Peace of Raciaz
Encyclopedia
Peace of Raciąż was a treaty signed on May 22, 1404, between Kingdom of Poland
, Grand Duchy of Lithuania
, and the Teutonic Knights
, regarding the control of the Dobrzyń Land
and Samogitia
. Poland in essence confirmed the Treaty of Kalisz of 1342 and Lithuania – the Treaty of Salynas
of 1398. The treaty was not stable and the situation soon changed with the Polish-Lithuanian–Teutonic War of 1409–1411.
Poland, with support of the papacy, was able to increase its ties with the Grand Duchy, by signing the Union of Vilnius and Radom in 1401. The same year Samogitians rebelled against the Knights. The rebels burnt several Teutonic castles. The Knights retaliated by raiding Kaunas
and Hrodna
. In 1402 the Order allied with Lithuanian duke Švitrigaila
, brother of Jogaila
, who promised to follow the Treaty of Salynas and cede Samogitia to the Knights.
When neither side could achieve decisive victory and Vytautas the Great
wanted to direct his attention to a war against Yury of Smolensk
, the negotiations started in summer 1403. The final treaty was signed in Raciąż
and addressed some of the territories disputed between Poland, Lithuania and the Order: the Dobrzyń Land was to return to Poland for a fee, Samogitia
was to remain with the Order, and the discussion regarding the Gdańsk
(Danzig) region was inconclusive. Švitrigaila was allowed to return to Podolia
.
When in 1408 Vytautas concluded his wars in the east with the Grand Duchy of Moscow
, he was able to concentrate on the Teutonic Knights again. Samogitians rebelled for the second time in 1409. That led to a new war between Poland–Lithuania and the Knights, who were decisively defeated in the Battle of Grunwald
in 1410. The Peace of Thorn (1411) changed borders determined by the Peace of Raciąż.
Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)
The Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons was the Polish state created by the accession of Jogaila , Grand Duke of Lithuania, to the Polish throne in 1386. The Union of Krewo or Krėva Act, united Poland and Lithuania under the rule of a single monarch...
, 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...
, 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...
, regarding the control of the Dobrzyń Land
Dobrzyn Land
Dobrzyń Land is a historic region around the town of Dobrzyń nad Wisłą in Poland, east of the Vistula River and south of the Drwęca, where it borders on the Kulmerland...
and Samogitia
Samogitia
Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
. Poland in essence confirmed the Treaty of Kalisz of 1342 and Lithuania – the Treaty of Salynas
Treaty of Salynas
Treaty of Salynas was a peace treaty signed on October 12, 1398 by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas the Great and the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights Konrad von Jungingen. It was signed on an islet of the Neman River, probably between Kulautuva and the mouth of the Nevėžis River...
of 1398. The treaty was not stable and the situation soon changed with the Polish-Lithuanian–Teutonic War of 1409–1411.
Poland, with support of the papacy, was able to increase its ties with the Grand Duchy, by signing the Union of Vilnius and Radom in 1401. The same year Samogitians rebelled against the Knights. The rebels burnt several Teutonic castles. The Knights retaliated by raiding Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
and Hrodna
Hrodna
Grodno or Hrodna , is a city in Belarus. It is located on the Neman River , close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania . It has 327,540 inhabitants...
. In 1402 the Order allied with Lithuanian duke Švitrigaila
Švitrigaila
Švitrigaila Švitrigaila Švitrigaila (ca 1370 – 10 February 1452; was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1430 to 1432. He spent most of his life in largely unsuccessful dynastic struggles against his cousins Vytautas and Sigismund Kęstutaitis.-Struggle against Vytautas:...
, brother of Jogaila
Jogaila
Jogaila, later 'He is known under a number of names: ; ; . See also: Jogaila : names and titles. was Grand Duke of Lithuania , king consort of Kingdom of Poland , and sole King of Poland . He ruled in Lithuania from 1377, at first with his uncle Kęstutis...
, who promised to follow the Treaty of Salynas and cede Samogitia to the Knights.
When neither side could achieve decisive victory and 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...
wanted to direct his attention to a war against Yury of Smolensk
Yury of Smolensk
Yury Svyatoslavich or Georgy Svyatoslavovich was the last sovereign ruler of Smolensk and Bryansk whose life was spent in vain attempts to fend off aggression by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.- Biography :...
, the negotiations started in summer 1403. The final treaty was signed in Raciąż
Raciaz
Raciąż is a town in Płońsk County, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,585 inhabitants . Its history dates to 10th century....
and addressed some of the territories disputed between Poland, Lithuania and the Order: the Dobrzyń Land was to return to Poland for a fee, Samogitia
Samogitia
Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
was to remain with the Order, and the discussion regarding the Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
(Danzig) region was inconclusive. Švitrigaila was allowed to return to Podolia
Podolia
The region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova, is also a part of Podolia...
.
When in 1408 Vytautas concluded his wars in the east with the Grand Duchy of Moscow
Grand Duchy of Moscow
The Grand Duchy of Moscow or Grand Principality of Moscow, also known in English simply as Muscovy , was a late medieval Rus' principality centered on Moscow, and the predecessor state of the early modern Tsardom of Russia....
, he was able to concentrate on the Teutonic Knights again. Samogitians rebelled for the second time in 1409. That led to a new war between Poland–Lithuania and the Knights, who were decisively defeated in the Battle of Grunwald
Battle of Grunwald
The Battle of Grunwald or 1st Battle of Tannenberg was fought on 15 July 1410, during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. The alliance of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respectively by King Jogaila and Grand Duke Vytautas , decisively defeated the Teutonic Knights, led...
in 1410. The Peace of Thorn (1411) changed borders determined by the Peace of Raciąż.