstutaitis, and Vytautas' cousin Švitrigaila.[9]

The Lithuanian nobles unilaterally elected Švitrigaila as the new Grand Duke.[9] This violated the terms of the Union of Horodło of 1413, wherein the Lithuanians had pledged not to elect a new Grand Duke without the approval of the Kingdom of Poland.[9] At the time Jogaila (Jagiełło), King of Poland and brother of Švitrigaila, was in Lithuania and participated in the funeral of Vytautas. On 7 November 1430, he announced that he approved the election and that Polish–Lithuanian relationship would be formally determined on 15 August 1431.[10] However, an armed conflict erupted due to territorial disputes in Podolia and Volhynia, which, according to the understanding of the Polish nobility, under the terms of a 1411 agreement, were to have been ruled by Lithuania only during the lifetime of Vytautas.[9]

Lutsk War

See also: Polish–Teutonic War (1431–35)
 
Švitrigaila as portrayed by Alexander Guagnini

When Polish troops invaded Podolia, Švitrigaila arrested his brother Jogaila, King of Poland, in Vilnius.[11] Jogaila was released when he promised to return Podolia to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Polish nobility, led by Zbigniew Oleśnicki, gathered in Sandomierz in February 1431.[11] Outraged, they voided the King's promises and demanded that Švitrigaila acknowledge his fealty to Jogaila.[9] Švitrigaila refused, professed full independence, and even asked Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund to send him the crown that had been intended for Vytautas.[12] In the same letter, Švitrigaila promised his loyalty to Sigismund and discussed a possible marriage to a daughter of Voivode of Moldavia.[10]

Švitrigaila began organizing a wider anti-Polish coalition.[13] He negotiated with the Teutonic Knights, with Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, with Moldavia, with the Golden Horde, and with the dukes of the eastern lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[9] The most promising prospect as an ally was the Teutonic Order, which was seeking to undo the Polish–Lithuanian union that had led to the Order's defeat at the Battle of Grunwald (1410).[6] In June 1431 the Teutonic Knights and Švitrigaila signed the Treaty of Christmemel.[9] Švitrigaila's cause was also aided by Moldavian forces led by Alexander the Good, who attacked Poland in the southeast.[13]

On 25 June 1431, the Polish army invaded Volhynia.[11] They captured part of Volhynia, Horodło, Volodymyr-Volynskyi, and Zbarazh, and defeated Švitrigaila's men near Lutsk. However, the Poles did not succeed in capturing Lubart's Castle.[11] At the same time, pursuant to the Treaty of Christmemel, the Teutonic Knights declared war and invaded Poland.[12] Finding little opposition, the Knights ravaged Dobrzyń Land, taking the town of Nieszawa, and tried to move on to the Kuyavia and Krajna regions. However, the Teutonic army was defeated on 13 September 1431 at Dąbki, near Nakel (now Nakło nad Notecią).[14] Švitrigaila, who was besieged in the Lubart's Castle, offered to negotiate peace on 20 August.[11] An agreement was reached on 26 August, thus ending the so-called Lutsk War.[11] A formal truce was signed at Staryi Chortoryisk on 1 September until 24 June 1433.[15] The agreement was more favorable to Poland.[9] The truce did not solve the underlying dispute, however. The war was transformed into a diplomatic struggle, as Poland sought to turn the Lithuanian nobles against Švitrigaila.[15]

Coup in Lithuania

 
Royal seal of Sigismund Kęstutaitis

In April 1432 at Sieradz, the Poles offered to Švitrigaila the same deal as Vytautas had during his reign: Švitrigaila would be the Grand Duke and Jogaila would be the Supreme Duke and after Švitrigaila's death Lithuanian throne would revert to one of Jogaila's sons.[9] Švitrigaila ostensibly refused the offer crystallizing local resistance.[16] On 31 August 1432, conspirators, including Semen Olshanski, Petras Mangirdaitis, and Jonas Goštautas,[10] attacked Švitrigaila and his escort at Ashmyany, where they were staying the night.[15] Švitrigaila and some of his supporters, including Jurgis Gedgaudas and Jonas Manvydas, managed to escape to Polotsk while his pregnant wife was detained.[16] The conspirators installed Sigismund Kęstutaitis, brother of Vytautas, as the new Grand Duke. It is unclear what groups supported Sigismund or why. Possibly some Lithuanian nobles were displeased with favors that Švitrigaila had granted to the Orthodox dukes, but prior to the coup no opposition had manifested itself.[9] Sigismund, who had not played a major role in Lithuanian politics before the coup,[9] and who had initially supported Švitrigaila,[17] resumed the policy of union with Poland.[12] On 15 October 1432 he signed the Union of Grodno, which in essence confirmed the Union of Vilnius and Radom (1401) and granted Sigismund the same rights as Vytautas had enjoyed during his reign.[15] Following Sigismund's death, Lithuania was to return to the King of Poland. Sigismund also made territorial concessions to Poland in disputed Podolia and Volhynia.[17]

