.gif)
Polish–Teutonic War (1431–1435)
Encyclopedia
The Lithuanian Civil War of 1431–1435 was a conflict over the succession to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
, after Vytautas the Great
died in 1430 without leaving an heir. The war was fought on the one side by Švitrigaila
, allied with the Teutonic Knights
, and on the other by Sigismund Kęstutaitis
, backed by the Kingdom of Poland
. The war threatened to dissever the Union of Krewo
, the personal union
between Poland and Lithuania. Švitrigaila's alliance with the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Paul von Rusdorf
, launched the Polish–Teutonic War (1431–1435)
but failed to secure victory for Švitrigaila.
When Sigismund captured power in Lithuania by staging a coup in 1432, Lithuania split into two opposing camps, and there began three years of devastating hostilities. To prevent the Knights from continuing their support of Švitrigaila, Poland backed a Hussite
invasion of Prussia
in 1433. The war ended in a decisive defeat for Švitrigaila and his ally, the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Knights
, at the Battle of Pabaiskas
in September 1435. Švitrigaila eventually surrendered in 1437; Sigismund Kęstutaitis ruled Lithuania for only eight years before he was assassinated in 1440.
, the 1392 Ostrów Agreement
, and the 1413 Union of Horodło. The two states had successfully joined forces against a common enemy, the Teutonic Knights
, at the 1410 Battle of Grunwald
. The Knights' defeat in the battle weakened but did not completely vanquish their military power and they continued to engage in lesser conflicts. Internal tensions within the tentatively unified state persisted after the battle. While Jogaila and Vytautas had converted to Roman Catholicism, the Eastern Orthodox elite, along with some Lithuanian magnates, opposed a closer union with Poland.
On 27 October 1430 Vytautas the Great
, Grand Duke of Lithuania, suddenly died without leaving an heir or a will. His coronation as King of Lithuania had been scheduled for September 1430, but the Poles had prevented the crown from reaching Lithuania. Vytautas' only daughter, Sophia of Lithuania
, had married Vasily I of Moscow and had only one surviving son, Vasily II. He was Orthodox
and could not lead the recently Christianized
Catholic Grand Duchy. Their adherence to the Orthodox faith also prevented many other Gediminids
from becoming pretenders to the throne. There were two most suitable Catholic candidates: Vytautas' brother and legal heir, Sigismund Kęstutaitis
, and Vytautas' cousin Švitrigaila
.
The Lithuanian nobles unilaterally elected Švitrigaila as the new Grand Duke. This violated the terms of the Union of Horodło of 1413, wherein the Lithuanians had pledged not to elect a new Grand Duke without the approval of the Kingdom of Poland
. In order to obtain Ruthenia
n votes, Švitrigaila had granted equal rights to Catholic and Orthodox nobles; this was to be the one lasting achievement of his brief reign. At the time Jogaila
, King of Poland and brother of Švitrigaila, was visiting Lithuania. On 7 November 1431, he announced that he approved the election and that Polish–Lithuanian relationship would be formally determined in August 1432. However, an armed conflict erupted due to territorial disputes in Podolia
and Volhynia
, which, under the terms of a 1411 agreement, were to have been ruled by Lithuania only during the lifetime of Vytautas.
, Švitrigaila arrested his brother Jogaila
, King of Poland, in Vilnius. Jogaila was released when he promised to return Podolia to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Polish nobility
, led by Zbigniew Oleśnicki, gathered in Sandomierz
in February 1431. Outraged, they voided King's promises and demanded that Švitrigaila acknowledge his fealty
to Jogaila. Švitrigaila refused, professed full independence, and even asked Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund
to send him the crown that had been intended for Vytautas. In the same letter, Švitrigaila promised his loyalty to Sigismund and discussed a possible marriage to a daughter of voivode of Moldavia.
Švitrigaila began organizing a wider anti-Polish coalition. He negotiated with the Teutonic Knights
, with Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund
, with Moldavia
, with the Golden Horde
, and with the dukes of the eastern lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
. The most promising prospect as an ally was the Teutonic Order, which was seeking to undo the Polish–Lithuanian union that had led to the Order's defeat at the Battle of Grunwald
(1410). In June 1431 the Teutonic Knights and Švitrigaila signed the Treaty of Christmemel
. Švitrigaila's cause was also aided by Moldavia
n forces led by Alexander the Good, who attacked Poland in the southeast.
