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| {{Campaignbox Polish-Teutonic Wars}} | {{Campaignbox Polish-Teutonic Wars}} | ||
| '''Polish–Teutonic War of 1431–1435''' has begun with the alliance between ], ], and ], ]. Both leaders wanted to strengthen their realms and weaken the neigbhouring ]. | '''Polish–Teutonic War of 1431–1435''' has begun with the alliance between ], ], and ], ]. Both leaders wanted to strengthen their realms and weaken the neigbhouring ]. | ||
| On ] ] ] ] died suddenly without leaving an heir or a will. His only daughter ] was married to ] and had only one surviving son, ]. He was an Orthodox and could not lead ] Catholic Grand Duchy. Orthodox faith prevented many other ] from becoming pretenders to the thone. There were two most suitable Catholic candidates, Vytautas' brother and technically legal heir ] and Vytautas' cousin ]. | |||
| In 1431 the Teutonic Knights invaded Poland, ravaging ], ], ] and taking the town of ]. Poland allied itself with the ] ]s, and in turn, in 1432, Polish–Czech forces ravaged Teutonic territories in ] and ], taking several towns and castles. | |||
| ] unilaterally elected Švitrigaila as the Grand Duke. This violated the ] of 1413, where Lithuanians promised not to elect a new Grand Duke without approval from ]. Polish nobles, led by ], were outraged and demanded that Švitrigaila acknowledged superiority of his brother ], King of Poland. Švitrigaila refused. The conflict was further complicated by territorial disputes in ] and ], that according to an agreement in 1411 were to be ruled by Lithuania only for the lifetime of Vytautas. | |||
| In 1433 negotiations started; first in September in ], but Teutonic Knights refused the Polish demands. The Polish king threatened to renew hostilities, and the negotiations were resumed in ]. Finally the Teutonic Knights agreed to all Polish demands in December in ]. | |||
| Švitrigaila started organizing an anti-Polish coalition. He negotiated with the ], ], Moldavia, the Tatars, dukes of eastern lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In June 1431 Skirsnemunė Agreement was signed between the Teutonic Knights and Švitrigaila. According to this agreement the Teutonic Knights invaded Poland, ravaging ], ], ] and taking the town of ]. However, Teutonic army was defeated at ] and a truce was signed. The Order, mostly its Livonian branch, continued secret support of Švitrigaila. In 1433 Poland allied itself with the ] ]s and Hussite forces ravaged Teutonic territories in ] and ], taking several towns and castles. Another truce was signed. When Jogaila died in 1434 the Order resumed its support to Švitrigaila. | |||
| Meanwhile in Lithuania a coup, led by Sigismund Kęstutaitis, deposed Švitrigaila, who managed to escape to ] in September 1432. Lithuania was divided into two camps: Lithuanian lands that supported Sigismund and Ruthenian lands that supported Švitrigaila. The latter rallied his supporters, including numerous knights from the Livonian Order, and the final ] was fought in September 1435. Švitrigaila lost and escaped to Polotsk, and the Livonian Order suffered a great defeat, sometimes compared to the ] of 1410. The Teutonic Knights agreed to all Polish demands in December in ]. Švitrigaila was losing his influence in the Slavic principalities. In September 1437 he reconciled with Poland: he would rule lands that still supported him (chiefly ] and ]) and after his death the territories would pass to King of Poland. | |||
| ==References== | |||
| * {{cite book | last=Kiaupa | first=Zigmantas | coauthors=Jūratė Kiaupienė, Albinas Kunevičius | title=The History of Lithuania Before 1795 | origyear=1995 | edition=English | year=2000 | publisher=Lithuanian Institute of History | location=Vilnius | isbn=9986-810-13-2 | pages=205–211}} | |||
| * {{cite book| title=Tannenberg and After |first=William |last=Urban |publisher=Lithuanian Research and Studies Center |location=Chicago |year=2003 | isbn=0-929700-25-2 |pages=306–313}} | |||
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Revision as of 16:48, 24 June 2008
| Polish–Teutonic Wars | |
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Polish–Teutonic War of 1431–1435 has begun with the alliance between Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Paul von Rusdorf, and Grand Duke of Lithuania, Švitrigaila. Both leaders wanted to strengthen their realms and weaken the neigbhouring Kingdom of Poland.
On October 27 1430 Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas the Great died suddenly without leaving an heir or a will. His only daughter Sophia of Lithuania was married to Vasily I of Moscow and had only one surviving son, Vasily II. He was an Orthodox and could not lead recently christianized Catholic Grand Duchy. Orthodox faith prevented many other Gediminids from becoming pretenders to the thone. There were two most suitable Catholic candidates, Vytautas' brother and technically legal heir Sigismund Kęstutaitis and Vytautas' cousin Švitrigaila.
Lithuanian nobles unilaterally elected Švitrigaila as the Grand Duke. This violated the Union of Horodło of 1413, where Lithuanians promised not to elect a new Grand Duke without approval from Kingdom of Poland. Polish nobles, led by Zbigniew Oleśnicki, were outraged and demanded that Švitrigaila acknowledged superiority of his brother Jogaila, King of Poland. Švitrigaila refused. The conflict was further complicated by territorial disputes in Podolia and Volhynia, that according to an agreement in 1411 were to be ruled by Lithuania only for the lifetime of Vytautas.
Švitrigaila started organizing an anti-Polish coalition. He negotiated with the Teutonic Knights, Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Moldavia, the Tatars, dukes of eastern lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In June 1431 Skirsnemunė Agreement was signed between the Teutonic Knights and Švitrigaila. According to this agreement the Teutonic Knights invaded Poland, ravaging Dobrzyń Land, Kuyavia, Krajna and taking the town of Nieszawa. However, Teutonic army was defeated at Nakel and a truce was signed. The Order, mostly its Livonian branch, continued secret support of Švitrigaila. In 1433 Poland allied itself with the Czech Hussites and Hussite forces ravaged Teutonic territories in Pomerania and Prussia, taking several towns and castles. Another truce was signed. When Jogaila died in 1434 the Order resumed its support to Švitrigaila.
Meanwhile in Lithuania a coup, led by Sigismund Kęstutaitis, deposed Švitrigaila, who managed to escape to Polotsk in September 1432. Lithuania was divided into two camps: Lithuanian lands that supported Sigismund and Ruthenian lands that supported Švitrigaila. The latter rallied his supporters, including numerous knights from the Livonian Order, and the final Battle of Pabaiskas was fought in September 1435. Švitrigaila lost and escaped to Polotsk, and the Livonian Order suffered a great defeat, sometimes compared to the Battle of Grunwald of 1410. The Teutonic Knights agreed to all Polish demands in December in Brześć Kujawski. Švitrigaila was losing his influence in the Slavic principalities. In September 1437 he reconciled with Poland: he would rule lands that still supported him (chiefly Kiev and Volhynia) and after his death the territories would pass to King of Poland.
References
- Kiaupa, Zigmantas (2000) . The History of Lithuania Before 1795 (English ed.). Vilnius: Lithuanian Institute of History. pp. 205–211. ISBN 9986-810-13-2.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Urban, William (2003). Tannenberg and After. Chicago: Lithuanian Research and Studies Center. pp. 306–313. ISBN 0-929700-25-2.