To win support from the nobles, in May 1434 Sigismund granted a privilege to both Catholic and Orthodox nobles.[17] The privilege guaranteed their right to buy, sell, exchange, gift, and inherit land. The veldamas, a class of dependent peasants, were released from taxes and obligations to the state—all their earnings now belonged to the nobles.[18] No noble was to be punished or imprisoned for crimes without a court order.[17] Lithuania divided into two camps: supporters of Sigismund (the Lithuanian lands, Samogitia, Trakai Voivodeship, and Minsk); and supporters of Švitrigaila (Polotsk, Vitebsk, Smolensk, Kiev, Volhynia).[9] There began three years of devastating hostilities. On 8 December 1432 the armies of Švitrigaila and Sigismund met in the Battle of Ašmena. Švitrigaila had enlisted the aid of Sayid Ahmad I, Khan of the Golden Horde,[19] and wrote to Pope Eugene IV and Council of Florence hoping to gain their support by promising a church union.[10] He planned to attack the Grand Duchy's capital, Vilnius, and resume the throne.[19] Both sides suffered heavy losses, and final victory went to Sigismund.[13] The Teutonic Order officially observed the truce, but continued its secret support for Švitrigaila, mostly through its Livonian branch.[6]

Hussite invasion of Prussia

Main article: Hussite Wars

In June 1433 Poland allied itself with the Czech Hussites in order to stop the Teutonic Order from sending secret support to Švitrigaila via its Livonian branch.[6][20] The Teutonic Knights had supported the Pope and Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund against the heretic Hussites during the Hussite Wars. During their last and largest "beautiful ride",[6][21] the Czech forces under Jan Čapek of Sány were also supported by Pomeranian Duke Bogusław IX of the Duchy of Stolp (Słupsk).[22] For four months the Hussite army ravaged Teutonic territories in Neumark, Pomerania, and western Prussia.[5] They attacked Konitz (now Chojnice), Schwetz (now Świecie) and Danzig (now Gdańsk).[23] They captured several towns and castles, including Dirschau (now Tczew) on 29 August 1433.[20][24] Despite their failed siege of Danzig, the Hussites celebrated their "beautiful ride" by symbolically filling their bottles with water from the Baltic Sea.[24]

On 13 September 1433 a truce was signed at Jasiniec. Polish–Teutonic negotiations continued at Brześć Kujawski, and Hussite–Catholic negotiations continued at the Council of Florence and at the Czech Diet in Prague.[23] The Polish-led invasion of Neumark and Pomerania had proven successful, cutting the Teutonic Order off from support from the Holy Roman Empire, and convincing the Order to sign a treaty with the Poles.[20] On 15 December 1433, twelve-year Truce of Łęczyca was signed between the Poles and the Order at Łęczyca[20] (leading some Polish historians to divide this Polish–Teutonic War into two wars: in 1431–1433; and in 1435).[25] The Teutonic Knights agreed to most of the Polish demands, including that the Order cease its support for Švitrigaila, each side would control the territories that it occupied until a peace was signed (uti possidetis), and no party would seek mediation by foreign powers in order to alter this truce.[26][27] This marked the end of the war on Polish soil; the struggle on Lithuanian lands would continue for two more years,[28] as the truce with Poland did not extend to the Livonian Order.[26]

Decisive battle

Main article: Battle of Wiłkomierz

In July and August 1433, Švitrigaila and his Livonian allies raided Lida, Kreva and Eišiškės and devastated the suburbs of Vilnius, Trakai and Kaunas.[13] The hostilities were briefly stopped by horse plague.[13] When Jogaila died in May 1434, the Order resumed its backing for Švitrigaila,[29] who rallied his supporters, including knights from the Livonian Order, the Orthodox dukes, and his nephew Sigismund Korybut, a distinguished military commander of the Hussites.[30] In July 1435, Švitrigaila foiled a coup against him in Smolensk.[10] Coup leader Orthodox bishop Gerasim, consecrated as Metropolitan of Moscow in 1432, was burned at the stake.[31] The final battle at Wiłkomierz (Vilkomir, Vilkmergė) was fought in September 1435, northwest of Vilnius. It is estimated to have involved 30,000 men on both sides.[32] Švitrigaila's army, led by Sigismund Korybut, was split by the attacking Lithuanian–Polish army, led by Michael Žygimantaitis, and soundly defeated.[32]

Švitrigaila, with a small group of followers, managed to escape to Polotsk. The Livonian Order had suffered a great defeat, sometimes compared to that which had been inflicted on the Teutonic Knights at Grunwald in 1410.[29][32] On 31 December 1435 the Teutonic Knights signed a peace treaty at Brześć Kujawski. They agreed to cease their support for Švitrigaila, and in the future to support only Grand Dukes who had been properly elected jointly by Poland and Lithuania. The treaty did not change the borders that had been set by the Treaty of Melno in 1422.[33] The Peace of Brześć Kujawski showed that the Teutonic Knights had lost their universal missionary status.[9] The Teutonic and Livonian Orders no longer interfered in Polish–Lithuanian affairs; instead, Poland and Lithuania would involve themselves in the Thirteen Years' War (1454–66), the civil war that would tear Prussia in half.[5]

