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Medieval Lithuanian History - Lecture Notes - University of Kaunas (a Lithuanian Megacampaign AAR)

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Medieval Lithuanian History – HIST1602 – Lecture Notes - Professor: Jonas Matas –1350 AD - 1366 - Class 19 – Arunas’s Reign​



  • At the beginning of the rebellion Aruna’s forces number 27K. His personal levies are supported by the powerful dukes of Silesia, Mazovia and Polotsk.
  • Meanwhile, Siemomysl’s coalition, composed of Novgorod and Pomerania, number around 30K.
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  • However, not all members of the Suvalkija family support Arunas’s claims.
  • Duke Dravenis II of Lithuania pledges his support for the King in exchange for promises that he be given Arunas’s lands upon his defeat.
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  • Arunas’s forces quickly occupy Lithuania proper. However, the Belarussian also start their siege of Siauliai.
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  • The first major engagement occurs at Raseiniai, resulting in a major victory for Arunas. Notably, Arunas’s forces ambushes reinforcements arriving from Pomerania and capture the king.
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  • The significant early defeats were enough to scare the Siemomysl and by April 5, 1351 a peace deal was signed recognizing Arunas as the independent Grand Duke of Lithuania.
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  • However, despite his victory against his foreign overlords, Arunas’s realm remains subject to internal pressures. Many of the Lithuanian rulers seek to limit Arunas’s rule to a figurehead. By 1353 disputes regarding the obligations of various rulers results in a full blown uprising.
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  • Within a year Arunas secures victory and summarily strips all titles from the upstarts and vastly increases the crown lands.
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  • However, a major challenge remains in the Duke of Lithuania, who much like his predecessors maintains that his branch of the Suvalkija family are the true Grand-Dukes.
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  • In 1356 Anne Dunkeld, Queen of Pomerania, convinces her relative Charles III of the Holy Roman Empire to press her claims on the Kingdom of England. This is quite worrying to the Grand Duchy and the Kingdom of Poland, as Anne would likely support her husband in asserting Pomerania’s influence in the region. Luckily Charles III campaign is severely undermined by internal conflicts in the Empire.
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  • Tired of the claims of the Lietuvan dukes regarding leadership over the Suvalkija dynasty, Arunas’s declares himself as the true heir of the Suvalkija family leadership. However, many members of the dynasty refuse to accept this. This schism in the Suvalkija family results in the formation of the Suvalkija-Selpils house (those that acknowledge Arunas as the true leader of the Dynasty. Those that continue to accept Dravenis III as the head of the dynasty continue to be referred to as the Suvalkija house.
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  • In 1360 a minor border conflict between Estonia and Finland (vassal of Nowgorod) results Lithuania’s involvement in the conflict.
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  • Arunas’s men easily sieges most of Estonia proper by 1962.
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  • However, the Estonians continued their campaign in Finland.
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  • Despite this by 1363 Estonia surrenders to Finland.
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  • Arunas also asserts more control over the realm as the biggest challenge to his power the Duke of Lietuva, dies leaving his realm to his five year old son. Arunas is quick to provide assistance to the young ruler in the form of court tutors and other courtesans, hoping to garner his allegiance.
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  • Despite many great successes, in 1366 Grand Duke Arunas dies leaving his realm to his son Dausprungas, thus ending the rule of Lithuania’s formative leaders.
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Lithuania is independent again! How long will that last?

How did Pomerania get a claim on England?
 
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HistoryDude said:
Lithuania is independent again! How long will that last?

How did Pomerania get a claim on England?
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Yes hopefully it lasts.

The Dunkelds had inherited England and the Pomeranian King was married to a Dunkeld Princess. They also inherited some lands in Germany hence how they became the HRE.
 
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Medieval Lithuanian History – HIST1602 – Lecture Notes - Professor: Jonas Matas –1366 AD – 1386 - Class 20 – Legitimizing the Grand Duchy​

Prior to inheriting the Grand Duchy, Dausprungas had a successful military career, having most recently helped defeat the Belarussian King. Despite his success in the battlefield many still doubted his ability to rule and maintain the independence of Lithuania.
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Tarvydas, Dausprungas’s brother and the duke of Pruthenia, especially shows outright hostility to his brother’s rule.

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In contrast, Dausprungas’s sister Jevna is supportive of her brother’s rule. As the bride of Duke Wojciech of Mazovia, her support has significant political weight in the region and results in the formalization of an alliance between the two.

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In 1367 hoping to prevent a potential Belarussian resurgence, Dausprungas declares war for the Duchy of Polotsk. He asserts that his vassal Domawuj Suvalkija, Count of Vanemane as the true rule of Polotsk and declares King Zelibrat a usurper.

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Dausprungas is supported by the Dukes of Mazovia and Smalond, while Zelibrat successfully convinces King Zygmunt Pomorza of Novgorod and the Grand Prince Gerden of Livonia to his cause.

