Polish historians about King Jagailo. Prince Vladislav II Jagiello

Poland is rich in its kings. Cruel and good-natured, brave and cowardly, fair and capricious. Some struck with their intelligence and courage, others - with beauty and tyranny. But all of them, without exception, left their mark on the history of the Commonwealth. And, probably, we would not see Poland exactly the way it is, if not for their actions. And among them there are monarchs who admired with their greatness not only the inhabitants of the Polish state, but also made the many enemies of the Crown tremble with fear. But, like every person, these great autocrats had their own secrets and secrets that history books will not tell us about.

The history of the greatest Polish kings is full of secrets.

Vladislav II Yagailo - a personality of the greatest scale. Everyone knows that he was an excellent politician, an excellent strategist and a practical tactician. After all, it was he who managed to repel the crusaders, who held the whole of Europe in fear. And not just to fight back, but to defeat them in the famous, which put an end to the Teutonic terror. It was he who became the founder of the greatest royal dynasty of the Jagiellons, which ruled the European states for two hundred years. Lithuanian prince, who became the king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. A pagan turned into a passionate champion of the faith of Christ. But is it really that simple? What do historians keep silent from us and what little secrets surround the life of this great king?

Władysław Jagiello is the greatest king of Poland.

1386 year. A procession from the Principality of Lithuania enters the streets. Among the numerous knights, nobles and servants, a 24-year-old boy sits at the head of the procession on a thoroughbred trotter. His height was scanty, his face was elongated and thin with a slightly tapered chin. His head was small and showed early bald patches. Small black eyes ran incessantly, examining the onlookers standing on both sides of the street. Big ears, long neck, slender waist. When the young man approached the representatives of the nobility and, dismounting from the horse, spoke to them, a barely audible laugh flashed over the crowd - although his voice was low, he spoke in a hurry and confusing words. It never occurred to anyone from the crowd that this young Lithuanian prince, who had arrived in Krakow to marry Jadwiga of Anjou, would soon make the whole of Europe tremble with fear.

Why then secular and completely European Poland decided on such a seemingly humiliating alliance with the "semi-savage" pagans Litvin? The answer is very commonplace. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL) has long been a direct enemy of the Commonwealth. The political situation in Europe developed in such a way that the Polish Crown needed a certain strategic move that would neutralize at least one potential enemy. And the young Jadwiga, although formally considered the heir to the Polish throne, still could not rule independently. So the gentry came up with the idea of \u200b\u200bmarrying her to the son of Prince Olgerd and Princess Juliania. This feint solved two problems at once - Poland and Lithuania were united into one powerful principality, and not a worthy autocrat would reign on the throne. In addition, the marriage of Jagaila with Yadviga would become the main reason for the baptism of Lithuania into Catholicism (until that time the Lithuanians were ardent pagans and did not accept the Christian faith at all).

Jadwiga's marriage to the Lithuanian prince provided Poland with a reliable alliance.

On February 14, 1386, Jagiello was baptized in the Krakow Cathedral. This is how this event is described in the chronicles: “On Thursday, the 14th day of February, the Grand Duke of Lithuania Yagailo and his brothers, already trained in the rules and dogmas of the Catholic faith, arrived at the church in order to confess the faith of Christ and reject the fornication of the bastards. And they took the Holy Cross from the hands of Bishop Bodzanta and instead of the names of the pagans, new ones were given to them - Jagiello became Vladislav, Vigund became Alexander, Korigello - Casimir, and Svidrigailo - Boleslav. "

But why did Lithuania need Poland? The answer is obvious. Orthodox Russia did not consider the Grand Duchy of Lithuania a full-fledged neighbor and in every possible way tried to take away the northern lands from him. In addition, Yagailo, being the son of Princess Julianna of Tverskaya, had the right to the princely throne and, therefore, could be a huge competitor to the local princelings. Moreover, in his 24 years he has already managed to become famous as a successful military leader. Prince Dmitry of Moscow, trying to get rid of the enemy, tried in every possible way to lure Jagiello into his son-in-law and christen Lithuania into the Orthodox faith, thus annexing it to Russia. Naturally, the Lithuanians did not really like this alignment and they preferred an equal alliance with the Polish Crown.

Lithuania remained pagan for many years.

But did the newly-made Vladislav become such a fierce Catholic after his baptism? Or was the new faith trick just one step toward success?

After his marriage to Jadwiga, coronation to the Polish throne, imminent widowhood, subsequent three marriages and a war with the crusaders, Jagiello still did not completely renounce his pagan beliefs. The first sign of this was that the king kept his "pagan" name and used it along with his new name - Vladislav. He continued to practice rather strange, from the point of view of Christians, customs that seemed, if not pagan, then certainly magical. Every morning, leaving the bedroom, he always broke a branch of straw with his fingers, he always left his bed with only his right foot, hair, cut from his beard or head, always rolled up into a knot and burned. Leaving the house, he always turned around three times over his left shoulder and threw a broken willow twig behind him. Today it is difficult to understand whether these were ancient Lithuanian traditions or the usual protection from the evil eye. But one thing remains certain - all the assumed religiosity of Vladislav was just a mask under which pagan habits were hidden.

Jagiello remained a pagan, but he carefully concealed it from his subjects.