Aftermath

Švitrigaila was losing his influence in the Slavic principalities and could no longer resist Poland and Sigismund. On 4 September 1437 he attempted to reconcile with Poland: he would rule the lands that still backed him (chiefly Kiev and Volhynia), and after his death these territories would pass to the King of Poland.[34] However, under strong protest from Sigismund, the Polish Senate declined to ratify the treaty .[13] In 1438 Švitrigaila withdrew to Moldavia.[35] The reign of Sigismund Kęstutaitis was brief — he was assassinated in 1440. Švitrigaila returned from exile in 1442 and ruled Lutsk until his death a decade later.[13]

Jogaila's son Casimir IV Jagiellon, born in 1426, received approval as a hereditary hospodar from Lithuania's ruling families in 1440.[36] This event is seen by the historians Jerzy Lukowski and Hubert Zawadzki as marking the end of the succession dispute.[36]

See also

References

  1. ^ Polekhov, Sergey V. (2015). Наследники Витовта. Династическая война в Великом княжестве Литовском в 30-е годы XV века [Vytautas' Successors. The Dynastic War in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the Third Decade of the 15th Century] (in Russian). Moscow: Indrik. pp. 13, 16.
  2. ^ a b Rowell, S. C. (1994). Lithuania ascending: a pagan empire within east-central Europe, 1295–1345. Cambridge University Press. p. 69. ISBN 9780521450119. On the civil war in Lithuania between Švitrigaila and Jogaila Algirdaičiai and Žygimantas Kestutaitis which almost destroyed the union of Lithuania with Poland, see...
  3. ^ Vauchez, André; Dobson, Richard Barrie; Lapidge, Michael (2000). Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages, Volume 1. Routledge. p. 163. ISBN 9781579582821. After the death in 1430 of Vitold (Vytautas), who had governed the Grand Duchy under the nominal sovereignty of Jagiello, discrimination against the Ruthenians led to a civil war.
  4. ^ Greenbaum, Masha (1995). The Jews of Lithuania: a history of a remarkable community, 1316–1945. Gefen Publishing House. p. 10. ISBN 9789652291325. One year before his death in 1430, Vytautas reconfirmed the union with Poland. His death triggered a civil war...
  5. ^ a b c Christiansen, Eric (1997). The Northern Crusades. London: Penguin Books. pp. 242–243. ISBN 0-14-026653-4.
  6. ^ a b c d e Urban, William (2003). Tannenberg and After. Chicago: Lithuanian Research and Studies Center. pp. 306–308. ISBN 0-929700-25-2.
  7. ^ France, John (2005). The Crusades and the expansion of Catholic Christendom, 1000-1714. Routledge. p. 265. ISBN 978-0-415-37128-5. The costs of these troops and the nagging wars with Poland, which ended indecisively in 1435, bore heavily upon the cities, merchants, and knightly settlers in Prussia, with the result that the Grand Master found ever more resistance to his central and despotic control.
  8. ^ Koncius, Joseph B. (1964). Vytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithuania. Miami: Franklin Press. pp. 182–184. LCCN 66089704.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Kiaupa, Zigmantas; Kiaupienė, Jūratė; Kuncevičius, Albinas (2000) [1995]. The History of Lithuania Before 1795 (English ed.). Vilnius: Lithuanian Institute of History. pp. 205–211. ISBN 9986-810-13-2.
  10. ^ a b c d e Petrauskas, Rimvydas; Kiaupienė, Jūratė (2009). Lietuvos istorija. Nauji horizontai: dinastija, visoumenė, valstybė (in Lithuanian). Vol. IV. Baltos lankos. pp. 388–392. ISBN 978-9955-23-239-1.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Jučas, Mečislovas (2000). Lietuvos ir Lenkijos unija (in Lithuanian). Aidai. pp. 165–167. ISBN 9986-590-95-7.
  12. ^ a b c Gieysztor, Aleksander (1998). "The kingdom of Poland and the grand duchy of Lithuania, 1370–1506". The New Cambridge Medieval History, c.1415–c.1500. Vol. 7. Cambridge University Press. pp. 734–735. ISBN 0-521-38296-3.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Sužiedėlis, Simas, ed. (1970–1978). "Švitrigaila". Encyclopedia Lituanica. Vol. V. Boston, Massachusetts: Juozas Kapočius. pp. 348–350. LCCN 74-114275.
