Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas: biography, interesting facts, politics, death

The Exact date of birth Vytautas unknown. On the minor description in the annals of historians came to the conclusion that he was born around 1350. Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas was the son of keistut and Olgerd and nephew at birth did not claim authority over all government. Its Supreme position among compatriots, he proved over many years in numerous civil and foreign wars.

Power Struggle

In 1377 died uncle Vytautas, Grand Duke of Lithuania Algirdas. Power passed to his son Jogaila. Kęstutis, who was Prince of Trakai, found the nephew of the elder and returned to his pressing Affairs – the anti-Catholic crusaders, created in the Baltic States, their military order. Jagiello, however, was afraid of his uncle. In addition, his paranoia was strengthened by the advice of confidants.

Jagiello went to an Alliance with the crusaders to deny keistut of his inheritance. Soon the civil war began, which was attended by the future Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas. In 1381, together with his father, he defeated Jagiello. Kęstutis briefly became ruler of the whole country, and the Vytautas-the heir apparent.

Civil war

In the next - 1382, in Lithuania, a revolt broke out against the government keistut. Together with Vytautas he was taken prisoner, and was strangled in prison. The son ran into the possession of the Teutonic order. Three years later, Poland and Lithuania entered into a Union, thus actually merged into one state. Jagiello moved his capital to Krakow. Then Vytautas made by a cousin return it to the Grand Duchy on the rights of the Governor.

Soon, However, conflict broke out between them with renewed vigor. Vytautas again had to flee to the crusaders, where he spent three years in preparation for a triumphant homecoming. In 1392-m after a series of battles, the brothers signed the city agreement. Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas once again regained the title. Formally, he acknowledged himself a vassal of the Polish king, but historians believe it 1392 the date for the beginning of the actual independent Board.

Campaign against the Tatars

After the civil war, Vytautas finally was able to pay attention to the external enemies of Lithuania. On the southern borders of his state bordered on the steppes, under the control of the Tatars. In 1395, the Khan of the Golden Horde Tokhtamysh was defeated by Tamerlane's army. He fled to Vilna, looking for sanctuary.

In this situation did Vytautas? Grand Duke of Lithuania, a biography which is an example of an active military leader who fought with all these dangerous neighborhoods could not miss this chance. He took Tokhtamysh and began to gather troops for future raids in the steppe. In 1397 the army of the Prince crossed the don and, without meeting special resistance, plundered and destroyed the camp of the Tatars. When weakened, the Horde finally decided to battle, the odds were clearly not in her favor. The Lithuanians defeated the nomads and took more than a thousand prisoners.

But did not stop Vytautas-Grand Duke of Lithuania. Interesting facts about Crimea prompted him to explore this unexplored Peninsula where roamed and kept their wealth opponents of Tokhtamysh. Before the Lithuanian army never got as far into enemy territory. Vytautas was hoping his success will inspire the Pope to declare a pan-European crusade against the Tatars. If such a campaign really began and ended with success, the Prince could count on the Royal title, and a significant increase in territories in the East.

Battle of the Vorskla river

However, the Crusades under the patronage of Rome never happened. Meanwhile, the Tatars were able to settle internal conflicts and to unite in order to break the Western enemies. Steppe headed Khan Kutlug Timur and his Temnik Yedigei. They gathered a large army of tens of thousands of soldiers.

That could oppose them and who could gather under its banner Vytautas-Grand Duke of Lithuania? The internal policy of the ruler allowed him to find a compromise between the different parts of Lithuanian society. First and foremost faced the dilemma of relations with the Russian Orthodox population, living in larger countries. Vytautas took care of these people and their governors, thereby able to earn a good reputation.

His ideas on a punitive expedition against the Tatars found a response not only from his Orthodox population, but some independent Russian princes. Together with Vytautas agreed to serve the Governor of Smolensk. Significant assistance also came from Poland and even of the Teutonic order. These Catholicsagreed to present a United front against the steppe. Finally, with Vytautas was the Tatars loyal to Tokhtamysh.