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Lithuanian forces cross over successfully into Polotsk and start sieging the holdings in Lukoml and Vitebsk.

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Meanwhile the Belarussian coalition concentrates its attack from Estonia, but these forces are successfully repelled by the arrival of the Smalonder reinforcements.

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By 1368 Lithuania has fully sieged Polotsk and Zelibrat is forced to surrender, ceding the lands of Belarus to Lithuania. Additionally, Zelibrat is required to surrender his crown and goes into exile in the neighboring Novgorod.

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With the death of Giano Wigeriche of Croatia-Hungary in 1375, the large kingdom passes to his daughter Ambrosia Wigeriche, who had earlier inherited the Kingdom of Epirus from her maternal grandfather. This results in the incorporation of Epirus into the Wigeriche demesne, further fueling the regional tensions with Greece.

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1377 indicates a change in Lithuanian attitudes to Rurikid Estonia, a longtime rival in the region. The marriage of the crown-prince Alexei Rurikid to Princess Roze results in a delicate but welcome peace between the two realms.

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Despite successes in foreign policy, internal conflicts came to head in 1378 as Duke Kesgaila of Lithuania Proper reignites the Suvalkijan house conflicts. Kesgaila claims that under original agreement with Queen Danuta of Poland that established the Grand-Duchy of Lithuania, his house should be true rulers of Lithuania, not the Arunas’s descendants (commonly referred to as the House Suvalkija-Selpils).

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In response, Dausprungas officially denounces Kesgaila and marks him as a traitor of the realm and sends his Marshal to Kernave to imprison the upstart duke.

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Kesgaila’s forces apprehend Marshal and execute him, thus starting the Suvalkijan House war.

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Luckily for Dausprungas, his forces far outnumber Kesgaila’s. Dausprungas personally intercepts Kesgaila’s forces en route to Raiseiniai and defeats them in the swamps of Veliuona.

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Subsequently, Kernave is sieged and Kesgaila is forced to surrender.

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The peace terms explicitly recognize the House of Suvalkija-Selpils as the true rulers of Lithuania. Kesgaila’s titles and lands are stripped and given to Prince Traidenis, Dausprungas’s younger son.

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The Polish Kingdom expands its holdings in 1379 when King Zbigniew II inherits the Duchy of Sjaelland, and by 1384 he fully inherits the Kingdom of Denmark. Emboldened by his growing power Zbigniew launches a campaign into southern Lithuania, seeking to absorb border lands.

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Much to the Zbigniew’s chagrin Duke Pawel of Mazovia, Dausprungas’s nephew, and longtime ally of Lithuania, pledges his support to Lithuania.

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The first major battle of the war occurs on November 15, 1384 in Szrensk. Despite being outnumbered the Lithuanians are able to secure a victory, resulting in heavy Polish losses.

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A second large battle happens in Weiksla close to the Barony of Gdansk, resulting in a Lithuanian victory.

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These key battles allowed the Lithuanian coalition to siege most of the borderlands.

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After another decisive battle in Szczetno, the Lithuanian side had secured a clear victory. Humiliated, Zbigniew II is forced to recognize Lithuanian sovereignty.

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Lithuanian victory against the Polish Kingdom in 1386 legitimizes and enforces the role of the Grand Duchy in European politics.
 

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  • 2Love
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Now this is an interesting foundation to try and make into an early modern nation state...
 
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Lots of strong neighbors still, but Lithuania is clearly strong enough to defend itself.
 
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Congrats on your military victories!

When will the Balkans explode into conflict? The region looks like a powder keg.

Why didn't the Grand Duke demand a royal title after defeating Poland? Wasn't Lithuania only a Grand Duchy because of Poland's opposition to making it a kingdom?
 
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HistoryDude said:
Congrats on your military victories!

When will the Balkans explode into conflict? The region looks like a powder keg.

Why didn't the Grand Duke demand a royal title after defeating Poland? Wasn't Lithuania only a Grand Duchy because of Poland's opposition to making it a kingdom?
Click to expand...
Yes the Balkans is poised for war (or implosion). It is super interesting how the inheritances worked out in Croatia’s favor.

The roleplay reason that the grand-duchy didnt demand a kingdom title is that there is currently a delicate balance in Baltic. Mazovia was crucial in the war against Poland, and the war was seen as more of border skirmish. If Lithuania proclaimed itself a Kingdom, it may alienate Polish allies such as Mazovia who operate under the understanding of Lithuanian independence from the Polish perspectivec, ie an independent grand-duchy. Also the proclamation of Kingdom may convince the other baltic and eastern European players to form a coalition.
 
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Medieval Lithuanian History – HIST1602 – Lecture Notes - Professor: Jonas Matas –1386 – 1444 AD - Class 21 – Further Expansions and Encirclement​



Emboldened by Lithuania’s victory against Poland, Dausprungas declares war on Estonia to claim the border province of Jersika in February 1387.