  14. ^ Biskup, Marian (1967). "Najazd krzyżacki na Polskę i bitwa pod Dąbkami 1431". Zeszyty Naukowe Wojskowej Akademii Politycznej (in Polish). Historia (15).
  15. ^ a b c d Kiaupienė, Jūratė (2002). . Gimtoji istorija. Nuo 7 iki 12 klasės (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Elektroninės leidybos namai. ISBN 9986-9216-9-4. Archived from the original on 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  16. ^ a b Frost, Robert (2015). The Making of the Polish-Lithuanian Union 1385–1569. Oxford History of Early Modern Europe. Vol. I. Oxford University Press. p. 170. ISBN 9780191017872.
  17. ^ a b c d Sužiedėlis, Simas, ed. (1970–1978). "Žygimantas". Encyclopedia Lituanica. Vol. VI. Boston, Massachusetts: Juozas Kapočius. pp. 361–363. LCCN 74-114275.
  18. ^ Tarvydienė, Marytė Elena (2007). (in Lithuanian). Lithuanian University of Agriculture. pp. 22–24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-22.
  19. ^ a b Zinkus, Jonas; et al., eds. (1985–1988). "Ašmenos mūšis". Tarybų Lietuvos enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Vol. I. Vilnius, Lithuania: Vyriausioji enciklopedijų redakcija. p. 115. LCCN 86232954.
  20. ^ a b c d Rynarzewski, Maciej. (PDF). Polskie Towarzystwo Historyczne Oddział w Olsztynie. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2009. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  21. ^ Turnbull, Stephen; McBride, Angus (2004). The Hussite Wars 1419–36. Osprey Publishing. p. 15. ISBN 1-84176-665-8.
  22. ^ Prochaska, Antoni (1908). Król Władysław Jagiełło (in Polish). Kraków: Akademia Umiejętności. p. 265. OCLC 13016756.
  23. ^ a b Urban, William (2003). Tannenberg and After. Chicago: Lithuanian Research and Studies Center. pp. 347–350. ISBN 0-929700-25-2.
  24. ^ a b Turnbull, Stephen (2003). Tannenberg 1410: Disaster for the Teutonic Knights. Oxford: Osprey. pp. 84–85. ISBN 1-84176-561-9.
  25. ^ Giertych, Jędrzej; Carroll, Brazilla (1958). Poland and Germany: A Reply to Congressman B. Carrol Reece of Tennessee. Jędrzej Giertych. p. 37. OCLC 4169234.
  26. ^ a b Koneczny, Feliks (1903). Dzieje polski za Jagiellonow (in Polish). Kraków: Nakładem Krakowskiego Towarzystwa Oświaty Ludowej. p. 123. OCLC 123147077.
  27. ^ Rogalski, Leon (1846). Dzieje Krzyżaków: oraz ich stosunki z Polska̜, Litwa̜ i Prussami (in Polish). Vol. II. Warsaw: Nakł. i drukiem S. Orgelbranda. p. 210. OCLC 38718035.
  28. ^ "Wojny polsko-krzyżackie" (in Polish). Encyklopedia WIEM. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  29. ^ a b Urban, William (2003). Tannenberg and After. Chicago: Lithuanian Research and Studies Center. p. 311. ISBN 0-929700-25-2.
  30. ^ Piročkinas, Arnoldas (1999). . Mokslas Ir Gyvenimas (in Lithuanian). 10 (502). ISSN 0134-3084. Archived from the original on 2011-05-15.
  31. ^ Curtin, Jeremiah (1908). The Mongols in Russia. Little Brown. p. 427. OCLC 1314175.
  32. ^ a b c Sužiedėlis, Simas, ed. (1970–1978). "Pabaiskas, Battle of". Encyclopedia Lituanica. Vol. IV. Boston, Massachusetts: Juozas Kapočius. pp. 140–141. LCCN 74-114275.
  33. ^ Kamuntavičius, Rūstis; Kamuntavičienė, Vaida; Civinskas, Remigijus; Antanaitis, Kastytis (2001). Lietuvos istorija 11–12 klasėms (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Vaga. p. 92. ISBN 5-415-01502-7.
  34. ^ Dundulis, Bronius (2004). "Švitrigaila". In Vytautas Spečiūnas (ed.). Lietuvos valdovai (XIII-XVIII a.): enciklopedinis žinynas (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas. pp. 91–93. ISBN 5-420-01535-8.
  35. ^ Urban, William (2003). Tannenberg and After. Chicago: Lithuanian Research and Studies Center. p. 313. ISBN 0-929700-25-2.
  36. ^ a b Lukowski, Jerzy; Zawadzki, Hubert (2001). A concise history of Poland. Cambridge University Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-521-55917-1.