Troops numbering about 40 thousand people came out to the East in 1399. The decisive battle took place on the Vorskla river-the tributary of the Dnieper. The army of Vytautas the first offensive began, and she even managed to push the Tatars. However, the second half of the nomads had taken the maneuver, beating the Lithuanian squad. At the decisive moment of the Tartars, struck the rear of the Christians, and pressed them to the river. The battle ended with the defeat. Vytautas himself was wounded and barely escaped. After this failure he had to forget about expansion into the steppe Royal title. In the battle killed many Russian and Lithuanian princes: rulers of Polotsk, Bryansk and Smolensk.

A New Union with Poland

After the defeat of the Vorskla river Vytautas the power was under threat. He lost many supporters, while in Lithuania intensified his new enemy. They became svydrygailo Olgerdovich – younger brother of Jagiello, Prince of Vitebsk. In these circumstances, Vytautas decided to make a new Union with Poland. At the end of 1400 he met with Jagiello near Grodno, where the monarch signed the document which marked a new stage of developing relations between Cracow and Vilna.

What was the essence of the contract and why was he so important? Jagiello recognized Vytautas lifelong right of possession of Lithuania that effectively deprived svidrigaylo any rights to the throne. His struggle was pointless and certainly doomed to failure. For its part, the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas after his death undertook to pass the throne of Jogaila or his heir. If not him, then the throne of Lithuania had to go to the person elected on the vote of the aristocracy. The poles guarantee equal rights for Russian Orthodox boyars. This agreement became known as the Pact of Vilnius and Radom, the Union.

Conflict with the German knights

Lost war with the Tatars was strong but not fatal blow. Soon Vytautas recovered from it. In the center of his attention was relations with the Teutonic order. The crusaders for many decades, taking the land from Lithuania and Poland, while they were busy with civil wars. Now, the monarchs were allies, and then before them opened the possibility of a coordinated allied operations against the Teutonic order.

Vytautas was interested in the return of the lands of Samogitia, and Jagiello wanted to get back East Pomerania and Chełmno lands and Mihalovsky. The war began with the uprising in Samogitia. The disgruntled Teutonic rule was supported by Vytautas. Grand Duke of Lithuania, a short biography of which is a series of ongoing military campaigns, decided that this is the best chance to launch an attack on the crusaders.

Campaign against the Teutonic order

In the first stage of the war, both sides acted hesitantly. The only serious success of the poles and Lithuanians was the capture of the fortress Bydgoszcz. Soon, the opponents signed a peace Treaty. However, it was short-lived, once a respite necessary for the opponents to mobilize their reserves. The master of the order, Ulrich von jungingen enlisted the support of the Hungarian king Sigismund of Luxembourg. Another boost for the Germans were foreign mercenaries. By the time of the resumption of hostilities of the crusaders was the army size to 60 thousand people.

The Polish army consisted mainly of feudal lords, who came to the militia with their small groups. Lithuanians supported the Czechs. Their leader was Jan Zizka – future famous leader of the Hussites. Was on the side of Vytautas and Russian pieces, including the Novgorod Prince Lugonia. At the military Council of the allies decided separate ways to go to Marienburg – the capital of the Teutonic order. The coalition had a strength approximately equal to the forces of the crusaders (about 60 thousand).

The battle

If the first stage of the war the German knights invaded Poland, now the poles and Lithuanians themselves attacked the possession of the Order. July 15, 1410 took place the decisive battle of the great war (as it was called in the Lithuanian Chronicles). The army of the allies commanded by Jogaila and Vytautas. Grand Duke of Lithuania, a photo of the portrait which is in every textbook on medieval European history, was already a legend among his contemporaries. All compatriots and even his enemies admired the tenacity and perseverance of the Governor, by which he achieved their goals. Now he was close, to rid his country from danger in the face of the Catholic crusaders.

Place the decisive battle of steelthe surrounding town of Grunwald. First arrived the Germans. They consolidated their positions, they dug camouflaged pit traps, set guns and arrows and waited for the enemy. Finally the poles and Lithuanians arrived and took their positions. Jagiello was in no hurry to attack first. However, at the crucial moment, Vytautas decided to attack the Germans without an order of the Polish king. He moved his pieces forward, right after the crusaders opened the opponents fire from the bombards.

