Morta was wife of Mindaugas,the first known ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. She was the Grand Duchess consort of Lithuania and later Queen consort of Lithuania (1253–1262). Very little is known about her life. Probably,Morta was Mindaugas' second wife as Vaišvilkas,the eldest son of Mindaugas,was already a mature man active in international politics when Morta's sons were still young and dependent on the parents. After her death,Mindaugas married her sister,the wife of Daumantas. In revenge,Daumantas allied with Treniota and assassinated Mindaugas and two of Morta's sons in 1263.
Vilnius University is a public research university,which is the oldest university in the Baltic states,and one of the oldest and most famous in Northern Europe. Today it is Lithuania's leading academic institution,ranked among the top 400 universities worldwide (QS).
The coat of arms of Lithuania consists of a mounted armoured knight holding a sword and shield,known as Vytis. Since the early 15th century,it has been Lithuania's official coat of arms and is one of the oldest European coats of arms. It is also known by other names in various languages,such as Waikymas,Pagaunė in the Lithuanian language or as Pogonia,Pogoń,Пагоняin the Polish,and Belarusian languages. Vytis is translatable as Chase,Pursuer,Knight or Horseman,similar to the Slavic vityaz. Historically –raitas senovės karžygys or in heraldry –raitas valdovas.
The Act of Mielnik or Union of Mielnik was an attempt to unite the Kingdom of Poland with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1501. It was not ratified by the Lithuanian Seimas or by the Polish Sejm. The Act of Mielnik remained just a political project. Despite the failure to unify two countries into a single state,Poland and Lithuania were under a personal union until the Union of Lublin of 1569.
Radvila Astikas or Astikaitis was a magnate,a member of the Astikai and founder of the Radvila (Radziwiłł) family. He was a member of the Lithuanian Council of Lords and one of the most influential people in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Kęsgailos was a Lithuanian noble family,one of the largest landowners in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The family descended from the land of Deltuva and its roots traces to the 14th century. Their seat was in the Samogitia and Trakai regions. Kęsgailos family members had been the Elders of Samogitia from 1412 until 1532.
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.
Stanislovas Kęsgaila Jonaitis was a Lithuanian nobleman,son of Jonas Kęsgaila from the Kęsgailos family. Stanislovas Kęsgaila was the Elder of Samogitia (1486–1522),Grand Hetman of Lithuania (1501–1502),castellan of Trakai (1499–1522) and Vilnius (1522–1526).
The Treaty of Königsberg was signed in Königsberg (Królewiec) on May 26,1390 during the Lithuanian Civil War (1389–1392) between Samogitian nobles and representatives of the Teutonic Knights. The 31-member or 30-member delegation from seven Samogitian regions arrived to Königsberg around the pentecost. They promised their loyalty to "their king" Vytautas and guaranteed trade freedom for the Knights in Samogitia. The Knights gifted the nobles with food and clothes.
Vaidila was a favorite and brother-in-law of Jogaila,Grand Duke of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Chronicles present Vaidila as a kitchen assistant who rose to the top and entered the nobility only through his marriage to Jogaila's sister Maria in 1379. However,this portrayal is likely biased propaganda. It was a known practice to denounce political opponents as a common peasant. The Teutonic Knights mention that boyar Vaidila ruled Wegebeticht and Wayteldorff.
Jan Jurjewicz Zabrzeziński or Zaberezhsky was a noble of Leliwa coat of arms from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania,who achieved the height of his influence during the reign of Alexander I Jagiellon (1492–1506). He was duke's marshal (1482–1496),regent of Polatsk (1484–1496),castellan of Trakai (1492–1498),voivode of Trakai (1498–1505),and Grand Marshal of Lithuania (1498–1508). Zabrzeziński was married to Anna,daughter of Jan,elder of Brest and Hrodna.
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.
Alekna Sudimantaitis was an influential Lithuanian noble of Trąby coat of arms,Grand Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1478–1490) and Voivode of Vilnius (1477–1490).
Albertas Manvydas or Albertas Vaitiekus Manvydas,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.
Petras Jonaitis Mantigirdaitis was a prominent noble of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Grandson of Petras Mantigirdaitis,he first appeared in written sources in 1476 and reached his career high in 1490s when he was Voivode of Trakai (1490–97) and Grand Marshal of Lithuania (1491–97).
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.
Manvydai was a small but influential 15th-century noble family in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Most prominent members of the family were brothers Albertas Manvydas and Jurgis Gedgaudas and their sons Jonas Manvydas and Petras Gedgaudas. The family used the Leliwa coat of arms that were received in the Union of Horodło (1413). They considered Vishnyeva and Zhuprany in present-day Belarus their ancestral estates. In a few decades,the family amassed about 20 larger land holdings with about 2,500 serf households. The family supported Grand Duke Švitrigaila who was deposed in 1432. The last male heir died in 1475 and the family's wealth was inherited by the Radziwiłłfamily and Alekna Sudimantaitis.
Jonas "Ivaška" Manvydas was a Lithuanian noble. A member of the Manvydas family,he was Voivode of Trakai from 1443 to 1458.
