Albertas Manvydas or Albertas Vaitiekus Manvydas (Polish : Wojciech Moniwid), died in 1423 was a Lithuanian noble, the first Voivode of Vilnius and founder of the Manvydai family. During the turbulent disputes over Samogitia, he was sent as a negotiation to the Teutonic Knights. Along with Stanislovas Čiupurna, Manvydas was the most influential noble during the early reign of Grand Duke Vytautas. [1]
Manvydas was first mentioned in a document dated 1387–89 when he, along other nobles, vouched for Hryćka Konstantynowicza who organized a rebellion against Skirgaila, regent of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the name of his brother Jogaila. [2] He was a starosta of Vilnius from 1396 to 1413. After an administrative reform that established Vilnius Voivodeship in 1413, Manvydas became the first Voivode of Vilnius and held that position until his death. [3] During the First Samogitian uprising, he was sent on diplomatic missions to the Teutonic Knights and helped negotiate the Peace of Raciąż (1404). [3] In 1403, komtur of Balga gifted him spurs, a symbol of knighthood. [4] Very likely, he commanded a Lithuanian unit in the Battle of Grunwald. [3] He participated in the 1413 Union of Horodło and received Leliwa coat of arms though he had used a personal coat of arms as early as the 1398 treaty of Salynas. [5] Manvydas was among Lithuanian diplomats negotiating with Benedict Makrai, mediator of the Lithuanian–Teutonic dispute over Samogitia. [3]
Die Littauischen Wegeberichte mentioned Manewidendorf near Hieraniony (now in Belarus). Other patronymic territories included Vishnyeva, Zhuprany , [6] and possibly Braslaw. [7] He also had possessions in Vilnius. He funded the Chapel of St. Albert and St. George (his and his brother's Christian names) within Vilnius Cathedral, [8] which is possibly the present-day Chapel of Ignatius of Loyola, and was buried there. [9] He also funded a Catholic church in Braslaw. [3] His donation to a Franciscan monastery in Ashmyany in 1407 is the first known surviving personal document of a Lithuanian noble; the surviving copy is a forgery, but likely was based on a similar document. [10]
The document from 1387–89 recorded his patronymic name as Коиликиновичъ [11] which allows to deconstruct his father's name as Gailiginas (Kojlikin, Gojligin). [12] Manvydas was his pagan Lithuanian name. When Lithuania converted to Christianity, he was given Albertas (Albert) as his baptismal name. Since Wojciech is interchangeable with Albert in the Polish language, he is also known as Wojciech (Lithuanian : Vaitiekus). Manvydas was a brother of Jurgis Gedgaudas, starosta of Podolia, who became Voivode of Vilnius after Manvydas' death. [13]
Manvydas was married twice: Jadvyga and Juliania. Jadviga's origin is unknown. Polish historians Władysław Semkowicz and Marceli Antoniewicz have attempted to identify her with Jadwiga of Leżenic who adopted Manvydas in the 1413 Union of Horodło. [12] Information on Juliana is conflicting. Origo regis Jagyelo et Witholdi ducum Lithuaniae mentions that Juliana, who later married Manvydas, was wife of Butrimas, the murdered nephew of Birutė and cousin of Vytautas. Jan Długosz mentions that Juliana was a widow of Narimantas, who died in defense of Vilnius in 1390, and a sister of Anna, wife of Vytautas. [12] Lithuanian historian Inga Baranauskienė suggested that Manvydas rose to prominence in the service of Vytautas due to them being in-laws and that Jadviga (mentioned once in a 1407 document) was just a baptismal name of Juliana. [14]
Manvydas had one known son Jonas Manvydas who died in 1458. [15]
Vytautas, also known as Vytautas the Great from the late 14th century onwards, was a ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He was also the Prince of Grodno (1370–1382), Prince of Lutsk (1387–1389), and the postulated king of the Hussites.