Further reading

  • Grodecki, Roman; Zachorowski, Stanisław; Dąbrowski, Jan (1995) [1926]. Dzieje Polski Średniowiecznej (in Polish). Vol. 2. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Platan. pp. 103–125. ISBN 83-7052-230-0.
  • Biskup, Marian; Labuda, Gerard (1986). Dzieje zakonu krzyżackiego w Prusach (in Polish). Gdańsk: Wydawnictwo Morskie.

April 30, 2023
lithuanian, civil, 1432, 1438, lithuanian, civil, 1432, 1438, succession, throne, grand, duchy, lithuania, after, vytautas, great, died, 1430, without, leaving, heir, fought, side, Švitrigaila, allied, with, teutonic, knights, other, sigismund, kęstutaitis, ba. The Lithuanian Civil War of 1432 1438 1 was a war of succession to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania after Vytautas the Great died in 1430 without leaving an heir 2 3 4 The war was fought on the one side by Svitrigaila allied with the Teutonic Knights and on the other by Sigismund Kestutaitis backed by the Kingdom of Poland The war threatened to sever the Union of Krewo the personal union between Poland and Lithuania 2 Svitrigaila s alliance with the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order Paul von Rusdorf launched the Polish Teutonic War 1431 1435 but failed to secure victory for Svitrigaila 5 Lithuanian Civil WarMonument at the field of the Battle of WilkomierzDateAugust 1432 1438LocationGrand Duchy of LithuaniaResultSvitrigaila s defeatBelligerentsGrand Duchy of Rusʹ Svitrigaila s supporters Teutonic Order Livonian OrderGolden Horde Principality of MoldaviaSupport Hussite BohemiaGrand Duchy of Lithuania Sigismund s supporters Kingdom of PolandSupport Orphans Hussite mercenaries Commanders and leadersSvitrigaila Sigismund Korybut Paul von Rusdorf Franco Kerskorff Sigismund Kestutaitis Michael Zygimantaitis Jogaila Jan Capek of Sany When Sigismund seized power in Lithuania by staging a coup in 1432 Lithuania split into two opposing camps and there began three years of devastating hostilities To prevent the Knights from continuing their support of Svitrigaila Poland backed a Hussite invasion of Prussia in 1433 6 The war ended in a decisive defeat for Svitrigaila and his ally the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Wilkomierz in September 1435 Svitrigaila eventually surrendered in 1437 Sigismund Kestutaitis ruled Lithuania for only eight years before he was assassinated in 1440 Contents 1 Prelude 2 Lutsk War 3 Coup in Lithuania 4 Hussite invasion of Prussia 5 Decisive battle 6 Aftermath 7 See also 8 References 9 Further readingPrelude EditSee also Lithuanian Civil War 1381 1384 Lithuanian Civil War 1389 1392 and Andrei of Polotsk The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland had created several tenuous unions in the decades preceding the conflict including the 1385 Union of Krewo the 1392 Ostrow Agreement and the 1413 Union of Horodlo The two states had successfully joined forces against a common enemy the Teutonic Knights at the 1410 Battle of Grunwald The Knights defeat in the battle weakened but did not completely vanquish their military power and they continued to engage in lesser conflicts 7 Internal tensions within the tentatively unified state persisted after the battle While Jogaila Jagiello and Vytautas had converted to Roman Catholicism the Eastern Orthodox elite along with some Lithuanian magnates opposed a closer union with Poland citation needed On 27 October 1430 Vytautas the Great Grand Duke of Lithuania suddenly died without leaving an heir or a will His coronation as King of Lithuania had been scheduled for September 1430 but the Poles had prevented the crown from reaching Lithuania 8 Vytautas only daughter Sophia of Lithuania had married Vasily I of Moscow and had only one surviving son Vasily II He was Orthodox and could not lead the recently Christianized Catholic Grand Duchy 9 Their adherence to the Orthodox faith also prevented many other Gediminids from becoming pretenders to the throne There were two most suitable Catholic candidates Vytautas brother and legal heir Sigismund Kestutaitis and Vytautas cousin Svitrigaila 9 The Lithuanian nobles unilaterally elected Svitrigaila as the new Grand Duke 9 This violated the terms of the Union of Horodlo of 1413 wherein the Lithuanians had pledged not to elect a new Grand Duke without the approval of the Kingdom of Poland 9 At the time Jogaila Jagiello King of Poland and brother of Svitrigaila was in Lithuania and participated in the funeral of Vytautas On 7 November 1430 he announced that he approved the election and that Polish Lithuanian relationship would be formally determined on 15 August 1431 10 However an armed conflict erupted due to territorial disputes in Podolia and Volhynia which according to the understanding of the Polish nobility under the terms of a 1411 agreement were to have been ruled by Lithuania only during the lifetime of Vytautas 9 Lutsk War EditSee also Polish Teutonic War 1431 35 Svitrigaila as portrayed by Alexander Guagnini When Polish troops invaded Podolia Svitrigaila arrested his brother Jogaila King of Poland in Vilnius 11 Jogaila was released when he promised to return Podolia to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania The Polish nobility led by Zbigniew Olesnicki gathered in Sandomierz in February 1431 11 Outraged they voided the King s promises and demanded that Svitrigaila acknowledge his fealty to Jogaila 9 Svitrigaila refused professed full independence and even