On 25 June 1431, Polish army invaded Volhynia
. They captured part of Volhynia, Horodło, Volodymyr-Volynskyi
, Zbarazh
, and defeated Švitrigaila's men near Lutsk
. However, the Poles did not succeed in capturing Lubart's Castle
. At the same time, pursuant to the Treaty of Christmemel, the Teutonic Knights declared war and invaded Poland. Finding little opposition, the Knights ravaged Dobrzyń Land
, taking the town of Nieszawa
, and tried to move on to the Kuyavia
and Krajna
regions. However, the Teutonic army was defeated on 13 September 1431 at Dąbki, near Nakel (now Nakło nad Notecią). Švitrigaila, who was besieged in the Lubart's Castle, offered to negotiate peace on 20 August. An agreement was reached on 26 August, thus ending the so-called Lutsk War. A formal truce until 24 June 1433 was signed at Staryi Chortoryisk
on 1 September. The agreement was more favorable to Poland. The truce did not solve the underlying dispute, however. The war was transformed into a diplomatic struggle, as Poland sought to turn the Lithuanian nobles against Švitrigaila.
On 31 August 1432, conspirators, including Semen Olshanski
, Petras Mangirdaitis, Jonas Goštautas
, attacked Švitrigaila and his escort at Ashmyany, where they were staying the night. Švitrigaila managed to escape to Polotsk. The conspirators installed Sigismund Kęstutaitis
, brother of Vytautas, as the new Grand Duke. It is unclear what groups supported Sigismund or why. Possibly some Lithuanian nobles were displeased with favors that Švitrigaila had granted to the Orthodox dukes, but prior to the coup no opposition had manifested itself. Sigismund, who had not played a major role in Lithuanian politics before the coup, and who had initially supported Švitrigaila, resumed the policy of union with Poland. On 15 October 1432 he signed the Union of Grodno, which in essence confirmed the Union of Vilnius and Radom (1401) and granted Sigismund the same rights as Vytautas had enjoyed during his reign. Following Sigismund's death, Lithuania was to return to the King of Poland. Sigismund also made territorial concessions to Poland in disputed Podolia
and Volhynia
.
To win support from the nobles, in May 1434 Sigismund granted a privilege
to both Catholic and Orthodox nobles. The privilege guaranteed their right to buy, sell, exchange, gift, and inherit land. The veldamas
, a class of dependent peasants, were released from taxes and obligations to the state—all their earnings now belonged to the nobles. No noble was to be punished or imprisoned for crimes without a court order. Lithuania divided into two camps: supporters of Sigismund (the Lithuanian lands, Samogitia
, Trakai Voivodeship
, and Minsk
); and supporters of Švitrigaila (Polotsk, Vitebsk
, Smolensk
, Kiev
, Volhynia
). There began three years of devastating hostilities. On 8 December 1432 the armies of Švitrigaila and Sigismund met near Ashmyany. Švitrigaila had enlisted the aid of Sayid Ahmad I
, Khan of the Golden Horde
, and wrote to Pope Eugenius IV and Council of Florence
hoping to gain their support by promising a church union. He planned to attack the Grand Duchy's capital, Vilnius
, and resume the throne. Both sides suffered heavy losses, and final victory went to Sigismund. The Teutonic Order officially observed the truce, but continued its secret support for Švitrigaila, mostly through its Livonian branch.
s in order to stop the Teutonic Order from sending secret support to Švitrigaila via its Livonian branch
. The Teutonic Knights had supported the Pope
and Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund
against the heretic Hussites during the Hussite Wars
. During their last and largest "beautiful ride", the Czech forces under Jan Čapek of Sány were also supported by Pomerania
n Duke Bogusław IX of the Duchy of Stolp (Słupsk). For four months the Hussite army ravaged Teutonic territories in Neumark
, Pomerania
, and western Prussia
. They attacked Konitz
(now Chojnice), Schwetz
(now Świecie) and Danzig
(now Gdańsk). They captured several towns and castles, including Dirschau
(now Tczew) on 29 August 1433. Despite their failed siege of Danzig, the Hussites celebrated their "beautiful ride" by symbolically filing their bottles with water from the Baltic Sea
.