The Union of Horodło or Pact of Horodło was a set of three acts signed in the town of Horodło on 2 October 1413. The first act was signed by Władysław II Jagiełło, King of Poland, and Vytautas, Grand Duke of Lithuania. The second and third acts were composed by the Polish nobility (szlachta) and Lithuanian boyars, respectively. The union amended the earlier Polish–Lithuanian unions of Krewo and Vilnius–Radom. Politically, Lithuania received more autonomy as, after the death of Vytautas, the Lithuanian nobles could choose another Grand Duke instead of passing the title to Władysław II Jagiełło or his heir. However, culturally, Lithuania and Poland grew closer. Lithuania adopted Polish institutions of castellans and voivodes. Catholic Lithuanian nobles and church officials were granted equal rights with the Polish nobles and clergy. Forty-seven selected Lithuanian nobles were adopted by Polish families and granted Polish coats of arm. Thus the union signified the beginnings of the Polonization of Lithuanian culture and the rise of the Lithuanian nobility. It was one of the major steps towards the modernization and Europeanization of Lithuania.
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Mykolas Kęsgaila Valimantaitis was a Lithuanian nobleman from Deltuva. He established the Kęsgailos family in Samogitia, where their power rivaled that of the Grand Duke of Lithuania. Mykolas Kęsgaila was the deputy of Ukmergė (1409–1412), Elder of Samogitia, and castellan of Vilnius (1443–1448). He was a father of Jonas Kęsgaila and Mykolas Kęsgaila the Younger.
Jonas Kęsgaila or Kęsgailaitis was a Lithuanian nobleman, son of Mykolas Kęsgaila of the Kęsgaila family. He fathered two sons and two daughters.
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The Treaty of Christmemel was a treaty signed on 19 June 1431 between Paul von Rusdorf, Grand Master the Teutonic Knights, and Švitrigaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania. Švitrigaila was preparing for a war with Poland to defend his claim to the Lithuanian throne and sought allies. The treaty established an anti-Polish alliance and prompted the Knights to invade the Kingdom of Poland, starting the Polish–Teutonic War (1431–35). Lithuania also surrendered Palanga and three miles of the coastline on the Baltic Sea, thus modifying the Treaty of Melno of 1422.
Rumbaudas Valimantaitis was an influential Lithuanian noble of Zadora coat of arms. He was a son of Valimantas and brother of Mykolas Kęsgaila. He became Elder of Samogitia (1409–1411) and Grand Marshal (1412–1432).
Stanislovas Čiupurna was a Lithuanian noble, Court (1395–1407) and Grand Marshal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1407–1411). As a close ally of Grand Duke Vytautas, he was one of the chief diplomats in the conflict over Samogitia with the Teutonic Knights.
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Stanisław Piotrowicz Kiszka was a noble, diplomat and military commander from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He became the progenitor of the prominent Kiszka family. He was sent on frequent diplomatic missions to the Grand Duchy of Moscow and Kingdom of Poland. He attempted to negotiate peace during the Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars and supported a closer union between Poland and Lithuania. During the Second Muscovite–Lithuanian War (1500–03), he successfully defended Smolensk and became Great Hetman until Konstanty Ostrogski escaped Russian captivity in 1507. Kiszka helped to subdue the Glinski rebellion in 1508. Shortly before his death, Kiszka also became Grand Marshal of Lithuania.
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Jurgis Gedgaudas was a noble and diplomat from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He used the Leliwa coat of arms. He was active in political life from 1401 to 1435, serving Grand Dukes Vytautas and Švitrigaila as voivode and diplomat. His represented their interest at the Council of Constance and Teutonic Order. He was one of the few nobles who continued to support Švitrigaila after he was deposed. However, after being captured in the Battle of Ashmyany, he switched sides and supported Sigismund Kęstutaitis managing to retain his social status.
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Jonas "Ivaška" Manvydas was a Lithuanian noble. A member of the Manvydas family, he was Voivode of Trakai from 1443 to 1458.