Mindauh and Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL)

Kryvicy and Volaty (Vieluticy) came to region of modern Navahradak about 8th century from river Oder (Odra)...

The territory of the Duchy of Navaharodak, which had been colonized by both the Kryvicy and the Dryhvicy, extended along the Nioman river between Horadzien (currently know as Hrodna or Grodno) in the west and Navaharodak in the east (Vilnia in north earlier called Kryw-city).
Neighbours of the duchy of Navaharodak was unassimilated Baltic tribes: the Jacviahi (Yatvegians) in the west (who were later belarusianized), the Nalshany in the north, the Litva in the east and Northeast, and the area called Aukstota in the south-eastern part of modern Lithuania (Lietuva).

(detail, pls. see The origins of the Grand Duchy of Litva (Lithuania))

Establishment of a state- Mindauh and the consolidation of lands

According to the chronicles of the period, Mindouh suffered military defeats in his mercenary activities and domestic rivals forced him to flee from "his" Litva to Navaharodak.

On the eve of the 6th of July, Mindauh’s crowning

Wherever Mindauh actually entered in the process of the unification of the GDL, much progress toward establishing the Grand Duchy was made under his rule. State institutions were formed

The adjoining Baltic tribes of Nalshany were subdued by force; whereas the old Belarusian principalities of Pinsk, Polacak, Viciebsk and others joined the new state voluntarily. The unification of Belarusan (tribes of Kryvich and Drehovich, later Radzimich too) and Litvanian land (may be land of tribe of Volaty, another name is Vieluticy, Luticy, Lutva) was part of the historical process of rapprochement and helps to explain the dominant role of the Belarusian culture and the official status of the Belarusan language in the Grand Duchy.

Links:

History of VKL(GDL)

History GDL RP

Lithuania

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania

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A very strong regional leader, Mindauh’s political tactics involved intrigue and brutality among princes of Lithuania and his own family members.

Ultimately, a conspiracy was formed against him and he was assassinated in 1263 along with his two sons.

The castle of Voruta was the only known castle of Mindauh and placed in neighbourhood of Navaharadak (on river Ruta, see about village Ruta too)

The Gediminian dynasty and the strengthening of the GDL
Grand Duke Gedimin came to power in 1316, and started a new dynasty of leaders.
Gedimin employed several forms of statesmanship to expand and strengthen the GDL. He invited members of religious orders to come to the Grand Duchy, announced his loyalty to the Pope and to his neighboring Catholic countries and made political allies with dukes in Rus as well as with the Poles through marriage to women in his family. Gedimin's political skills are revealed in a series of letters written to Rome and nearby cities. He put mentions the Franciscan and Dominican monks who had come to the GDL by invitation and were given the rights to preach, baptize and perform other religious services. He also included an open invitation to artisans and farmers to come and live in the GDL, promising support and reduced taxes to those who would come.
Along with his other political accomplishments, Gedimin established Vilnia as the capital of the GDL as early as 1323. During Mindauh’s rule, he managed to establish a stable state comprised of peoples of varied ethnicity and religious confessions. When his rule ended in 1341, he left the GDL viable and strong.

return to page: Photo-Travel on the field of the battle 1410

War 1409-1410

Armies of King Jahaila and Vitaut Grand

- Battle - July 15,1410

Links:

The state symbol "Pahonia" - in English "Chase" - is more 700 years old

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS OF THE GRAND DUCHY OF LITHUANIA

Links about Mindau in Belarusan:

Mindauh in Arts

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS About MINDAUH

COINS OF GRAND DUCHY OF LITHUANIA (12th c. – 1707)

The earliest Lithuanian coins, "kapos",.. circulated in the 12th-15th c. The latest "kapos" were triangular section alloys, which in the 2nd half of the 14th c. were remade into first silver coins – five denars (semi- groats) of Algerd . The obverse of these coins bore an inscription "PECHAT" (stamp) in old Belarusian, the reverse had a heraldic symbol consisting of a top of pike and a Double cross(Byzantine cross). Coins with a similar symbol on the obverse and the “Gedimin's columns”(Falcon) on the reverse might have been minted by Kestut (1345-1377, 1381-1382), brother of Algerd...

Coins of Great Duchy of Lithuania

Later bidenars of Jogaila with Pahonia (Vytis) on the obverse and the Double cross on the reverse and coins of Vitaut were struck. They bore Pahonia(Vytis) on the obverse and “Gedimin's columns”(Falcon), a heraldic symbol of Gediminian on the reverse. It should be noticed that coinage of Algerd, Kestut, Jogaila and Vitaut had double heraldic symbols: dynastic marks or symbols of the Grand Duke of Lithuania and a heraldic symbol of the suzerain. Such design conformed with the requirements of the time for the vassal coinage where symbols of the suzerain were obligatory. These coins demonstrate the earliest authentic images of Lithuanian coat of arms Pahonnia(Vytis), Double cross and “Gedimin's columns”(Falcon), similar to these on the seals of Lithuanian rulers. Vytis on coins of Jogaila and Vitaut varies in style and has heraldic differences, too. Artistic representation of this complicated heraldic symbol featuring an armed ruler on horseback varies from realistic to artistically stylised. Latin inscriptions in Gothic style were introduced for the first time on coinage of Vitaut. It was a clear evidence of the conversion of Lithuania to Christianity in 1387 and of growing influence of Western European culture.