A certain mystery also circles over the grave of King Vladislav. The sarcophagus was created during his lifetime (isn't it pagan traditions?). In addition to the traditional heraldic symbols - the coats of arms of Poland and the Principality of Lithuania, figures of lions, denoting belonging to the monarchical dynasty, dogs and falcons are conveniently located around the pedestal. Everyone knew about the king's passion for hunting, but why such strange figures adorn the king's tomb? We are looking for the answer from the pagans. According to their beliefs, the body of a warrior should have been burned along with favorite things or animals. Pre-Christian Lithuania adhered to these rules and it is quite possible that the king took care of his afterlife, remaking his folk traditions in such a simple way.

By the way: the grave of King Vladislav II Yagaila was never opened even for research, which is very strange. Almost all of the royal tombs located in the Wawel Cathedral were carefully studied by scientists at one time. But the Lithuanian Yagailo is an exception. Coincidence? Or pagan gods, even after death, take care of their prince?

Even after death, the pagan gods take care of Jagiello.

King Vladislav Jagailo had neither education nor theoretical knowledge. He was raised as a warrior and raised as a warrior. But in spite of his harshness and primitiveness, he deservedly appreciated the role of science and knowledge. He loved painting, was fond of music, was extremely sensitive to the beauty of nature. As a politician, Jagiello was quite smart and flexible, but not always loyal. His straightforwardness and simplicity in communication often plunged representatives of the aristocracy into a state of shock. Irritability, stubbornness, jealousy and constant suspicion - this is how you can characterize the character of the Polish-Lithuanian king. He did not like Wawel and tried to be there as little as possible. The real home for Jagaila was his residence in Korchina.

Jagiello surprised his subjects with the fact that he was extremely clean - a very rare phenomenon in medieval Europe, when even noble ladies disdained daily hygiene procedures. Every morning, immediately after waking up, he went to the restrooms, where he cleaned himself up for several hours. Jagiello loved to take baths and did it every day.

Vladislav II loved to sleep - he devoted all his free time from worries to this ritual. He never consumed alcoholic beverages (to his credit), he hated the smell and taste of apples, but he ate pears with great pleasure.

But the real meaning of Jagaila's life was hunting. He indulged in her with great passion. In the end, because of her (partly) and died.

Favorite residence of Vladislav Yagaila.

In 1419, a strange event happened that made Vladislav doubt what he had done - his own baptism and the baptism of Lithuania. During one of the trips, a huge lightning struck the king's carriage, killing two nobles and seven knights along with horses. The king escaped with only partial deafness, and his clothes were soaked through and through with the smell of sulfur. Contemporaries gossiped that after that Jagiello secretly brought the miraculously survived Lithuanian sorcerer to Krakow and did not make a single decision without previously consulting him. Most likely, the king took this sign of Perunas as a warning. More than once he regretted that he had drawn himself and his people into Catholic bondage, but there was nowhere to go. The king of the Polish-Lithuanian principality simply had to bow to the cross. At least - before the eyes of their subjects.

The king's death was as banal as it was mystical. On a cool spring evening, Vladislav came out of his chambers and heard a nightingale singing in a nearby grove. The king was so fascinated by the singing of this inconspicuous bird that he went straight to the forest without taking care of a warm robe. He stayed there for several hours, and when he returned, he was hammered in a fever. The court doctor made a diagnosis of pneumonia.

Jagiello was lying in bed, wrapped in warm feather beds. He dispersed all the healers and courtiers, leaving only the old Litvinka maid by his side. The maid sat at his head, singing long songs on native language, and before Vladislav's eyes his whole life flashed. For 48 years he wore a Polish crown on his head, was married 4 times, was able to escape from the clutches of his cousin Vitovt and defeated the crusaders. He christened Lithuania, annexed the Western Ukrainian lands to the Grand Duchy, did everything for Poland and Lithuania that he could do. Suddenly, he noticed an indistinct shadow. Looking closely, he recognized in the ghost his uncle Kestut - Vitovt's father. Once, they together ruled the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, but squabbles and intrigues led to irreconcilable enmity. Prince Keistut was strangled by order of Jagaila in 1382 in Krevo (Belarus). The ghost approached the weakened nephew, kissed his sweaty brow and slowly covered his eyes with his palm ... The old maid, holding in her fist a gray motanka (a ritual doll made of threads), approached the still warm body of the great king and whispered in her ear: "Now you are at home" ...

The king is dead. Long live the king…

In 1377, Olgerd died, taking, they say, before his death the schema. He left behind a huge family: twelve sons and five daughters, and, moreover, many nephews and grandchildren. The successor to the grand ducal dignity, in addition to the older brothers, was Yagailo, or Yagello, Olgerd's eldest son from a marriage to the princess of Tver. Troubles and bloody strife began. Keistut, having found out about the secret relations of Jagiello with the Teutonic Order, an implacable enemy of Lithuania, took Vilna and took possession of the Grand Ducal throne, and gave his nephew the principality of Krevskoe and Vitebsk. Jagiello, of course, could not be satisfied with this; he managed to lure his uncle on a date as if for negotiations and capture him. The aged hero of Lithuania, Keistut, was chained and put in prison, where, by order of the treacherous Jagail, he was strangled (1382), to the delight of the Germans. A rumor was spread among the people that Keistut himself took his own life.

