WikiPortallus: Lithuanian Civil War (1381

The Lithuanian Civil War of 1381–1384 was the first struggle for power between the cousins Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania and later King of Poland, and Vytautas the Great. It began after Jogaila signed the Treaty of Dovydiškės with the Teutonic Knights which was aimed against his uncle Kęstutis, father of Vytautas. Kęstutis briefly seized power in the Grand Duchy, but was betrayed by adherents of Jogaila primarily from Vilnius. During truce negotiations Kęstutis and Vytautas were arrested and transported to the castle in Kreva. Kęstutis died there a week later but Vytautas managed to escape and then sought an alliance with the Teutonic Knights. Subsequently their joint forces raided Lithuanian lands. Eventually the cousins were reconciled as Jogaila needed internal stability in anticipation of negotiations with the Grand Duchy of Moscow and the Kingdom of Poland regarding the possible Christianization of Lithuania. The war did not settle the power struggle; it continued during the next Lithuanian Civil War (1389–1392) which was resolved by the signing of the Ostrów Agreement. 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 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 the 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. Teutons reached Brest and as far as the Pripyat River.³ Livonian Order raided Upytė. Another campaign threatened the capital in Vilnius.² In 1379 Jogaila's brother Skirgaila was sent to the Knights to discuss the situation, possible ways of converting to Christianity, and termination of Livonian Order support to Andrei,⁴ but the details of the trip remain unknown; rumors had it that he also visited the Holy Roman Emperor.⁵ Kęstutis offered to negotiate a truce and exchange of prisoners. On September 29, 1379 a ten-year truce was signed in Trakai.³ It was the last treaty that Kęstutis and Jogaila signed jointly.³ However, the truce protected only Christian lands in the south, thus Kęstutis' realms in northern and western Lithuania were still vulnerable to Teutonic attacks.⁶

In February 1380 Jogaila, without Kęstutis, made a five-month truce with the Livonian Order to protect his Lithuanian domains and Polotsk.² On May 31, 1380 Jogaila and Grand Master Winrich von Kniprode signed the secret Treaty of Dovydiškės. The clauses of the treaty were, overall, convoluted and not entirely clear.⁷ Based on the terms of the accord, Jogaila agreed not to intervene during attacks by the Teutonic Knights against Kęstutis or his children. However, if providing aid to Kęstutis would be necessary to help to avoid any suspicions, it would not be a violation of the treaty.⁸ It remains controversial as motives behind the treaty are not entirely clear. Some historians blamed Uliana, mother of Jogaila, or his adviser Vaidila,⁹ others pointed out generational differences: Kęstutis was about 80-years old and determined not to accept Christianity while Jogaila was about 30-years old and was looking for ways to convert and modernize the country.¹⁰ Still others suggested that the treaty was primarily directed against Andrei and his allies, his brother Dmitry of Bryansk and Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitri Donskoi.⁶ Jogaila, having secured his western front, allied himself with the Golden Horde against the Grand Duchy of Moscow for the upcoming Battle of Kulikovo.²

Civil war

Kęstutis' coup

Without violating the treaty, the Teutonic Knights raided Duchy of Trakai and Samogitia twice.² While raiding towards Trakai, the Teutonic Knights used bombards for the first time¹¹ and destroyed Naujapilis taking some 3,000 prisoners.⁶ In August 1381 komtur of Osterode, godfather of Danutė of Lithuania, informed Kęstutis about the secret treaty.⁶ The conflict became unavoidable. In August 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, capital of the Grand Duchy.⁹ Kęstutis became the Grand Duke while Jogaila was taken prisoner on his way back to Vilnius.⁹¹⁰ Vaidila was executed.¹² Jogaila pledged his loyalty to Kęstutis and was released. He received his patrimony, Kreva and Vitebsk.² Kęstutis 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 Dymitr Korybut of Novhorod-Siversky and Vytautas was away in Trakai,⁵ residents of Vilnius, led by merchant Hanul, let Jogaila's army into the city.² The merchants were dissatisfied with Kęstutis' policies as they were hurting economy, especially trade with Livonia.² Vytautas attempted to gather resistance in Trakai, but Jogaila recaptured the throne. On July 6 he signed a two-month truce with the Teutonic Knights and seized Trakai.³ In the meantime Kęstutis rallied his supporters in Samogitia, his son Vytautas sought soldiers in Hrodna, and his brother Liubartas recruited in Galicia-Volhynia.⁶ In August 1382 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 to Jogaila camp, but were arrested and sent to a prison in Kreva.⁹ Their army was disbanded. On August 15, five days after imprisonment, Kęstutis was found dead by Skirgaila.¹⁰ Jogaila claimed that he hanged himself, but few believed him.⁵ Jogaila organized a large pagan funeral to Kęstutis: his body was burned 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 Anna, who received permission to visit her husband. According to different sources Vytautas exchanged clothes with either Anna or one of her female servants and sneaked out undetected.¹³ First he sought help from his sister Danutė and her husband Janusz I of Warsaw, then turned to Siemowit IV, Duke of Masovia.¹⁴ Eventually he arrived 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.¹²¹⁵ Two of her relatives, Vidimantas and Butrimas, were also murdered.¹²

The Knights received Vytautas without enthusiasm.³ At the time Jogaila was negotiating with the Teutonic Order. On October 31, 1382 they formulated the Treaty of Dubysa in three separate acts.¹⁶ It was a reward for all their help in defeating Andrei and Kęstutis.⁵ Jogaila promised to accept Christianity within four years, become an ally of the Order and do not start a war without order's approval, and cede Samogitia, which still supported Vytautas, up to the Dubysa River.¹⁶ However, ratification of the treaty was continuously put off. One of the reasons for cooling relations was war in Masovia that Jogaila started without consulting the Knights.¹⁴ The Knights also attempted to play Vytautas and Jogaila against each other.¹⁴ Another explanation has it that Jogaila was already thinking about an alliance with either Moscow or Poland.⁶ Eventually in June 1383 a scheduled meeting between Jogaila and Grand Master did not take place due to a formal pretext and war resumed.¹⁴