On 13 September 1433 a truce was signed at Jasiniec
. Polish–Teutonic negotiations continued at Brześć Kujawski
, and Hussite–Catholic negotiations continued at the Council of Florence
and at the Czech Diet in Prague
. The Polish-led invasion of Neumark and Pomerania had proven successful, cutting the Teutonic Order off from support from the Holy Roman Empire, and convincing the Order to sign a treaty with the Poles. On 15 December 1433, twelve-year Truce of Łęczyca was signed between the Poles and the Order at Łęczyca (leading some Polish historians to divide this Polish–Teutonic War into two wars: in 1431–1433; and in 1435). The Teutonic Knights agreed to most of the Polish demands, including that the Order cease its support for Švitrigaila, each side would control the territories that it occupied until a peace was signed (uti possidetis), and no party would seek mediation by foreign powers in order to alter this truce. This marked the end of the war on Polish soil; the struggle on Lithuanian lands would continue for two more years, as the truce with Poland did not extend to the Livonian Order
.
, Kreva
and Eišiškės
and devastated the suburbs of Vilnius
, Trakai
and Kaunas
. The hostilities were briefly stopped by horse plague. When Jogaila died in May 1434, the Order resumed its backing for Švitrigaila, who rallied his supporters, including knights from the Livonian Order, the Orthodox dukes, and his nephew Sigismund Korybut
, a distinguished military commander of the Hussites. In July 1435, Švitrigaila foiled a coup against him in Smolensk
. Coup leader Orthodox bishop Gerasim, consecrated as Metropolitan of Moscow in 1432, was burned at the stake. The final battle, at Pabaiskas
, was fought in September 1435 near Ukmergė
(Vilkomir, Wiłkomierz), northwest of Vilnius. It is estimated to have involved 30,000 men on both sides. Švitrigaila's army, led by Sigismund Korybut, was split by the attacking Lithuanian–Polish army, led by Michael Žygimantaitis, and soundly defeated.
Švitrigaila, with a small group of followers, managed to escape to Polotsk. The Livonian Order
had suffered a great defeat, sometimes compared to that which had been inflicted on the Teutonic Knights at Grunwald
in 1410. On 31 December 1435 the Teutonic Knights signed a peace treaty at Brześć Kujawski
. They agreed to cease their support for Švitrigaila, and in the future to support only Grand Dukes who had been properly elected jointly by Poland and Lithuania. The treaty did not change the borders that had been set by the Treaty of Melno
in 1422. The Peace of Brześć Kujawski showed that the Teutonic Knights had lost their universal missionary status. The Teutonic and Livonian Orders no longer interfered in Polish–Lithuanian affairs; instead, Poland and Lithuania would involve themselves in the Thirteen Years' War (1454–66), the civil war that would tear Prussia in half.
and Volhynia
), and after his death these territories would pass to the King of Poland. However, under strong protest from Sigismund, the Polish Senate declined to ratify the treaty . In 1438 Švitrigaila withdrew to Moldavia. The reign of Sigismund Kęstutaitis was brief — he was assassinated in 1440. Švitrigaila returned from exile in 1442 and ruled Lutsk
until his death a decade later.
Jogaila's son Casimir IV Jagiellon
, born in 1426, received approval as a hereditary hospodar
from Lithuania's ruling families in 1440. This event is seen by the historians Jerzy Lukowski
and Hubert Zawadzki as marking the end of the succession dispute.
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...
, after 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...
died in 1430 without leaving an heir. The war was fought on the one side by 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:...
, allied with 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...
, and on the other by Sigismund Kęstutaitis
Sigismund Kestutaitis
Sigismund Kęstutaitis was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1432 to 1440. Sigismund was his baptismal name; Sigismund's pagan Lithuanian birth name is unknown. He was son of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Kęstutis and his wife Birutė....
, backed by the Kingdom of Poland
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...
. The war threatened to dissever the Union of Krewo
Union of Krewo
In a strict sense, the Union of Krewo or Act of Krėva was a set of prenuptial promises made in the Kreva Castle on 14 August 1385 by Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania, in exchange for marriage to the underage reigning Queen Jadwiga of Poland...
, the personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
between Poland and Lithuania. Švitrigaila's alliance with the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Paul von Rusdorf
Paul von Rusdorf
Paul von Rusdorf was the 29th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1422 to 1441.The Treaty of Melno was one of von Rusdorf's first acts; it brought stability to the Order and its relations, but fighting resumed in 1431 with the Polish-Teutonic War...
, launched the Polish–Teutonic War (1431–1435)
Polish–Teutonic War (1431–1435)
The Lithuanian Civil War of 1431–1435 was a conflict over the succession to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, after Vytautas the Great died in 1430 without leaving an heir. The war was fought on the one side by Švitrigaila, allied with the Teutonic Knights, and on the other by Sigismund...
but failed to secure victory for Švitrigaila.