asked Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund to send him the crown that had been intended for Vytautas 12 In the same letter Svitrigaila promised his loyalty to Sigismund and discussed a possible marriage to a daughter of Voivode of Moldavia 10 Svitrigaila began organizing a wider anti Polish coalition 13 He negotiated with the Teutonic Knights with Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund with Moldavia with the Golden Horde and with the dukes of the eastern lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania 9 The most promising prospect as an ally was the Teutonic Order which was seeking to undo the Polish Lithuanian union that had led to the Order s defeat at the Battle of Grunwald 1410 6 In June 1431 the Teutonic Knights and Svitrigaila signed the Treaty of Christmemel 9 Svitrigaila s cause was also aided by Moldavian forces led by Alexander the Good who attacked Poland in the southeast 13 On 25 June 1431 the Polish army invaded Volhynia 11 They captured part of Volhynia Horodlo Volodymyr Volynskyi and Zbarazh and defeated Svitrigaila s men near Lutsk However the Poles did not succeed in capturing Lubart s Castle 11 At the same time pursuant to the Treaty of Christmemel the Teutonic Knights declared war and invaded Poland 12 Finding little opposition the Knights ravaged Dobrzyn Land taking the town of Nieszawa and tried to move on to the Kuyavia and Krajna regions However the Teutonic army was defeated on 13 September 1431 at Dabki near Nakel now Naklo nad Notecia 14 Svitrigaila who was besieged in the Lubart s Castle offered to negotiate peace on 20 August 11 An agreement was reached on 26 August thus ending the so called Lutsk War 11 A formal truce was signed at Staryi Chortoryisk on 1 September until 24 June 1433 15 The agreement was more favorable to Poland 9 The truce did not solve the underlying dispute however The war was transformed into a diplomatic struggle as Poland sought to turn the Lithuanian nobles against Svitrigaila 15 Coup in Lithuania Edit Royal seal of Sigismund Kestutaitis In April 1432 at Sieradz the Poles offered to Svitrigaila the same deal as Vytautas had during his reign Svitrigaila would be the Grand Duke and Jogaila would be the Supreme Duke and after Svitrigaila s death Lithuanian throne would revert to one of Jogaila s sons 9 Svitrigaila ostensibly refused the offer crystallizing local resistance 16 On 31 August 1432 conspirators including Semen Olshanski Petras Mangirdaitis and Jonas Gostautas 10 attacked Svitrigaila and his escort at Ashmyany where they were staying the night 15 Svitrigaila and some of his supporters including Jurgis Gedgaudas and Jonas Manvydas managed to escape to Polotsk while his pregnant wife was detained 16 The conspirators installed Sigismund Kestutaitis brother of Vytautas as the new Grand Duke It is unclear what groups supported Sigismund or why Possibly some Lithuanian nobles were displeased with favors that Svitrigaila had granted to the Orthodox dukes but prior to the coup no opposition had manifested itself 9 Sigismund who had not played a major role in Lithuanian politics before the coup 9 and who had initially supported Svitrigaila 17 resumed the policy of union with Poland 12 On 15 October 1432 he signed the Union of Grodno which in essence confirmed the Union of Vilnius and Radom 1401 and granted Sigismund the same rights as Vytautas had enjoyed during his reign 15 Following Sigismund s death Lithuania was to return to the King of Poland Sigismund also made territorial concessions to Poland in disputed Podolia and Volhynia 17 To win support from the nobles in May 1434 Sigismund granted a privilege to both Catholic and Orthodox nobles 17 The privilege guaranteed their right to buy sell exchange gift and inherit land The veldamas a class of dependent peasants were released from taxes and obligations to the state all their earnings now belonged to the nobles 18 No noble was to be punished or imprisoned for crimes without a court order 17 Lithuania divided into two camps supporters of Sigismund the Lithuanian lands Samogitia Trakai Voivodeship and Minsk and supporters of Svitrigaila Polotsk Vitebsk Smolensk Kiev Volhynia 9 There began three years of devastating hostilities On 8 December 1432 the armies of Svitrigaila and Sigismund met in the Battle of Asmena Svitrigaila had enlisted the aid of Sayid Ahmad I Khan of the Golden Horde 19 and wrote to Pope Eugene IV and Council of Florence hoping to gain their support by promising a church union 10 He planned to attack the Grand Duchy s capital Vilnius and resume the throne 19 Both sides suffered heavy losses and final victory went to Sigismund 13 The Teutonic Order officially observed the truce but continued its secret support for Svitrigaila mostly through its Livonian branch 6 Hussite invasion of Prussia EditMain article Hussite Wars In June 1433 Poland allied itself with the Czech Hussites in order to stop the Teutonic Order from sending secret support to Svitrigaila via its Livonian branch 6 20 The Teutonic Knights had supported the Pope and Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund against the heretic Hussites during the Hussite Wars During their last and largest beautiful ride 6 21 the Czech forces under Jan Capek of Sany were also supported by Pomeranian Duke Boguslaw IX of the Duchy of Stolp Slupsk 22 For four months the Hussite army ravaged Teutonic territories in Neumark Pomerania and western Prussia 5 They