Kęsgailos

Kęsgailos – was the Lithuanian noble family, one of the biggest landowners in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Family traces its roots to the 14th century (Buseika is considered the ancestor of the family). Their seat was Samogitia and Trakai regions. Kęsgailos family members had been the Elders of Samogitia from 1412 until 1532.

According to the 1528 military inventory documents, family provided the biggest number of troops in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania [A. Bumblauskas. Senosios Lietuvos istorija, 1009 - 1795. Vilnius, 2005. p. 182] . Family died out in the 16th century.

Name

The surname Kęsgaila comes from the first name of Mykolas Kęsgaila son of Valimantas, who was granted the Zadora Coat of Arms. In line with the common practice for nobles' names after the Christianization of Lithuania, after his baptism, the Christian name "*Mīkālas" (Michael) was added to a pagan Lithuanian name, which can be reconstructed as *"Kensgaĭla" (from "kęsti" ("be patient") and "gailas" ("strong")). His son Jonas Kęsgailaitis, mentioned in written sources in Latin as "Johannes Kyensgalowicz" [ [http://pergamentai.mch.mii.lt/IstoriniaiLietDok/istoriniailietdok_1en.en.htm Historical Documents of Lithuania] ] , was a bearer of the name as a patronymic, which subsequently evolved into a family name. Its Polonized form "Kieżgajło" is most common in Polish historiography over other variants, such as "Kezigal", "Kieżgajłła", "Gezgajło", "Kiezgajło", "Kieżgajłło", "Kierżgajłło", "Kieżgałło" and "Kieżgało". "Kęsgaila" (plural "Kęsgailos") is a modern Lithuanian spelling of the original family name.

Family members

*Mykolas Kęsgaila (died 1451 or 1452), voivode, castellan.
*Jonas Kęsgaila (died 1485) voivode, castellan.
*Mykolas Kęsgaila (died 1476) Chancellor of Lithuania, regent of Smolensk.
*Stanislovas Kęsgaila (died 1526) voivode, castellan, Grand Hetman of Lithuania.
*Stanislovas Kęsgaila (died 1532) voivode, castellan.

References