When Sigismund captured power in Lithuania by staging a coup in 1432, Lithuania split into two opposing camps, and there began three years of devastating hostilities. To prevent the Knights from continuing their support of Švitrigaila, Poland backed a Hussite
Hussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
invasion of Prussia
Prussia (region)
Prussia is a historical region in Central Europe extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lake District. It is now divided between Poland, Russia, and Lithuania...
in 1433. The war ended in a decisive defeat for Švitrigaila and his ally, the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Knights
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
, at the Battle of Pabaiskas
Battle of Pabaiskas
The Battle of Pabaiskas took place on September 1, 1435 near Ukmergė , by the Šventoji River in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania...
in September 1435. Švitrigaila eventually surrendered in 1437; Sigismund Kęstutaitis ruled Lithuania for only eight years before he was assassinated in 1440.
Prelude
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland had created several tenuous unions in the decades preceding the conflict, including the 1385 Union of KrewoUnion of Krewo
In a strict sense, the Union of Krewo or Act of Krėva was a set of prenuptial promises made in the Kreva Castle on 14 August 1385 by Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania, in exchange for marriage to the underage reigning Queen Jadwiga of Poland...
, the 1392 Ostrów Agreement
Ostrów Agreement
The Ostrów or Astrava Agreement was a treaty between Jogaila , King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and his cousin Vytautas the Great, signed on August 4, 1392...
, and the 1413 Union of Horodło. The two states had successfully joined forces against a common enemy, 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...
, at the 1410 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...
. The Knights' defeat in the battle weakened but did not completely vanquish their military power and they continued to engage in lesser conflicts. Internal tensions within the tentatively unified state persisted after the battle. While Jogaila and Vytautas had converted to Roman Catholicism, the Eastern Orthodox elite, along with some Lithuanian magnates, opposed a closer union with Poland.
On 27 October 1430 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...
, Grand Duke of Lithuania, suddenly died without leaving an heir or a will. His coronation as King of Lithuania had been scheduled for September 1430, but the Poles had prevented the crown from reaching Lithuania. Vytautas' only daughter, Sophia of Lithuania
Sophia of Lithuania
Sophia was the only daughter of Vytautas the Great of Lithuania and his first wife Anna. On January 21, 1391, while her father was engaged in the Lithuanian Civil War, she married Vasili I of Russia. She was the longest serving consort of Russia.After his death in 1425 she became regent for their...
, had married Vasily I of Moscow and had only one surviving son, Vasily II. He was Orthodox
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
and could not lead the recently Christianized
Christianization of Lithuania
The Christianization of Lithuania – Christianization of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that took place in 1387, initiated by the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Jogaila and his cousin Vytautas, that signified the official adoption of Christianity by Lithuanians, one of the last pagan...
Catholic Grand Duchy. Their adherence to the Orthodox faith also prevented many other Gediminids
Gediminids
The Gediminids were a dynasty of monarchs of Grand Duchy of Lithuania that reigned from the 14th to the 16th century. One branch of this dynasty, known as the Jagiellons, reigned also in Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Hungary and Kingdom of Bohemia...
from becoming pretenders to the throne. There were two most suitable Catholic candidates: Vytautas' brother and legal heir, Sigismund Kęstutaitis
Sigismund Kestutaitis
Sigismund Kęstutaitis was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1432 to 1440. Sigismund was his baptismal name; Sigismund's pagan Lithuanian birth name is unknown. He was son of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Kęstutis and his wife Birutė....
, and Vytautas' cousin 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:...
.
The Lithuanian nobles unilaterally elected Švitrigaila as the new Grand Duke. This violated the terms of the Union of Horodło of 1413, wherein the Lithuanians had pledged not to elect a new Grand Duke without the approval of the Kingdom of Poland
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...
. In order to obtain Ruthenia
Ruthenia
Ruthenia is the Latin word used onwards from the 13th century, describing lands of the Ancient Rus in European manuscripts. Its geographic and culturo-ethnic name at that time was applied to the parts of Eastern Europe. Essentially, the word is a false Latin rendering of the ancient place name Rus...
n votes, Švitrigaila had granted equal rights to Catholic and Orthodox nobles; this was to be the one lasting achievement of his brief reign. At the time 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...