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Outnumbered, King Briachislav of Estonia, quickly arranges a political marriage with King Ragnarr the Hawk of Norway.

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The Norwegians are not able to intervene in time, as Lithuania seizes Jersika and subsequently defeats the Estonian host in Neuenburg.

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Additionally, King Ragnarr is in the middle of his own civil war, thus making any meaningful contribution unlikely.

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King Briachislav dies during the conflict after contacting an illness in a military camp. He is succeeded by Briachislav II.

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In the wake of Briachislav’s death, Estonia surrenders in November 1389.

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Focused on eastern conquests, Dausprungas manages to negotiate a nonaggression pact with Poland through the betrothal of his daughter Evalda to Prince Radoslav of Poland.

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November 1393 sees a failed attempt at Dausprungas’s life. The murder scheme is easily connected to King Briachislav II of Estonia, furthering the rift between the two realms.

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With concrete proof of Briachislav’s attempt at his life, Dausprungas’s court chaplain petitions the Pope. The Pope is sympathetic to Dausprungas and declares the true ordained ruler of Estonia.

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By February 1396, Dausprungas finishes preparing for the campaign. Joined by the King of Poland and the Duke of Mazovia, Dausprungas crosses into Estonia and presses his claim for the Grand-Principality. The Kingdom of Norway and the Ducy of Karelia join Estonia’s defense.

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The Lithuanian armies quickly swarm Latgalia, as Estonia makes probing advances into Courland.

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Unfortunately, for Dausprungas, King Zbigniew II of Poland dies early into the war. Lithuania’s relationship with Poland once again becomes uncertain.

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August 20, 1397 – Lithuania wins the Battle of Vanemane, the first battle of the war. The Norwegian King Ragnarr is killed during the battle.

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March 10, 1398 – A second decisive battle ends with Lithuanian victory.

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By April 7th, 1398 Briachislav’s emissary delivers his surrender to Dausprungas. Dausprungas is awarded the lands of Estonia, while the dukes of Livonia and Latgalia are released as independent. Estonia manages to keep control of its holdings in Karelia and Finland, which were largely unaffected by the war.

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Estonia is awarded to Dausprungas’s grandson Tarvydas.

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In July 26th, 1398, local Danish lords elect Gero Zahringen, the son of Denmark’s previous rule before Polish rule, as the true ruler of Denmark. Poland refuses to recognize the election, therefore splitting the realm in between Polish loyalists and the Zahringen supporters.

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In 1402 Dausprungas passes a series of legal reforms further centralizing the realm.

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Within a year, Dausprungas passes away leaving the realm to Arunas II.

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Early in his Arunas moves the capital from Siauliai to Kernave, one of the most developed castles in the realm.

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In an unexpected turn of events the Duke of Mazovia, a traditional ally of Lithuania, presses his claim on the Grandduchy.

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Duke Pawel Zamojski is a grandson of Arunas I.

Meanwhile, the Crusaders are successful in recapturing Jerusalem, which is awarded to Tantalu Wigeriche a Sardinian lord.

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Arunas II forces are able to successfully defeat Pawel’s troops at Cechanuvas, despite being outnumbered. The battle is a decisive defeat to Pawel, who looses 18,000 troops compared to Lithuanians 3,500.

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Mazovia is almost entirely sieged by the end of 1410, and Pawel is forced to renounce his claim on Lithuania.

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November 23, 1412 – King Frantisek of Poland dies leaving his son Jakusz III as the leader of the realm.

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By 1414 Arunas manages to leverage Lithuania’s recent victories to arrange marriage to the daughter King Izbor of Novgorod. Both realms agree to nonaggression during the marriage.

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In 1419 Grand Duke Arunas’s dies leaving the realm to Grand Duke Vizgirdas.

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Despite promises to nonaggression by 1420 Novgorod procures the allegiance of the Duke of Livonia, encroaching in territory clearly within Lithuanian influence.

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Novgorod’s expansionist policy continues as swathes of Finland and Sweden are absorbed into the Kingdom. Despite this, Novgorod still does not overtly challenge Lithuania. Additionally, Poland secures control over Denmark again through a compromise with the Kingdom of Sweden, who is given the Danish crownlands around Malmo.

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1443 is critical as Novgorod secures the allegiance of the Prince of Smolensk. Thus, Lithuania enters the early modern age surrounded by two powerful Kingdoms. Novgorod and Poland’s ambitions to absorb Lithuania become clear.

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*See you all in the EU4 part!
 
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Think the path forward is to try and get a personal union with one of the two neighbours and then take the other one out.

Probably Poland Lithuanian Commonwealth v Russia, but could be a few wildcards in there.
 
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Congrats on defeating Estonia!

Who will be the lesser evil? Poland or Novgorod? Which does Lithuania like more?
 
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