Keistut's son, Vitovt, Jagailo kept in custody in the castle and, probably, was preparing him the same fate as his father. But his wife, who visited Vitovt in prison, helped him to deceive the guards and flee in the clothes of a servant from the castle. Vitovt found support from the Germans, the worst enemies of his father, who were now ready to help his son in the fight against Jagiello, their former ally, whose reinforcement in Lithuania they feared.

The military actions begun by Vitovt in alliance with the Germans were at first successful ... Jagiello, seeing that his cousin was a dangerous enemy, especially since most of Lithuania and Zhmudi had taken his side, started secret negotiations with him, promised him to return his father's possessions if he lags behind the alliance with the Germans. Vitovt agreed: he himself did not like an alliance with the constant enemies of the Lithuanian people. Although Jagiello did not fully keep his promise, did not give Vitovt everything he had promised, the latter did not express his displeasure and began to diligently help him in the fight against the order.

Moscow and Lithuania - two collectors of Russia

Having become related to the Russian princes, the Lithuanian princes began to lean more and more towards Christianity; many of Gedimin's descendants were already Christians. As mentioned above, Olgerd secretly professed Orthodoxy, his son Jagailo was raised by his Russian mother in the Orthodox faith. Not only faith, but also Russian customs and language, as you know, began to spread strongly in Lithuania. If things had gone on like this, then two or three generations would have changed - and the Lithuanian tribe would have completely become Russified and would have merged completely into one people with the Russians. During the times of Jagiello and Vitovt, the princes of Lithuania, Orthodox, who spoke Russian, became related to the house of St. Vladimir, were already beginning to look at other Russian regions as Russian princes. Novgorod, Pskov. Tver and other Russian lands, entering into an alliance with the Lithuanian princes or recognizing their power over themselves, did not at all think that they were betraying the Russian cause and submitting to foreign forces. The struggle of the Lithuanian princes with those of Moscow can be viewed as a dispute between the descendants of Gediminas and the descendants of Kalita for dominion over the entire Russian land. One or the other would have gained the upper hand - after all, both parts of the Russian land, western and eastern, would have united into one whole. But a circumstance happened that prevented this connection for a long time: grand Duke Lithuanian Jagailo, Olgerd's son, ascended the Polish throne, and Lithuania was temporarily united with Poland.

Lithuania and Poland

The Polish state arose almost at the same time as the Russian one. The Poles, in their Slavic origin, were brothers to the Russians both in their morals and in their language, differed little from them; but in the second half of the 10th century, Poles adopted Christianity from Western Latin preachers, and since the 11th century discord has gradually grown. The Latin clergy and its head, the Pope, were not content with church authority, like the Orthodox clergy, but tried to take worldly affairs into their own hands. The popes were strongly at enmity with the Byzantine patriarchs, who stood at the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and tried to subjugate it to themselves. The enmity towards the Orthodox is passing from the Catholic clergy to the laity.

Poland suffered like Russia from specific strife and strife; but, in addition, here, following the example of neighboring countries, a strong boyar class was formed. Polish magnates (boyars), owning large estates, wanted to dominate their estates independently and, finally, arrogated to themselves the right to elect kings to the Polish throne. The clergy tried to take more power into their hands; the magnates sought the same; the king had neither great power nor such power as the Lithuanian princes. Trade and industry fell into the hands of the Germans who settled in Poland, and then the trade passed to the Jews: they both cared more about their own benefits; to the benefit of the people and the state, foreign to them, they did not care. It is clear from this why in Poland everything went apart. At the same time, the pope tried, through his clergy, to run her affairs, and the German emperor - to subordinate her to his power ...

Marriage of Jagiello to Jadwiga

In the middle of the XIV century, shortly before the reign of Vytautas and Jagiello in Lithuania, in Poland with the death of Casimir III, the Piast house, from which Polish kings were usually chosen, ceased. The magnates offered the throne to Casimir's nephew, the Hungarian king Louis, so that he would by law establish all the rights that they enjoyed according to custom. Louis agreed and ascended the Polish throne; but when he saw what a terrible discord in Poland between the estates and how difficult it is to govern it, he returned to Hungary, and took Galicia from Poland and annexed it to his possessions. The Polish magnates declared Louis' younger daughter, Jadwiga, their queen, and began to look for her a groom. The most profitable seemed to them Jagiello, the Lithuanian prince, who willingly wooed her. Jagiello's matchmaking was to the liking of both the noble rulers and the clergy: the former hoped that as a result of this marriage, Poland, merging with Lithuania, would get rid of her enmity and greatly strengthen, and the clergy hoped to spread the power of the Roman Church in Lithuania: to baptize the pagan Lithuanians and convert to Catholicism Orthodox. Only Yadviga was not happy with Jagiello's proposal: she already had another fiancé. For a long time she opposed marriage to a Lithuanian prince, no matter how the nobles insisted. They say that only the bishops convinced her: they pointed out to her that by agreeing to this marriage, she would serve the great cause of enlightening Lithuanians with Christian doctrine and thus save thousands of souls stagnant in paganism.