, King of Poland and brother of Švitrigaila, was visiting Lithuania. On 7 November 1431, he announced that he approved the election and that Polish–Lithuanian relationship would be formally determined in August 1432. However, an armed conflict erupted due to territorial disputes in 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...
and Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
, which, under the terms of a 1411 agreement, were to have been ruled by Lithuania only during the lifetime of Vytautas.
Lutsk War
When Polish troops invaded PodoliaPodolia
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...
, Švitrigaila arrested his brother 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...
, King of Poland, in Vilnius. Jogaila was released when he promised to return Podolia to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Polish nobility
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
, led by Zbigniew Oleśnicki, gathered in Sandomierz
Sandomierz
Sandomierz is a city in south-eastern Poland with 25,714 inhabitants . Situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship , previously in Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sandomierz County . Sandomierz is known for its Old Town, a major tourist attraction...
in February 1431. Outraged, they voided King's promises and demanded that Švitrigaila acknowledge his fealty
Fealty
An oath of fealty, from the Latin fidelitas , is a pledge of allegiance of one person to another. Typically the oath is made upon a religious object such as a Bible or saint's relic, often contained within an altar, thus binding the oath-taker before God.In medieval Europe, fealty was sworn between...
to Jogaila. Švitrigaila refused, professed full independence, and even asked Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
to send him the crown that had been intended for Vytautas. In the same letter, Švitrigaila promised his loyalty to Sigismund and discussed a possible marriage to a daughter of voivode of Moldavia.
Švitrigaila began organizing a wider anti-Polish coalition. He negotiated with 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...
, with Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
, with Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, with the Golden Horde
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde was a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate that formed the north-western sector of the Mongol Empire...
, and with the dukes of the eastern lands 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...
. The most promising prospect as an ally was the Teutonic Order, which was seeking to undo the Polish–Lithuanian union that had led to the Order's defeat at 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...
(1410). In June 1431 the Teutonic Knights and Švitrigaila signed the Treaty of Christmemel
Treaty of Christmemel
The Treaty of Christmemel was a treaty signed on June 16, 1431 between Paul von Rusdorf, Grand Master the Teutonic Knights, and Švitrigaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania. The treaty established anti-Polish alliance and prompted the Knights to invade the Kingdom of Poland, starting the Polish–Teutonic War...
. Švitrigaila's cause was also aided by Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
n forces led by Alexander the Good, who attacked Poland in the southeast.
On 25 June 1431, Polish army invaded Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
. They captured part of Volhynia, Horodło, Volodymyr-Volynskyi
Volodymyr-Volynskyi
Volodymyr-Volynsky is a city located in Volyn Oblast, in north-western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative centre of the Volodymyr-Volynsky District, the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
, Zbarazh
Zbarazh
Zbarazh is a city in the Ternopil Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Zbarazh Raion , and is located in the historic region of Galicia....
, and defeated Švitrigaila's men near Lutsk
Lutsk
Lutsk is a city located by the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast and the administrative center of the surrounding Lutskyi Raion within the oblast...
. However, the Poles did not succeed in capturing Lubart's Castle
Lubart's Castle
Lutsk High Castle, also known as Lubart's Castle, began its life in the mid-14th century as the fortified seat of Gediminas' son Liubartas , the last ruler of united Galicia-Volhynia. It is the most prominent landmark of Lutsk, Ukraine and as such appears on the 200 hryvnia bill...
. At the same time, pursuant to the Treaty of Christmemel, the Teutonic Knights declared war and invaded Poland. Finding little opposition, the Knights ravaged 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...
, taking the town of Nieszawa
Nieszawa
Nieszawa is a town and a commune in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. As of June 30, 2004, the town has a population of 2,047 people....
, and tried to move on to the Kuyavia
Kuyavia
Kujawy , is a historical and ethnographic region in the north-central Poland, situated in the basin of the middle Vistula and upper Noteć Rivers, with its capital in Włocławek.-Etymology:The origin of the name Kujawy was seen differently in history...
and Krajna
Krajna
Krajna is a forested historical region in Poland, situated in the border area between the Greater Poland, Kuyavian-Pomeranian and Pomeranian Voivodeships...
regions. However, the Teutonic army was defeated on 13 September 1431 at Dąbki, near Nakel (now Nakło nad Notecią). Švitrigaila, who was besieged in the Lubart's Castle, offered to negotiate peace on 20 August. An agreement was reached on 26 August, thus ending the so-called Lutsk War. A formal truce until 24 June 1433 was signed at Staryi Chortoryisk
Staryi Chortoryisk
Staryi Chortoryisk is a village in north-western Ukraine. It is located on the bank of the Styr River in the Manevytskyi Raion of the Volyn Oblast ....
on 1 September. The agreement was more favorable to Poland. The truce did not solve the underlying dispute, however. The war was transformed into a diplomatic struggle, as Poland sought to turn the Lithuanian nobles against Švitrigaila.
