Vytautas The Great – Grand Duke of Lithuania
Vytautas The Great (around 1350 – 27th October 1430), Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1392 – 1430.
Vytautas was born as a son of Grand Duke Kestutis in Old Trakai. In 1382 he supported his father in his fight against Jogaila for the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Arrested by Jogaila, Vytautas was held prisoner in the Castles of Vilnius and Kreva. In 1382 he fled to the Teutonic Order avoiding the father’s fate. In 1383 he adopted Christianity.
After the invasion of Lithuania by Teutonic troops in 1383 and the consolidation of Kestutis’ supporters around Vytautas, Jogaila was compelled in 1384 to restore to him a part of the Trakai Duchy – Grodno with Volkoviysk and Podlasie. Having made peace with Jogaila, Vytautas set on fire the Teutonic Castles along the Nemunas under his rule and returned to Lithuania. With Jogaila’s brothers he approved the 1385 Treaty of Kreva.
In 1387 Vytautas received the land of Lutsk from Jogaila for ruling and in 1389 made an attempt to take Vilnius. After the failure of this plan, in 1390 he fled to the Teutonic Order again. In 1392 Vytautas made the Ostrava Treaty with Jogaila, under which he regained the entire Trakai Duchy and other lands once ruled by his father. As Jogaila’s vice regent, he received Vilnius for ruling and actually became the Grand Duke of Lithuania. In 1401 by the Vilnius-Radom Treaty Jogaila officially confirmed his titel and powers of the Grand Duke of Lithuania for life.
Vytautas strengthened the statehood of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and centralized the country. He also promoted Catholicism. In 1397/1398 he organized two raids on the coats of the Black Sea annexing the conquered lands to the Grand Duchy. In the 1410 battle of Zalgiris (Grunwald) most probably Vytautas was the actual commander of the allied forces.
He was getting ready to crown himself King of Lithuania but did not have enough time for that due to the interference of the Polish nobility.
Vytautas died in New Trakai. He is buried in Vilnius Cathedral.