In 1386, Jagiello arrived in the capital of Poland - Krakow, was baptized here according to the Roman rite, married the queen and was crowned. Prior to this, he took an oath to observe Polish laws, introduce the Catholic faith in Lithuania and unite the principality of Lithuania and Poland into one state.

Baptism of Lithuania

The baptism of the Lithuanians was accomplished easily: there were already quite a few Christians among the Lithuanian nobles; paganism was strong only among the common people. King Jagiello himself with his wife and clergy arrived in Vilna, the Perkuns ordered to extinguish the fire, beat the sacred snakes, cut down the reserved groves where the most important pagan rituals were performed. At first, the pagans looked in horror at the destruction of their shrine and waited in vain that the Thunder of Perkunov was about to break out and destroy the destroyer of the shrine ... And meanwhile, to those who were baptized, Jagailo gave good white caftans and beautiful shoes, and the queen distributed money with a generous hand. The bait was great for the poor Lithuanians: gifts tempted them, and they grudgingly accepted Latin priests ... Until then, little by little, along with the enlightenment, the Orthodox Christian faith spread among the Lithuanians, and in the end all Lithuania would become Russified and become Orthodox ; now, with the appearance of the Catholic clergy here, under the patronage of Jagiello, things have changed completely. There are two Christian religions in the Lithuanian-Russian state: Orthodox and Catholic. The power-hungry Catholic clergy are very hostile to Orthodoxy, they are trying to convert the Orthodox to Catholicism, to oust Orthodoxy from Lithuania altogether. From the clergy, the enmity passes to the laity. Thus, discord is introduced into the Lithuanian-Russian state.

The proclamation of Vitovt as the Grand Duke of Lithuania

The union of Lithuania with Poland was also fragile. All the Orthodox looked with indignation at Jagiello's devotion to the Poles, and when he demanded, on the advice of the Polish clergy, that Russian subjects also join the Latin Church, there was a strong murmur. At the same time, many Lithuanian nobles were very unhappy with the fact that their power and importance were lost with the annexation of Lithuania to Poland. Jagailo's cousin Vitovt (or Vitold) took advantage of this. He was helped by the Teutonic knights, who were constantly at war with Poland. Jagailo first fought with Vitovt, but finally had to give up. Vitovt was proclaimed the Grand Duke of Lithuania, and she separated from Poland (1392). Since that time, the Polish government has been trying with all its might to re-annex the Lithuanian-Russian principality to Poland and finally gets its way. This prevented for a long time the unification of both parts of the Russian land into one whole. And the Catholic clergy, having settled in the Lithuanian-Russian possessions, continues to press the Orthodox faith by all means. A lot of troubles and troubles from this arose in southwestern Russia!

Capture of Smolensk by Vitovt

Vytautas, a very decisive and completely indiscriminate prince, decided to enlarge his principality, to strengthen himself so as not to depend on Jagiello, and even thought about the royal crown. He was incessantly on campaigns: he fought off strong neighbors, then tried to seize new lands. Vitovt's daughter, Sofia, was married to Vasily Dmitrievich; but this did not prevent Vitovt from striving to seize the Russian regions.

In Smolensk at this time there were strife: the senior prince tried to take the small appanage princes into his own hands. Vitovt appeared near Smolensk and invited all the princes to go to him, and gave letters of protection so that they would not fear anything.

“I heard that there is no unity and great enmity between you,” he sent to tell them. - If there is any dispute between you, then you refer to me as the third; I'll judge you fairly!

Smolensk princes were delighted with the arbitration court of the strong Vitovt, - they thought that he would judge them fairly. With great gifts they all went to him; Vitovt took the gifts from them, and ordered them all to be seized and sent to Lithuania, and in Smolensk he set up his governors (1395). Then he had, however, to fight with one of the Smolensk princes, who remained at large; but still Smolensk went to Lithuania very easily.

Battle of Vorskla (1399)

Vasily Dmitrievich this time did not prevent his father-in-law from making money at the expense of the Russian regions; but Vitovt of Smolensk was still not enough: he wanted to establish himself in Novgorod and even take Moscow itself. At this time, Tokhtamysh surrendered under his patronage, asked to help him reign in the Golden Horde, and for this he pledged to help Vitovt get Moscow.

Vitovt prepared for a long time to fight the Tatars, gathered a huge army: there were detachments of Lithuanian, Russian, Polish, there were several hundred German knights, there were also Tatar detachments of Tokhtamysh. Up to fifty Russian and Lithuanian princes commanded over the army, which was headed by Vitovt himself. The army was vigorous and well armed. Everyone seemed to portend a brilliant success. Speaking on a campaign, Vitovt sent a message to the Khan of the Golden Horde, Timur-Kutluk:

- God is preparing for me dominion over all your lands. Be my tributary, or you will be a slave!

Young Timur was ready, as the chroniclers say, to obey Vitovt, recognize him as the oldest and even pay tribute. But when Murza Yedigei, an old experienced leader, arrived in the Tatar camp, things went differently. He gathered for negotiations with Vitovt on the banks of the Vorskla.

- Our Tsar, - said Edigei Vitovt mockingly, - could justly recognize you as a father: you are older than him in years, but younger than me. Submit to me, pay tribute and print my seal on Lithuanian money!