About an hour, the knights tried to repel the attacks of the Lithuanians and Tatars (Vytautas the service was also the Crimean cavalry). Finally the Marshal of the order of Friedrich von Wallenrod gave the order to counterattack. The Lithuanians began to retreat. It was a calculated move initiated by Vytautas-Grand Duke of Lithuania. Death to the German army, he was seen surrounded by lost organized structure of the crusaders. Everything happened exactly as intended by the commander. First, the knights decided that the Lithuanians are fleeing in panic, and rushed after them at full speed, while having lost the battle order. Once part of the German army reached the camp of Vytautas, the Duke gave the order to close ranks and encircle the enemy. This mission was entrusted on the shoulders of the Novgorod Prince Lugonia. He coped with his task.

Meanwhile, a large part of the Teutonic troops fought with the poles. It seemed that the victory is in the hands of the Germans. Warriors Jagiello even lost the kraków banner, however, it was soon returned to its place. The outcome of the battle decided by entering into battle additional reserves that are waiting in the wings in the rear. The poles used them more efficiently crusaders. In addition, the cavalry Vytautas suddenly hit the Germans from the flank, which dealt a fatal blow to the army of the order. Master Jungingen died on the battlefield.

The Allies won, and this success decided the outcome of the war. Then followed the unsuccessful siege of Marienburg. Although it had to be removed, the Germans agreed to give up all captured before the land and to pay a huge indemnity. Won the Great war marked the future of a dominant position in the region of the Union of Poland and Lithuania and the sunset Catholic orders in the Baltic States. The undoubted hero returned home Vytautas. Grand Duke of Lithuania got back Samogitia, as he wanted on the eve of the conflict.

Relations with Moscow

At Vytautas was the only daughter Sophia. He gave her in marriage to the Prince of Moscow Vasily I – son of Dmitry Donskoy. The ruler of Lithuania tried to keep friendly relations with his son-in-law, although it is hampered by his desire to continue the expansion to the East due to the Russian lands. Two States have opposite political centers, each of which was able to unify East Slavic lands. Vytautas even baptized in the Orthodox rite, but then converted to Catholicism.

A stumbling block for the Moscow-Lithuanian relations became Smolensk. Grand Duke of Lithuania, Vytautas Russian, tried several times to attach it. He also actively intervened in the internal Affairs of the Pskov and Novgorod republics. They sent Vytautas the army, as was the case in the Grunwald battle. Due to the Russian lands of the Grand Prince extended the limits of his powers to the banks of the Oka and the Moscow region Mozhaysk.

The grandson of the great Duke of Lithuania Vytautas was the son of Vasily I Vasily of II Dark. He ascended the throne at an early age in 1425. His father knew that Moscow has too few forces to simultaneously fight the Lithuanians and Tatars. Therefore, it is in every way inferior to the father-in-law in border disputes, avoiding war. Basil I, dying, asked Vytautas to protect the new Prince from abuse of power. The grandson of the great Duke of Lithuania Vytautas was Basil II. This relationship did not allow the pretenders to the throne to arrange a coup.

Recent years

By the end of the life of the great Duke of Lithuania Vytautas was the oldest monarch of Europe. In 1430 he was 80 years old. On the eve of the anniversary of the Governor staged a Congress in Lutsk, which invited Jagiello, Sigismund of Luxembourg (soon to become Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire), papal legate, and numerous Russian princes. One is the fact that the event gathered so many powerful rulers, already talking about the fact that Vytautas was one of the most significant political figures of his time.

In Lutsk Congress discussed the prospects of the coronation of man. If he took the title, equivalent to what was Jagiello, Lithuania finally became independent and received protection in the West. However, the poles resisted the coronation. It did not happen. Vytautas died shortly after the Congress in Troki, on the 27th of October 1430. The place of his burial is still unknown. Vytautas was Lithuanian Grand Duke for 38 years. Precisely during his reign was the heyday of the state. The following princes have fallen into the final dependence on Poland. The Union of the two countries called the Commonwealth.