Bychowiec Chronicle
Encyclopedia
The Bychowiec Chronicle named the Letopis of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is an anonymous 16th century chronicle
of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
. Although one of the least reliable sources of the epoch, it is considered the most complete redaction of the Lithuanian Chronicles
. The name comes from the discoverer of the manuscript, a 19th century Polish historian Aleksander Bychowiec
. It was discovered in 1830; it was popularized by Teodor Narbutt
, who published it in full in 1846. An apology of various magnate families of the Grand Duchy, it was most probably authored between 1519 and 1542, under the guidance of Grand Chancellor of Lithuania Albertas Goštautas, though some parts continued to be added until 1574.
The chronicle describes events in the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
from the 13th to the early 16th century. It can be logically divided into depiction of the wars between Lithuania
and Poland
, and the wars between Lithuania and Ruthenia, against East Slav principalities of present-day Belarus
, Russia
and Ukraine
; it also deals with the struggle against the Mongol invasion
and the Teutonic Knights
.
The chronicle was published in 1907 in the Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles, vol 17 (Polnoe sobranie russkikh letopisei) among 25 most important East Slavic
manuscript
s.
Although one of the least reliable Slavonic chronicles, the Bykhovets chronicle is generally believed to have used many medieval documents as its source. The research by the comparative text analysis, however, attempted to prove that the ultimate source of the Bychowiec manuscript was, in fact, the Halych-Volhynian Chronicle
only, possibly in a copy or in excerpts that differed slightly from the versions we know now.
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
. Although one of the least reliable sources of the epoch, it is considered the most complete redaction of the Lithuanian Chronicles
Lithuanian Chronicles
The Lithuanian Chronicles are three redactions of chronicles compiled in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. All redactions were written in the Old Church Slavonic language and served the needs of Lithuanian patriotism. The first redaction, compiled in 1420s, glorified Vytautas the Great and supported...
. The name comes from the discoverer of the manuscript, a 19th century Polish historian Aleksander Bychowiec
Aleksander Bychowiec
Aleksander Bychowiec of Mogiła was a 19th century Polish noble and an amateur historian. He is best known as the discoverer of the so-called Bychowiec Chronicle, a set of 16th century texts related to the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania....
. It was discovered in 1830; it was popularized by Teodor Narbutt
Teodor Narbutt
Teodor Narbutt was a Polish–Lithuanian writer, Romantic historian and military engineer...
, who published it in full in 1846. An apology of various magnate families of the Grand Duchy, it was most probably authored between 1519 and 1542, under the guidance of Grand Chancellor of Lithuania Albertas Goštautas, though some parts continued to be added until 1574.
The chronicle describes events in the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
from the 13th to the early 16th century. It can be logically divided into depiction of the wars between Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and the wars between Lithuania and Ruthenia, against East Slav principalities of present-day Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
; it also deals with the struggle against the Mongol invasion
Mongol invasion of Rus
The Mongol invasion of Russia was resumed on 21 December 1237 marking the resumption of the Mongol invasion of Europe, during which the Mongols attacked the medieval powers of Poland, Kiev, Hungary, and miscellaneous tribes of less organized peoples...
and the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
.
The chronicle was published in 1907 in the Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles, vol 17 (Polnoe sobranie russkikh letopisei) among 25 most important East Slavic
East Slavic languages
The East Slavic languages constitute one of three regional subgroups of Slavic languages, currently spoken in Eastern Europe. It is the group with the largest numbers of speakers, far out-numbering the Western and Southern Slavic groups. Current East Slavic languages are Belarusian, Russian,...
manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
s.
Although one of the least reliable Slavonic chronicles, the Bykhovets chronicle is generally believed to have used many medieval documents as its source. The research by the comparative text analysis, however, attempted to prove that the ultimate source of the Bychowiec manuscript was, in fact, the Halych-Volhynian Chronicle
Halych-Volhynian Chronicle
The Galician-Volhynian Chronicle is a historical record covering 1201–1292 in the history of the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia . The original chronicle did not survive; the oldest known copy is in the Hypatian Codex...
only, possibly in a copy or in excerpts that differed slightly from the versions we know now.
External links
- Хроніка Биховця. Том 32. Литовсько-білоруські літописи (The Bykhovets Chronicle. Volume 32. Lithuanian-belarusian chronicles.) Electronic publication from the Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles, editor B.N.Rybakov
- The Encyclopedia of Ukraine on-line about the Bykhovets chronicle
- Ukrainian literature in English (1980-1998), a bibliography compilation by Marta Tarnawsky