This ridicule infuriated Vitovt. He gave the order to his army stationed on the Vorskla to begin the battle. One of the Lithuanian voivods, seeing the huge hordes of Tatars, advised it to better try to make peace on favorable terms, but the younger and more zealous Lithuanian voivods laughed at this caution. "Let's crush the infidels!" They shouted.

The hordes of Tatars were more numerous than the Lithuanian army; Vitovt relied on his guns and squeaked. But in those days, not only did they not know how to shoot from the cannons, but they also turned them with difficulty, slowly loaded them, and the guns were still bad, so they caused more thunder than troubles for the enemy. Moreover, the Tatars in the open field attacked in disperse, in small detachments: the guns could not do them much harm. At first, however, the Lithuanians of Vytautas in the battle on Vorskla upset the hordes of Edigei; but when the Tatars went into the rear of the Lithuanian army and suddenly and swiftly attacked it, the Tolitian regiments were crushed. The massacre lasted until late at night. Tatars mercilessly slashed, trampled, took away in crowds of tired and dumbfounded Vitovt's soldiers. The chronicler counted up to twenty princes killed in the battle on Vorskla. Hardly a third of the Lithuanian army escaped. The Tatars chased the fleeing Vitovt five hundred versts to Kiev, betraying everything to terrible ruin (1399). But devastating part Lithuanian principality the matter was over: the Tatars, apparently, were no longer able to enslave all of Lithuania, impose a heavy tribute on it, as Baty once did with our fatherland.

Battle of Grunwald

If Vitovt had won a victory over the Tatars, similar to Kulikovskaya, in the battle on Vorskla, he would have entered into such a force that Moscow would not have resisted him. His affairs in the west were more successful: here he, together with the Polish king Jagiello, inflicted a terrible defeat on the Teutonic knights at Grunwald (or Tannenberg, 1410). In this battle, on the side of Vitovt and Jagailo, the regiments of all Western Russian principalities participated; the Smolensk regiment especially distinguished itself. After the pogrom on the Vorskla, Vytautas became quiet and left Novgorod alone; but Smolensk, where the former prince Yuri tried to establish himself, Vitovt held in his hands.

War of Moscow with Lithuania 1406-1408

Several years later, having rested from defeat, Vitovt began to seek Russian lands again, attacked the Pskov region; Pskov and Novgorodians began to look for defense in Moscow. When Vasily Dmitrievich saw that his father-in-law was not content with Smolensk, but was getting to other Russian regions, he declared war on him. Three times Vasily and Vitovt met with their troops, ready for battle (1406-1408), but the matter did not come to a battle: both princes were very careful. Vitovt finally left the Russian regions alone. The border between the Lithuanian and Moscow possessions is the Ugra River. Here for the last time, during the reign of Vasily Dmitrievich, Russian and Lithuanian troops met.

Feeling the precariousness of power, in the years Jagiello began to seek support from Poland. As a result of the Kreva Union, on August 14, Jagiello pledged to accept Roman Catholicism and return to Poland the lands that had previously been torn from her. In the year, ambassadors from Krakow came to Jagiello, asking to accept the Polish crown, since the people of Krakow opposed the will of the childless Polish king Casimir to transfer power to the Podolsk prince Konstantin Olgerdovich - Jagiello's half-brother, Olgerd's son from the first wife of Maria Yaroslavna, Princess of Vitebsk. Jagiello accepted the offer - on February 12 of the same year he arrived in Krakow, on February 15 he converted to Roman Catholicism and was baptized under the name of Vladislav, and on February 18 he was married to the Polish queen Jadwiga I, which united Poland and Lithuania under the Polish system of government. When the principality of Lithuania was incorporated into the Polish Kingdom of Jagiello, it was ordered “ forever annex all their lands, Lithuanian and Russian, to the Polish crown". The union of Lithuania and Poland became the basis of resistance to the offensive of the Teutonic Order, which had previously threatened both countries. The question of whether Jagiello was actually the Polish king or only the consort of the Polish queen has been discussed by Polish scientists since the 19th century and remains open.

After settling in Poland, Jagiello began to rule Lithuania through governors, considering it a part of his new state. From the same year, Jagiello began the mass baptism of Lithuanians into Roman Catholicism. Knights who were baptized received significant privileges from him. On February 20, he gave the right of city self-government to Vilnius. A significant group of Lithuanian princes, hostile to the new course of state affairs, achieved the transfer of power in the Lithuanian principality to Vitovt during the year, while retaining the title of “supreme prince” of Lithuania for Jagiello.

Historians differ in their assessment of his personal qualities. Some believe that he was a man of small mind and weak character, and his role in history is attributed to a coincidence. Others, and, in particular, Lithuanian historians, note his great abilities, personal influence on the course of historical events; but both of them consider him a cruel and treacherous ruler.

Literature

Szajnocha, K., Jadwiga i Jagiełło.
Caro, J., Geschichte Polens (2nd part, Gotha, 1863).
Smirnov, M., Jagiello - Jacob - Vladislav and the first connection of Lithuania with Poland, Notes of the Novorossiysk University, Odessa, 1868.
Smolka, St., Kiejstut and Jagiełło, Krakow, 1888.
Koneczny, F., "Jagiełł o i Witold", Przewodnik naukowy, 1892.
Lewicki, A., "Powstanie Swidrygiełły", Rozpr. Ak. It., XXIX.
Lyubavsky, M.K., Essay on the history of the Lithuanian-Russian state, M., 1910.