Coup in Lithuania
Olshanski
Olshanski was a Lithuanian princely family from Galšia , Belarus, which used to be a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Their Coat of Arms was Hipocentaur...
, Petras Mangirdaitis, Jonas Goštautas
Jonas Goštautas
Jonas Gostautas or Goštautas was a Lithuanian nobleman from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania of the Goštautai noble family, a politician and skillful land owner...
, attacked Švitrigaila and his escort at Ashmyany, where they were staying the night. Švitrigaila managed to escape to Polotsk. The conspirators installed Sigismund Kęstutaitis
Sigismund Kestutaitis
Sigismund Kęstutaitis was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1432 to 1440. Sigismund was his baptismal name; Sigismund's pagan Lithuanian birth name is unknown. He was son of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Kęstutis and his wife Birutė....
, brother of Vytautas, as the new Grand Duke. It is unclear what groups supported Sigismund or why. Possibly some Lithuanian nobles were displeased with favors that Švitrigaila had granted to the Orthodox dukes, but prior to the coup no opposition had manifested itself. Sigismund, who had not played a major role in Lithuanian politics before the coup, and who had initially supported Švitrigaila, resumed the policy of union with Poland. On 15 October 1432 he signed the Union of Grodno, which in essence confirmed the Union of Vilnius and Radom (1401) and granted Sigismund the same rights as Vytautas had enjoyed during his reign. Following Sigismund's death, Lithuania was to return to the King of Poland. Sigismund also made territorial concessions to Poland in disputed 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...
and Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
.
To win support from the nobles, in May 1434 Sigismund granted a privilege
Privilege
A privilege is a special entitlement to immunity granted by the state or another authority to a restricted group, either by birth or on a conditional basis. It can be revoked in certain circumstances. In modern democratic states, a privilege is conditional and granted only after birth...
to both Catholic and Orthodox nobles. The privilege guaranteed their right to buy, sell, exchange, gift, and inherit land. The veldamas
Veldamas
Veldamas was a form of landownership in the early stages of Lithuanian serfdom. The term describes a peasant family with its land and other belongings granted by the Grand Duke of Lithuania to his loyal followers, usually as a reward for military service. The peasant retained ownership of his...
, a class of dependent peasants, were released from taxes and obligations to the state—all their earnings now belonged to the nobles. No noble was to be punished or imprisoned for crimes without a court order. Lithuania divided into two camps: supporters of Sigismund (the Lithuanian lands, 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...
, Trakai Voivodeship
Trakai Voivodeship
Trakai Voivodeship, Trakai Palatinate, or Troki Voivodeship , was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 1413 until 1795.-History:...
, and Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
); and supporters of Švitrigaila (Polotsk, Vitebsk
Vitebsk
Vitebsk, also known as Viciebsk or Vitsyebsk , is a city in Belarus, near the border with Russia. The capital of the Vitebsk Oblast, in 2004 it had 342,381 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth largest city...
, Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
, Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
). There began three years of devastating hostilities. On 8 December 1432 the armies of Švitrigaila and Sigismund met near Ashmyany. Švitrigaila had enlisted the aid of Sayid Ahmad I
Sayid Ahmad I
Sayid Ahmad I was a khan of the Golden Horde from 1427 or 1433 until his death in 1435. Unlike the last five of six khans, Ahmad was not a descendant of Tokhtamysh but Timur-Malik, a cousin of Tokhtamysh.-Breakup of the Horde:...
, Khan of the Golden Horde
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde was a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate that formed the north-western sector of the Mongol Empire...
, and wrote to Pope Eugenius IV and Council of Florence
Council of Florence
The Council of Florence was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It began in 1431 in Basel, Switzerland, and became known as the Council of Ferrara after its transfer to Ferrara was decreed by Pope Eugene IV, to convene in 1438...
hoping to gain their support by promising a church union. He planned to attack the Grand Duchy's capital, Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, and resume the throne. Both sides suffered heavy losses, and final victory went to Sigismund. The Teutonic Order officially observed the truce, but continued its secret support for Švitrigaila, mostly through its Livonian branch.
