Vytautas the Great

Vytautas the Great ("the great" added by historians of the first Lithuanian republic 1918-1940) (approximate English transcription , simplified Lithuanian transcription ; also: Witold, Vitovt, sometimes - Aleksandras I, in Belarusian as Vita?t {??????}; * 1344/1350, + 27 October 1430 ?uck; baptized 21 October 1383 as Wiganda, 1384 as Alexander) was a Lithuanian Grand Prince, the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania 1392 - 1430. He was the son of K?stutis, cousin of Ladislaus II of Poland (Jagie??o, Jogaila, Yahayla), grandfather of Vasili II of Russia.

Related Topics:
English transcription - Simplified Lithuanian transcription - Belarusian - 1344 - 1350 - 27 October - 1430 - ?uck - Baptize - 21 October - 1383 - 1384 - Lithuania - Grand Prince - 1392 - K?stutis - Ladislaus II of Poland - Vasili II of Russia

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He was Prince of Hrodno 1370-1382, Prince of ?uck 1387-1389.

Related Topics:
Prince - Hrodno - 1370 - 1382 - ?uck - 1387 - 1389

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In 1382 he waged war against Jogaila, backing his father Kestutis. He was defeated and imprisoned, but he was able to escape to the Teutonic knights in 1382, and was baptised in 1384 in the Catholic rite there, receiving the name of Wigand. After participating in several raids against Jogaila, he reconciliated with him in 1384, and participated in the signing of Union of Krewo with Poland in 1385, and was baptised in 1386 in the Catholic rite (he was baptised in the Orthodox rite a little earlier), receiving the name Alexander.

Related Topics:
1382 - Teutonic knights - 1384 - Catholic - Union of Krewo - Poland - 1385 - 1386 - Orthodox

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He escaped to the Teutonic knights again in the beginning of 1390. Finally he became governor of Lithuania in 1392. He conducted his own policy there, and he got support from pope Boniface IX for organising a crusade against Mongols. After being defeated by the Golden Horde at the Battle of Vorskla in 1399, he again improved relations with Poland, resulting in the union of Vilnius-Radom in 1401. He received the title of Grand Duke of Lithuania in the same year. He conquered Smolensk in 1404 and waged a war in 1406-1408 against Muscovy, ending in peace at Ugra. He also backed an uprising against the Teutonic Order in Samogitia. In 1410 he commanded the Lithuanian army in the battle of Grunwald (also called the battle of Tannenberg or ?algirio m??is). As a result of the First Treaty of Torun in 1411, he received Samogitia (Lower Lithuania) for his lifetime (Only after another war with the Teutonic Order in 1422, Samogitia was returned to Lithuania for eternal times). He was one of the creators of union of Horodlo with Poland (1413).

Related Topics:
1390 - 1392 - Pope - Boniface IX - Mongols - Golden Horde - Battle of Vorskla - 1399 - Poland - 1401 - Smolensk - 1404 - 1406 - 1408 - Muscovy - Ugra - Samogitia - 1410 - Battle of Grunwald - First Treaty of Torun - 1411 - 1422 - Union of Horodlo - 1413

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He backed economic development of his state and introduced many reforms. Under his rule Lithuania slowly became more centralised, as local princes were replaced by the duke's governors. He tried to receive the title of king with the backing of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, but the envoys who were transporting the crown were stopped by Polish magnates in 1429.

Related Topics:
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor - Magnate - 1429

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