Used materials

Novodvorsky, V., "Yagailo", article Encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron:

The assassination of Keistut by Jagail

In 1377 he died, having accepted, they say, before his death the schema. He left a huge family: twelve sons and five daughters, and, moreover, many nephews and grandchildren. The successor to the grand ducal dignity, in addition to the older brothers, was Yagiello, or Jagiello, Olgerd's eldest son from a marriage to the princess of Tver. Troubles and bloody strife began. , having found out about the secret relations of Jagiello with the Teutonic Order, an implacable enemy of Lithuania, took Vilna and took possession of the Grand Ducal throne, and gave his nephew the principality of Krevskoe and Vitebsk. Jagiello, of course, could not be satisfied with this; he managed to lure his uncle on a date as if for negotiations and capture him. The aged hero of Lithuania, Keistut, was chained and put in the basement, where, by the order of the treacherous Jagail, he was strangled (1382), to the delight of the Germans. A rumor was spread among the people that Keistut himself took his own life.

The son of Keistut, Jagiello was kept in custody in the castle and, probably, was preparing him the same fate as his father. But his wife, who visited Vitovt in prison, helped him to deceive the guards and flee in the clothes of a servant from the castle. Vitovt found support from the Germans, the worst enemies of his father, who were now ready to help his son in the fight against Jagiello, their former ally, whose reinforcement in Lithuania they feared.

Moscow and Lithuania - two collectors of Russia

Having become related to the Russian princes, the Lithuanian princes began to lean more and more towards Christianity; many of the descendants were already Christians. As mentioned above, Olgerd secretly professed Orthodoxy, his son Jagailo was raised by his Russian mother in the Orthodox faith. Not only faith, but also Russian customs and language, as you know, began to spread strongly in Lithuania. If things had gone on like this, then two or three generations would have changed - and the Lithuanian tribe would have become completely Russified and would have merged completely into one people with the Russians.

During the times of Jagiello and Vitovt, the princes of Lithuania, Orthodox, who spoke Russian, became related to the house of St. Vladimir, were already beginning to look at other Russian regions as Russian princes. Novgorod, Pskov. Tver and other Russian lands, entering into an alliance with the Lithuanian princes or recognizing their power over themselves, did not at all think that they were betraying the Russian cause and submitting to foreign forces.

The struggle of the Lithuanian princes with those of Moscow can be viewed as a dispute between the descendants of Gediminas and the descendants of Kalita for dominion over the entire Russian land. One or the other would have gained the upper hand - after all, both parts of the Russian land, western and eastern, would have merged into one whole. But a circumstance happened that prevented this union for a long time: the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello, Olgerd's son, ascended the Polish throne, and Lithuania was temporarily united with Poland.

Lithuania and Poland

The Polish state arose almost at the same time as the Russian one. The Poles, in their Slavic origins, were brothers to the Russians, both in morals and in their language, differed little from them; but in the second half of the 10th century, Poles adopted Christianity from Western Latin preachers, and since the 11th century discord has gradually grown. The Latin clergy and its head, the Pope, were not content with ecclesiastical authority, like the Orthodox clergy, but tried to take worldly affairs into their own hands. The popes were strongly at enmity with the Byzantine patriarchs, who stood at the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and tried to subjugate it to themselves. The enmity towards the Orthodox is passing from the Catholic clergy to the laity.

Marriage of Jagiello to Jadwiga

In the middle of the 14th century, shortly before the reign of Vytautas and Jagiello in Lithuania, in Poland with the death of Casimir III, the Piast house, from which Polish kings were usually chosen, ceased to exist. The magnates offered the throne to Casimir's nephew, the Hungarian king Louis, so that he would establish by law all the rights that they enjoyed according to custom. Louis agreed and ascended the Polish throne; but when he saw what a terrible discord in Poland between the estates and how difficult it is to govern it, he returned to Hungary, and took Galicia from Poland and annexed it to his possessions.

Polish magnates declared Louis' younger daughter, Jadwiga, their queen, and began to look for her a groom. The most profitable seemed to them Jagiello, the Lithuanian prince, who willingly wooed her. Jagiello's matchmaking was to the liking of both the noble rulers and the clergy: the former hoped that as a result of this marriage, Poland, merging with Lithuania, would get rid of her enmity and greatly strengthen, and the clergy hoped to spread the power of the Roman Church in Lithuania: to Catholicism Orthodox.

Only Yadviga was not happy with Jagiello's proposal: she already had another fiancé. For a long time she opposed marriage to the Lithuanian prince, no matter how the nobles insisted. They say that only the bishops convinced her: they pointed out to her that by agreeing to this marriage, she would serve the great cause of enlightening Lithuanians with Christian doctrine and thus save thousands of souls stagnant in paganism.

In 1386, Jagielo arrived in the capital of Poland - Krakow, was baptized here according to the Roman rite, married the queen and was crowned. Before that, he swore an oath to observe Polish laws, introduce the Catholic faith in Lithuania and unite the principality of Lithuania and Poland into one state.