attacked Konitz now Chojnice Schwetz now Swiecie and Danzig now Gdansk 23 They captured several towns and castles including Dirschau now Tczew on 29 August 1433 20 24 Despite their failed siege of Danzig the Hussites celebrated their beautiful ride by symbolically filling their bottles with water from the Baltic Sea 24 On 13 September 1433 a truce was signed at Jasiniec Polish Teutonic negotiations continued at Brzesc Kujawski and Hussite Catholic negotiations continued at the Council of Florence and at the Czech Diet in Prague 23 The Polish led invasion of Neumark and Pomerania had proven successful cutting the Teutonic Order off from support from the Holy Roman Empire and convincing the Order to sign a treaty with the Poles 20 On 15 December 1433 twelve year Truce of Leczyca was signed between the Poles and the Order at Leczyca 20 leading some Polish historians to divide this Polish Teutonic War into two wars in 1431 1433 and in 1435 25 The Teutonic Knights agreed to most of the Polish demands including that the Order cease its support for Svitrigaila each side would control the territories that it occupied until a peace was signed uti possidetis and no party would seek mediation by foreign powers in order to alter this truce 26 27 This marked the end of the war on Polish soil the struggle on Lithuanian lands would continue for two more years 28 as the truce with Poland did not extend to the Livonian Order 26 Decisive battle EditMain article Battle of Wilkomierz In July and August 1433 Svitrigaila and his Livonian allies raided Lida Kreva and Eisiskes and devastated the suburbs of Vilnius Trakai and Kaunas 13 The hostilities were briefly stopped by horse plague 13 When Jogaila died in May 1434 the Order resumed its backing for Svitrigaila 29 who rallied his supporters including knights from the Livonian Order the Orthodox dukes and his nephew Sigismund Korybut a distinguished military commander of the Hussites 30 In July 1435 Svitrigaila foiled a coup against him in Smolensk 10 Coup leader Orthodox bishop Gerasim consecrated as Metropolitan of Moscow in 1432 was burned at the stake 31 The final battle at Wilkomierz Vilkomir Vilkmerge was fought in September 1435 northwest of Vilnius It is estimated to have involved 30 000 men on both sides 32 Svitrigaila s army led by Sigismund Korybut was split by the attacking Lithuanian Polish army led by Michael Zygimantaitis and soundly defeated 32 Svitrigaila with a small group of followers managed to escape to Polotsk The Livonian Order had suffered a great defeat sometimes compared to that which had been inflicted on the Teutonic Knights at Grunwald in 1410 29 32 On 31 December 1435 the Teutonic Knights signed a peace treaty at Brzesc Kujawski They agreed to cease their support for Svitrigaila and in the future to support only Grand Dukes who had been properly elected jointly by Poland and Lithuania The treaty did not change the borders that had been set by the Treaty of Melno in 1422 33 The Peace of Brzesc Kujawski showed that the Teutonic Knights had lost their universal missionary status 9 The Teutonic and Livonian Orders no longer interfered in Polish Lithuanian affairs instead Poland and Lithuania would involve themselves in the Thirteen Years War 1454 66 the civil war that would tear Prussia in half 5 Aftermath EditSvitrigaila was losing his influence in the Slavic principalities and could no longer resist Poland and Sigismund On 4 September 1437 he attempted to reconcile with Poland he would rule the lands that still backed him chiefly Kiev and Volhynia and after his death these territories would pass to the King of Poland 34 However under strong protest from Sigismund the Polish Senate declined to ratify the treaty 13 In 1438 Svitrigaila withdrew to Moldavia 35 The reign of Sigismund Kestutaitis was brief he was assassinated in 1440 Svitrigaila returned from exile in 1442 and ruled Lutsk until his death a decade later 13 Jogaila s son Casimir IV Jagiellon born in 1426 received approval as a hereditary hospodar from Lithuania s ruling families in 1440 36 This event is seen by the historians Jerzy Lukowski and Hubert Zawadzki as marking the end of the succession dispute 36 See also Edit Lithuania portalList of conflicts in Europe List of wars involving Lithuania List of civil warsReferences Edit Polekhov Sergey V 2015 Nasledniki Vitovta Dinasticheskaya vojna v Velikom knyazhestve Litovskom v 30 e gody XV veka Vytautas Successors The Dynastic War in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the Third Decade of the 15th Century in Russian Moscow Indrik pp 13 16 a b Rowell S C 1994 Lithuania ascending a pagan empire within east central Europe 1295 1345 Cambridge University Press p 69 ISBN 9780521450119 On the civil war in Lithuania between Svitrigaila and Jogaila Algirdaiciai and Zygimantas Kestutaitis which almost destroyed the union of Lithuania with Poland see Vauchez Andre Dobson Richard Barrie Lapidge Michael 2000 Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages Volume 1 Routledge p 163 ISBN 9781579582821 After the death in 1430 of Vitold Vytautas who had governed the Grand Duchy under the nominal sovereignty of Jagiello discrimination against the Ruthenians led to a civil war Greenbaum Masha 1995 The Jews of Lithuania a history of a remarkable community 1316 1945 Gefen Publishing House p 10 ISBN 9789652291325 One year before his death in 1430 Vytautas reconfirmed the union with Poland His death triggered a