Laukininkas
Encyclopedia
A laukininkas was a free peasant in the early Grand Duchy of Lithuania
. Laukininkai formed the majority of the Grand Duchy's population. They formed communities, called laukas. The term was later replaced by volost
s and subsequently laukininkas became known as valstietis, which is a modern Lithuanian term for farmers and peasants.
communities. In the 12th century tools improved and more efficient techniques were adopted; increased harvest meant that individual families could sustain themselves. This facilitated transition from the community-based to family-based agriculture. By early 13th century the land was divided into individual lots that were owned and cultivated by a single family of laukininkai. The lots were inherited from one generation to the other (allodial title
, known in Lithuanian as alodas). The community continued to own forests, meadows, rivers and lakes. Private ownership allowed stratification into early social class
es and division of labor. Wealthier families could acquire dependent people – kaimynas
or šeimynykštis
. To maintain such structure in the society an organized state was needed. This need contributed to the formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
.
The early laukininkai community, or laukas, was obligated to provide the dukes and their officials with food and other accommodations when they stayed in the vicinity, and to help in building and maintaining castles and defense fortifications. Since the 14th century laukininkai were required to pay regular taxes, known as sidabrinė and dėkla. Sidabrinė was paid in silver and was the main source of revenue for the military. Dėkla was paid in grain, hay and other products. To administer the collection, the state territory was subdivided into volots, governed by a tijūnas, who was appointed to collect the tax and serve as a judge in laukininkai trials and disputes.
In the beginning of the 15th century rising grain prices in Europe prompted bajorai, a class of warriors and future nobility, to shift from warfare into landownership. Grand Duke Vytautas the Great
started gifting laukininkai to his trusted followers for military services. Thus some laukininkai became veldamai – a class of peasants, which retained ownership of land, but owed taxes and levies imposed by the nobles. Increasingly rights of veldamai were curtailed by various privileges to the nobility issued by the Grand Dukes. It was a transitional stage between free peasants and serfs
, fully established by the Wallach reform
in 1557. After the reform all peasants lost personal freedom and land ownership.
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...
. Laukininkai formed the majority of the Grand Duchy's population. They formed communities, called laukas. The term was later replaced by volost
Volost
Volost was a traditional administrative subdivision in Eastern Europe.In earlier East Slavic history, volost was a name for the territory ruled by the knyaz, a principality; either as an absolute ruler or with varying degree of autonomy from the Velikiy Knyaz...
s and subsequently laukininkas became known as valstietis, which is a modern Lithuanian term for farmers and peasants.
History
In ancient times, when tools were crude and a single family could not support itself, the land was owned and worked by egalitarianEgalitarianism
Egalitarianism is a trend of thought that favors equality of some sort among moral agents, whether persons or animals. Emphasis is placed upon the fact that equality contains the idea of equity of quality...
communities. In the 12th century tools improved and more efficient techniques were adopted; increased harvest meant that individual families could sustain themselves. This facilitated transition from the community-based to family-based agriculture. By early 13th century the land was divided into individual lots that were owned and cultivated by a single family of laukininkai. The lots were inherited from one generation to the other (allodial title
Allodial title
Allodial title constitutes ownership of real property that is independent of any superior landlord, but it should not be confused with anarchy as the owner of allodial land is not independent of his sovereign...
, known in Lithuanian as alodas). The community continued to own forests, meadows, rivers and lakes. Private ownership allowed stratification into early social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
es and division of labor. Wealthier families could acquire dependent people – kaimynas
Kaimynas
Kaimynas was a class of non-free peasants in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania before full-scale serfdom was established by the Wallach reform . The term describes a former prisoner of war, who was allowed to live in a village and rent a piece of land from a noble...
or šeimynykštis
Šeimynykštis
Šeimynykštis was a class of patriarchal slaves, who did the same job and lived under the same conditions as his master and family, in the early Grand Duchy of Lithuania. They had no personal freedoms and were completely dependent on the master. Unlike kaimynas, šeimynykštis did not rent land and...
. To maintain such structure in the society an organized state was needed. This need contributed to the formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
History of Lithuania (1219–1295)
The history of Lithuania between 1219 and 1295 deals with the establishment and early history of the first Lithuanian state, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The beginning of the 13th century marks the end of the prehistory of Lithuania. From this point on the history of Lithuania is recorded in...
.
The early laukininkai community, or laukas, was obligated to provide the dukes and their officials with food and other accommodations when they stayed in the vicinity, and to help in building and maintaining castles and defense fortifications. Since the 14th century laukininkai were required to pay regular taxes, known as sidabrinė and dėkla. Sidabrinė was paid in silver and was the main source of revenue for the military. Dėkla was paid in grain, hay and other products. To administer the collection, the state territory was subdivided into volots, governed by a tijūnas, who was appointed to collect the tax and serve as a judge in laukininkai trials and disputes.
In the beginning of the 15th century rising grain prices in Europe prompted bajorai, a class of warriors and future nobility, to shift from warfare into landownership. Grand Duke Vytautas the Great
Vytautas the Great
Vytautas ; styled "the Great" from the 15th century onwards; c. 1350 October 27, 1430) was one of the most famous rulers of medieval Lithuania. Vytautas was the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which chiefly encompassed the Lithuanians and Ruthenians...
started gifting laukininkai to his trusted followers for military services. Thus some laukininkai became veldamai – a class of peasants, which retained ownership of land, but owed taxes and levies imposed by the nobles. Increasingly rights of veldamai were curtailed by various privileges to the nobility issued by the Grand Dukes. It was a transitional stage between free peasants and serfs
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
, fully established by the Wallach reform
Wallach reform
Wallach reform was a land reform in parts of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . Main goal of the reform was to increase revenue to the state treasury, and to distribute feodal services to the peasants...
in 1557. After the reform all peasants lost personal freedom and land ownership.