Baptism of Lithuania

At first, the pagans looked in horror at the destruction of their shrine and waited in vain that Perkunov's thunder was about to break out and destroy the destroyer of the shrine ...

Meanwhile, Jagiello gave good white caftans and beautiful shoes to those who were baptized, and the queen distributed money with a generous hand. The bait was great for the poor Lithuanians: the gifts tempted them, and they reluctantly accepted Latin priests ...

Until then, little by little, along with the enlightenment, the Orthodox Christian faith was spreading among the Lithuanians, and in the end all Lithuania would become Russified and become Orthodox; now, with the appearance of the Catholic clergy here, under the patronage of Jagiello, things have changed completely.

There are two Christian religions in the Lithuanian-Russian state: Orthodox and Catholic. The Catholic, power-hungry clergy is very hostile to Orthodoxy, trying to convert the Orthodox to Catholicism, to oust Orthodoxy from Lithuania altogether. From the clergy, the enmity passes to the laity. Thus, discord is introduced into the Lithuanian-Russian state.

The proclamation of Vitovt as the Grand Duke of Lithuania

At the same time, many Lithuanian nobles were very unhappy with the fact that their power and importance were lost with the annexation of Lithuania to Poland. Jagailo's cousin Vitovt (or Vitold) took advantage of this. He was helped by the Teutonic knights, who were constantly at war with Poland. Jagailo first fought with Vitovt, but finally had to give up. Vitovt was proclaimed the Grand Duke of Lithuania, and she separated from Poland (1392).

Since that time, the Polish government has been trying with all its might to re-annex the Lithuanian-Russian principality to Poland and finally gets its way. This prevented for a long time the unification of both parts of the Russian land into one whole. And the Catholic clergy, having settled in the Lithuanian-Russian possessions, continues to press the Orthodox faith in every way. A lot of troubles and troubles from this arose in southwestern Russia!

Capture of Smolensk by Vitovt

I heard that there is no unity and great enmity between you, - he sent to tell them. - If there is any dispute between you, then you refer to me as the third; I'll judge you fairly!

The princes of Smolensk rejoiced at the arbitration court of the strong Vitovt, - they thought that he would judge them fairly. With great gifts they all went to him; Vitovt took the gifts from them, and ordered them all to be seized and sent to Lithuania, and in Smolensk he set up his governors (1395). Then he had, however, to fight with one of the Smolensk princes, who remained at large; but still Smolensk went to Lithuania very easily.

Battle of Vorskla (1399)

God is preparing for me dominion over all your lands. Be my tributary, or you will be a slave!

Our king, - said Edigei Vitovt mockingly, - could justly recognize you as a father: you are older than him in years, but younger than me. Submit to me, pay tribute and print my seal on Lithuanian money!

At first, however, the Lithuanians of Vytautas in the battle on Vorskla upset the hordes of Edigei; but when the Tatars went into the rear of the Lithuanian army and suddenly and swiftly attacked him, the Tolitovsk regiments were crushed. The massacre lasted until late at night. Tatars mercilessly slashed, trampled, took away in crowds of tired and dumbfounded Vitovt's soldiers. The chronicler counted up to twenty princes killed in the battle on Vorskla.

Hardly a third of the Lithuanian army escaped. The Tatars chased the fleeing Vitovt five hundred versts to Kiev, betraying everything to terrible ruin (1399). But the affair ended with the devastation of a part of the Lithuanian principality: the Tatars, apparently, were no longer able to enslave the whole of Lithuania, impose a heavy tribute on it, as Baty once did.

Battle of Grunwald

Had Vitovt won a victory over the Tatars in the battle on Vorskla, similar to Kulikovskaya, he would have entered into such a force that Moscow would not have resisted him. His affairs in the west were more successful: here he, together with the Polish king Jagiello, inflicted a terrible defeat on the Teutonic knights at Grunwald (or Tannenberg, 1410).

In this battle, on the side of Vitovt and Jagailo, the regiments of all Western Russian principalities participated; the Smolensk regiment especially distinguished itself. After the pogrom on the Vorskla, Vytautas became quiet and left Novgorod alone; but Smolensk, where the former prince Yuri tried to establish himself, Vitovt held in his hands.

War between Moscow and Lithuania 1406-1408

After a few years, having rested from defeat, Vitovt began to seek Russian lands again, attacked the Pskov region; Pskov and Novgorodians began to look for defense in Moscow. When Vasily Dmitrievich saw that his father-in-law was not content with Smolensk, but was getting to other Russian regions, he declared war on him. Three times Vasily and Vitovt met with their troops, ready for battle (1406-1408), but the matter did not reach the point of battle: both princes were very careful. Vitovt finally left the Russian regions alone. The border between the Lithuanian and Moscow possessions is the Ugra River. Here for the last time, during the reign of Vasily Dmitrievich, Russian and Lithuanian troops met.

He bequeathed the throne not to the eldest son, but to the first son from his second marriage - Jagiello. Thus, he provoked civil strife, which broke out between the brothers after his death. The older Olgerdovichs believed that they had more rights to the throne, but on the side of Yagaila there was an authoritative uncle who was once faithful to his promise. With the support of his uncle, Yagailo captured Polotsk (fled to Moscow), but the brothers who were in other cities were not going to obey him. Bryansk (patrimony), Smolensk, Volyn, Podolia and Severshchina (patrimony) were deposited from Lithuania.