Hussite invasion of Prussia
In June 1433 Poland allied itself with the Czech HussiteHussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
s in order to stop the Teutonic Order from sending secret support to Švitrigaila via its Livonian branch
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
. The Teutonic Knights had supported the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
against the heretic Hussites during the Hussite Wars
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
. During their last and largest "beautiful ride", the Czech forces under Jan Čapek of Sány were also supported by Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
n Duke Bogusław IX of the Duchy of Stolp (Słupsk). For four months the Hussite army ravaged Teutonic territories in Neumark
Neumark
Neumark comprised a region of the Prussian province of Brandenburg, Germany.Neumark may also refer to:* Neumark, Thuringia* Neumark, Saxony* Neumark * Nowe Miasto Lubawskie or Neumark, a town in Poland, situated at river Drwęca...
, Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
, and western Prussia
Prussia (region)
Prussia is a historical region in Central Europe extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lake District. It is now divided between Poland, Russia, and Lithuania...
. They attacked Konitz
Chojnice
Chojnice is a town in northern Poland with 39 670 inhabitants , near famous Tuchola Forest, Lake Charzykowskie and many other water reservoirs. It is the capital of the Chojnice County....
(now Chojnice), Schwetz
Swiecie
Świecie is a town in northern Poland with 25,968 inhabitants , situated in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship ; it was previously in Bydgoszcz Voivodeship . It is the capital of Świecie County.-History:...
(now Świecie) and Danzig
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...
(now Gdańsk). They captured several towns and castles, including Dirschau
Tczew
Tczew is a town on the Vistula River in Eastern Pomerania, Kociewie, northern Poland with 60,279 inhabitants . It is an important railway junction with a classification yard dating to the Prussian Eastern Railway...
(now Tczew) on 29 August 1433. Despite their failed siege of Danzig, the Hussites celebrated their "beautiful ride" by symbolically filing their bottles with water from the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
.
On 13 September 1433 a truce was signed at Jasiniec
Jasiniec
Jasiniec is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Bogdaniec, within Gorzów County, Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland. It lies approximately east of Bogdaniec and south-west of Gorzów Wielkopolski....
. Polish–Teutonic negotiations continued at Brześć Kujawski
Brzesc Kujawski
Brześć Kujawski is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Population - 4,521 , Poland.It has been the seat of one of two small duchies into which Kuyavia has been temporarily divided....
, and Hussite–Catholic negotiations continued at the Council of Florence
Council of Florence
The Council of Florence was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It began in 1431 in Basel, Switzerland, and became known as the Council of Ferrara after its transfer to Ferrara was decreed by Pope Eugene IV, to convene in 1438...
and at the Czech Diet in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. The Polish-led invasion of Neumark and Pomerania had proven successful, cutting the Teutonic Order off from support from the Holy Roman Empire, and convincing the Order to sign a treaty with the Poles. On 15 December 1433, twelve-year Truce of Łęczyca was signed between the Poles and the Order at Łęczyca (leading some Polish historians to divide this Polish–Teutonic War into two wars: in 1431–1433; and in 1435). The Teutonic Knights agreed to most of the Polish demands, including that the Order cease its support for Švitrigaila, each side would control the territories that it occupied until a peace was signed (uti possidetis), and no party would seek mediation by foreign powers in order to alter this truce. This marked the end of the war on Polish soil; the struggle on Lithuanian lands would continue for two more years, as the truce with Poland did not extend to the Livonian Order
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
.
Decisive battle
In July and August 1433, Švitrigaila and his Livonian allies raided LidaLida
Lida is a city in western Belarus in Hrodna Voblast, situated 160 km west of Minsk. It is the fourteenth largest city in Belarus.- Etymology :...
, Kreva
Kreva
Kreva is a township in Hrodna Voblast, Belarus.-History:The Kreva Castle, constructed of brick, was built by the Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania at the borderland of Lithuanian ethnic lands. After his death in 1341, Kreva became the patrimony of his son and successor, Algirdas...
and Eišiškės
Eišiškes
Eišiškės ) is a city in southeastern Lithuania on the border with Belarus. It is situated on a small group of hills, surrounded by marshy valley of Verseka and Dumblė Rivers. Rivers divide the town into two parts; the northern part is called Jurzdika. As of January 2008, Eišiškės had a population...
and devastated the suburbs of Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, Trakai
Trakai
Trakai is a historic city and lake resort in Lithuania. It lies 28 km west of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Because of its proximity to Vilnius, Trakai is a popular tourist destination. Trakai is the administrative centre of Trakai district municipality. The town covers 11.52 km2 of...
and 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...