civil war a b c Christiansen Eric 1997 The Northern Crusades London Penguin Books pp 242 243 ISBN 0 14 026653 4 a b c d e Urban William 2003 Tannenberg and After Chicago Lithuanian Research and Studies Center pp 306 308 ISBN 0 929700 25 2 France John 2005 The Crusades and the expansion of Catholic Christendom 1000 1714 Routledge p 265 ISBN 978 0 415 37128 5 The costs of these troops and the nagging wars with Poland which ended indecisively in 1435 bore heavily upon the cities merchants and knightly settlers in Prussia with the result that the Grand Master found ever more resistance to his central and despotic control Koncius Joseph B 1964 Vytautas the Great Grand Duke of Lithuania Miami Franklin Press pp 182 184 LCCN 66089704 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Kiaupa Zigmantas Kiaupiene Jurate Kuncevicius Albinas 2000 1995 The History of Lithuania Before 1795 English ed Vilnius Lithuanian Institute of History pp 205 211 ISBN 9986 810 13 2 a b c d e Petrauskas Rimvydas Kiaupiene Jurate 2009 Lietuvos istorija Nauji horizontai dinastija visoumene valstybe in Lithuanian Vol IV Baltos lankos pp 388 392 ISBN 978 9955 23 239 1 a b c d e f Jucas Mecislovas 2000 Lietuvos ir Lenkijos unija in Lithuanian Aidai pp 165 167 ISBN 9986 590 95 7 a b c Gieysztor Aleksander 1998 The kingdom of Poland and the grand duchy of Lithuania 1370 1506 The New Cambridge Medieval History c 1415 c 1500 Vol 7 Cambridge University Press pp 734 735 ISBN 0 521 38296 3 a b c d e f g Suziedelis Simas ed 1970 1978 Svitrigaila Encyclopedia Lituanica Vol V Boston Massachusetts Juozas Kapocius pp 348 350 LCCN 74 114275 Biskup Marian 1967 Najazd krzyzacki na Polske i bitwa pod Dabkami 1431 Zeszyty Naukowe Wojskowej Akademii Politycznej in Polish Historia 15 a b c d Kiaupiene Jurate 2002 Gediminaiciai ir Jogailaiciai prie Vytauto palikimo Gimtoji istorija Nuo 7 iki 12 klases in Lithuanian Vilnius Elektronines leidybos namai ISBN 9986 9216 9 4 Archived from the original on 2008 03 03 Retrieved 2008 07 02 a b Frost Robert 2015 The Making of the Polish Lithuanian Union 1385 1569 Oxford History of Early Modern Europe Vol I Oxford University Press p 170 ISBN 9780191017872 a b c d Suziedelis Simas ed 1970 1978 Zygimantas Encyclopedia Lituanica Vol VI Boston Massachusetts Juozas Kapocius pp 361 363 LCCN 74 114275 Tarvydiene Maryte Elena 2007 Zemetvarkos pagrindai in Lithuanian Lithuanian University of Agriculture pp 22 24 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 07 22 a b Zinkus Jonas et al eds 1985 1988 Asmenos musis Tarybu Lietuvos enciklopedija in Lithuanian Vol I Vilnius Lithuania Vyriausioji enciklopediju redakcija p 115 LCCN 86232954 a b c d Rynarzewski Maciej Polish Bohemian expedition to Nowa Marchia and Pomorze Gdanskie in year 1433 PDF Polskie Towarzystwo Historyczne Oddzial w Olsztynie Archived from the original PDF on March 6 2009 Retrieved 2008 07 03 Turnbull Stephen McBride Angus 2004 The Hussite Wars 1419 36 Osprey Publishing p 15 ISBN 1 84176 665 8 Prochaska Antoni 1908 Krol Wladyslaw Jagiello in Polish Krakow Akademia Umiejetnosci p 265 OCLC 13016756 a b Urban William 2003 Tannenberg and After Chicago Lithuanian Research and Studies Center pp 347 350 ISBN 0 929700 25 2 a b Turnbull Stephen 2003 Tannenberg 1410 Disaster for the Teutonic Knights Oxford Osprey pp 84 85 ISBN 1 84176 561 9 Giertych Jedrzej Carroll Brazilla 1958 Poland and Germany A Reply to Congressman B Carrol Reece of Tennessee Jedrzej Giertych p 37 OCLC 4169234 a b Koneczny Feliks 1903 Dzieje polski za Jagiellonow in Polish Krakow Nakladem Krakowskiego Towarzystwa Oswiaty Ludowej p 123 OCLC 123147077 Rogalski Leon 1846 Dzieje Krzyzakow oraz ich stosunki z Polska Litwa i Prussami in Polish Vol II Warsaw Nakl i drukiem S Orgelbranda p 210 OCLC 38718035 Wojny polsko krzyzackie in Polish Encyklopedia WIEM Retrieved 2008 07 03 a b Urban William 2003 Tannenberg and After Chicago Lithuanian Research and Studies Center p 311 ISBN 0 929700 25 2 Pirockinas Arnoldas 1999 Zygimantas Kaributaitis tragisko likimo asmenybe Mokslas Ir Gyvenimas in Lithuanian 10 502 ISSN 0134 3084 Archived from the original on 2011 05 15 Curtin Jeremiah 1908 The Mongols in Russia Little Brown p 427 OCLC 1314175 a b c Suziedelis Simas ed 1970 1978 Pabaiskas Battle of Encyclopedia Lituanica Vol IV Boston Massachusetts Juozas Kapocius pp 140 141 LCCN 74 114275 Kamuntavicius Rustis Kamuntaviciene Vaida Civinskas Remigijus Antanaitis Kastytis 2001 Lietuvos istorija 11 12 klasems in Lithuanian Vilnius Vaga p 92 ISBN 5 415 01502 7 Dundulis Bronius 2004 Svitrigaila In Vytautas Speciunas ed Lietuvos valdovai XIII XVIII a enciklopedinis zinynas in Lithuanian Vilnius Mokslo ir enciklopediju leidybos institutas pp 91 93 ISBN 5 420 01535 8 Urban William 2003 Tannenberg and After Chicago Lithuanian Research and Studies Center p 313 ISBN 0 929700 25 2 a b Lukowski Jerzy Zawadzki Hubert 2001 A concise history of Poland Cambridge University Press p 38 ISBN 978 0 521 55917 1 Further reading EditGrodecki Roman Zachorowski Stanislaw Dabrowski Jan 1995 1926 Dzieje Polski Sredniowiecznej in Polish Vol 2 Krakow Wydawnictwo Platan pp 103 125 ISBN 83 7052 230 0 Biskup Marian Labuda Gerard 1986 Dzieje zakonu krzyzackiego w Prusach in Polish Gdansk Wydawnictwo Morskie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lithuanian Civil War 1432 1438 amp oldid 1137540278, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, 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