Reconciliation

In early September Teutons and Vytautas briefly took control of Trakai and unsuccessfully attacked Vilnius.¹⁴ On October 21, 1383 in Tapiau in a small ceremony Vytautas was baptized in the Catholic rite, receiving the name of Wigand (Lithuanian: Vygandas) after his godfather Wigand, komtur of Ragnit.¹⁷ Vytautas received New Marienburg, a castle on the Neman River near the mouth of Dubysa, where he was joined by his relatives and followers, banished from their estates by Jogaila.¹⁸ They included his brother Tautvilas Kęstutaitis. Vytautas also attempted to secure support from Samogitians. On January 30, 1384 in Königsberg, Vytautas signed the Treaty of Königsberg and promised to become Order's vassal and to cede part of Samogitia to the Teutonic Order, up to the Nevėžis River and including Kaunas.¹⁷ In May 1384 the Knights started constructing a new fortress in Kaunas, called New Marienverder.¹⁸ On June 14, 1384 Vytautas renewed his promises, given in January in Königsberg, in this newly built fortress.¹⁹

In the meantime Jogaila, probably influenced by his Orthodox mother Juliana of Tver,¹⁶ sought an alliance with the Grand Duchy of Moscow. He was making preparations to marry Sophia, daughter of Dmitri Donskoi, and be baptized in Orthodox rite.²⁰ In order to carry out this plan he had to reconcile with Vytautas and end the civil war.¹⁰ In spring 1384 Jogaila offered Volhynia with Lutsk, but Vytautas refused demanding to return his entire patrimony , which included Trakai, governed by Skirgaila. Then Jogaila promised to return Trakai as soon as Skirgaila established himself in Polotsk.³ In July Vytautas agreed and decided to abandon the Teutonic Knights. He then proceeded to burn two Teutonic castles on the Neman River (New Marienburg, Georgenburg).¹⁸ New Marienverder was besieged for six weeks by joint forces of Jogaila and Vytautas before it fell.¹¹

Aftermath

Vytautas returned to Lithuania without a clear written agreement with Jogaila. He received Hrodna, Brest, Podlachia, Vawkavysk.¹⁷ In order to receive Volhynia after death of his uncle Liubartas, Vytautas was baptized in Orthodox rite.¹⁹²¹ Skirgaila continued to rule Trakai. Vytautas pledged loyalty to Jogaila and became one of the many regional dukes. Jogaila was considering different baptism proposals. He had already refused the Treaty of Dubysa with the Teutonic Knights. He negotiated with Moscow, but it was a dangerous ally and Orthodoxy would not save Lithuania from attacks from the Teutonic Knights.¹⁶ Muscovy lost some of its power and influence after the siege of Moscow in 1382 by Mongols.¹ A third options was presented by Poland: it was looking for a suitable groom for Jadwiga of Poland and a worthy candidate to become 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.²² In 1386 he was baptized and crowned the King. Skirgaila was left as his regent in Lithuania. Taking advantage of Jogaila's absence, Andrei of Polotsk renewed his struggle 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.³ Trying to appease his cousin Jogaila gave him Lutsk (but left a Pole in charge of its castle) and Volodymyr-Volynskyi.³¹⁹ This did not help and the relationship turned sour. At the same time dissatisfaction with Skirgaila's rule continued to grow among Lithuanians, who resented seeing growing Polish influence in the state. They wanted to maintain Lithuanian legal distinctiveness and reserve offices to Lithuanians.²³ Betrayed Teutonic Knights continued to demand Samogitia and continued to wage a 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. Vytautas acknowledged fealty to Jogaila and was granted wast autonomy in Lithuania. Thus he became the Grand Duke of Lithuania and started his 38-year reign.

References

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^ Urban, William (2006). Samogitian Crusade. Chicago: Lithuanian Research and Studies Center, 168. ISBN 0-929700-56-2.
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^ (Lithuanian) Baranauskienė, Inga (May 2005). "Kas buvo Kęstučio nužudymo organizatrius?". Naujasis židinys - aidai 5 (173): 180–186, http://viduramziu.lietuvos.net/jogaila.htm. Retrieved on 8 July 2008.
^ (Lithuanian) Jonynas, Ignas (1937). "Dovydiškės sutartis". Lietuviškoji enciklopedija VI. Ed. Vaclovas Biržiška. Kaunas: Spaudos Fondas. 1341–1344.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Koncius, Joseph B. (1964). Vytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithuania. Miami: Franklin Press, 21–23. LCC 66089704.
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^ ^a ^b Christiansen, Eric (1997). The Northern Crusades. London: Penguin Books, 164–165. ISBN 0-14-026653-4.
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^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Kiaupa, Zigmantas; Jūratė Kiaupienė, Albinas Kunevičius [1995] (2000). The History of Lithuania Before 1795, English, Vilnius: Lithuanian Institute of History, 127–128. ISBN 9986-810-13-2.
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^ ^a ^b ^c (Lithuanian) Gudavičius, Edvardas (2004). "Vytautas Didysis". Lietuvos valdovai (XIII-XVIII a.): enciklopedinis žinynas. Ed. Vytautas Spečiūnas. Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas. 79–80. ISBN 5-420-01535-8.
^ Gieysztor, Aleksander (1998). "The kingdom of Poland and the grand duchy of Lithuania, 1370–1506", The New Cambridge Medieval History, c.1415–c.1500 7. Cambridge University Press, 731. ISBN 0521382963.
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