. The hostilities were briefly stopped by horse plague. When Jogaila died in May 1434, the Order resumed its backing for Švitrigaila, who rallied his supporters, including knights from the Livonian Order, the Orthodox dukes, and his nephew Sigismund Korybut
Sigismund Korybut
Sigismund Korybut was a duke from the Gediminid dynasty, best known as a military commander of the Hussite army and a governor of Bohemia and Prague during the Hussite Wars....
, a distinguished military commander of the Hussites. In July 1435, Švitrigaila foiled a coup against him in Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
. Coup leader Orthodox bishop Gerasim, consecrated as Metropolitan of Moscow in 1432, was burned at the stake. The final battle, at Pabaiskas
Battle of Pabaiskas
The Battle of Pabaiskas took place on September 1, 1435 near Ukmergė , by the Šventoji River in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania...
, was fought in September 1435 near Ukmergė
Ukmerge
-Early history:Ukmergė was first mentioned as a settlement in 1333. It was essentially a wooden fortress that stood on a hill, near the confluence of the Vilkmergė River and the Šventoji River. Ukmergė was attacked by the Teutonic Knights and the Livonian Order in 1333, 1365, 1378, 1386, and even...
(Vilkomir, Wiłkomierz), northwest of Vilnius. It is estimated to have involved 30,000 men on both sides. Švitrigaila's army, led by Sigismund Korybut, was split by the attacking Lithuanian–Polish army, led by Michael Žygimantaitis, and soundly defeated.
Švitrigaila, with a small group of followers, managed to escape to Polotsk. The Livonian Order
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
had suffered a great defeat, sometimes compared to that which had been inflicted on the Teutonic Knights at 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. On 31 December 1435 the Teutonic Knights signed a peace treaty at Brześć Kujawski
Peace of Brzesc Kujawski
Peace of Brześć Kujawski was a peace treaty signed on December 31, 1435 in Brześć Kujawski that ended the Polish–Teutonic War . The treaty was signed in the aftermath of the Livonian Order's defeat at the hands of the allied Polish-Lithuanian force in the Battle of Pabaiskas...
. They agreed to cease their support for Švitrigaila, and in the future to support only Grand Dukes who had been properly elected jointly by Poland and Lithuania. The treaty did not change the borders that had been set by the Treaty of Melno
Treaty of Melno
The Treaty of Melno or Treaty of Lake Melno was a peace treaty ending the Gollub War. It was signed on September 27, 1422, between the Teutonic Knights and an alliance of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania at Lake Melno , east of Graudenz...
in 1422. The Peace of Brześć Kujawski showed that the Teutonic Knights had lost their universal missionary status. The Teutonic and Livonian Orders no longer interfered in Polish–Lithuanian affairs; instead, Poland and Lithuania would involve themselves in the Thirteen Years' War (1454–66), the civil war that would tear Prussia in half.
Aftermath
Švitrigaila was losing his influence in the Slavic principalities and could no longer resist Poland and Sigismund. On 4 September 1437 he attempted to reconcile with Poland: he would rule the lands that still backed him (chiefly KievKiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
), and after his death these territories would pass to the King of Poland. However, under strong protest from Sigismund, the Polish Senate declined to ratify the treaty . In 1438 Švitrigaila withdrew to Moldavia. The reign of Sigismund Kęstutaitis was brief — he was assassinated in 1440. Švitrigaila returned from exile in 1442 and ruled Lutsk
Lutsk
Lutsk is a city located by the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast and the administrative center of the surrounding Lutskyi Raion within the oblast...
until his death a decade later.
Jogaila's son Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV KG of the House of Jagiellon was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440, and King of Poland from 1447, until his death.Casimir was the second son of King Władysław II Jagiełło , and the younger brother of Władysław III of Varna....
, born in 1426, received approval as a hereditary hospodar
Hospodar
Hospodar or gospodar is a term of Slavonic origin, meaning "lord" or "master".The rulers of Wallachia and Moldavia were styled hospodars in Slavic writings from the 15th century to 1866. Hospodar was used in addition to the title voivod...
from Lithuania's ruling families in 1440. This event is seen by the historians Jerzy Lukowski
Jerzy Lukowski
Jerzy Tadeusz Lukowski is a Polish-British historian at University of Birmingham. He specializes in studies of the 18th century Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.- Selected publications :...
and Hubert Zawadzki as marking the end of the succession dispute.