However, in the depths of his soul, Jagiello probably envied and feared him. In addition, there were contradictions in foreign policy views between the uncle and nephew: he sympathized with Moscow, and Jagiello sought an alliance with the Germans and Tatars. In February 1380, Jagiello secretly signed a five-month truce with the Livonian Order, and on May 31 he signed a secret Davidishkov treaty with the Teutonic Order. Jagiello and the crusaders agreed on a non-aggression, while the Order retained the right to attack the lands, and Jagiello - to help him just enough so as not to arouse suspicions of betrayal. The Teutons also pledged to maintain neutrality in Jagiello's wars with the Russian princes. Having secured its western borders, Jagailo united with the Golden Horde against the Grand Duchy of Moscow. In September 1380, Jagiello sent a Lithuanian army to the Kulikovo field to help Mamai, but did not have time to fight. Nevertheless, the Lithuanians attacked the Russian wagon train returning to Moscow and took rich booty.

In February 1381, the Teutons invaded and sacked Samogitia. At this time, the commander Ostrode, who was a godfather, informed him about Jagaila's betrayal. Taking advantage of the fact that Jagiello was busy suppressing the uprising in Polotsk, he gathered an army and moved to Prussia, but then suddenly turned to Vilna. On the way, he met Jagiello and arrested him, and proclaimed himself the Grand Duke. Only intercession saved Jagaila. treated him quite gently and let him go, returning the patrimonial possessions - Krevo and Vitebsk. Jagiello had to acknowledge in writing the supremacy of his uncle. The rest of the Gediminovichs, in addition, were also formally recognized as the Grand Duke. But not all of them were satisfied with the current situation. In May 1382 he rebelled. went to him with a small detachment, but was defeated. Meanwhile, the Germans rebelled in Vilna, dissatisfied with the policy of the Grand Duke. There is no doubt that the uprising took place with the knowledge of Jagaila. On June 12, he arrived in the capital and organized the defense of the city against the advancing one. At the end of June, the Crusaders from the north and Jagailo from the direction of Vilna went to Troki, where he settled down. was forced to retreat to Grodno. On July 6, Jagiello signed a truce with the crusaders for a month, taking from them a commitment not to help. On July 20, Jagiello took Troki, placing him as governor.

The question of whether Vladislav-Jagiello became the Polish king remains controversial. Under his first letters there is the signature "lord and guardian of the Kingdom of Poland", in later documents he calls himself "the king of Poland, the supreme prince of Lithuania and Russian votchich", but many letters are confirmed, and some, on the contrary, are signed and confirmed by Vladislav-Jagiello. Moreover, after death, doubts were raised about the legitimacy of Vladislav-Jagiello's occupation of the Polish throne.

At first, Jagailo retained all power in Lithuania in his hands, although he ruled it through the governor. He died in 1385. Yagailo lured to his side his strongest vassal, the prince of Ostrozh, and took it from Lutsk, which he got. However, he continued to hold the Troki in his hands. In general, Yagaila's ambitious cousin was not satisfied with the position of a serving prince.

I must say that many in Lithuania were dissatisfied with the union with Poland. found allies among the younger princes and began to prepare for war. He hoped to seize the Vilnius castle during the celebration of the wedding of his daughter Sophia with the Grand Duke of Moscow. But this plan was thwarted by a German spy. turned to the Teutons for help and confirmed the terms of the previously signed Koenigsberg Treaty with a promise to give Samogitia. In addition to the Germans, many mercenaries from other European countries arrived in his camp, including the future king of England and Marshal of France Jean le Mengra. Jagiello was also gathering troops. He captured several castles in Podlasie, placing Polish garrisons in them, and after a six-month siege, in April 1390, took Grodno. At the end of the summer of the same year, he undertook a major campaign, but during the siege of Georgenburg, Grand Master Konrad Zöllner von Rothenstein died, and the crusaders lifted the siege. The siege of Vilna also ended in failure. The troops ran out of gunpowder, the service life of the mercenaries had expired, the crusaders had to elect a new master. The siege was lifted and the coalition troops returned to Prussia.

Fighting resumed the following year. The new Master of the Teutonic Order, Konrad von Wallenrod, organized crusade against Lithuania and continued to buy Polish lands, which Jagiello claimed. In a word, the war was unsuccessful both for Jagiello and for. The lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were more and more ruined, and the Germans did not give a damn about the interests of their ally. Jagailo tried to replace his brother Wiegand as governor in Lithuania, but he died under unexplained circumstances on June 28, 1392. Then Jagiello decided to start peace negotiations with. On July 4, 1392, the cousins \u200b\u200bmet at the Ostrov estate near Lida and signed an agreement according to which he became the Grand Duke of Lithuania and received back his patrimony - the Troksky principality. Jagailo also received the title of the Supreme Duke of Lithuania and became a suzerain. He also promised that after his death the lands of the Grand Duchy would become the property of the King of Poland. This commitment was confirmed by the Vilna-Radom Union of 1401. Despite this, he pursued a fairly independent policy in Lithuania, and Vladislav-Jagailo concentrated on Polish affairs.