Treaty of Königsberg (1390)

The Treaty of Königsberg was signed in Königsberg on May 26 1390 during the Lithuanian Civil War (1389–1392) between Samogitian nobles and representatives of the Teutonic Knights.lt icon cite book | first=Zenonas |last=Ivinskis |chapter=Vytauto jaunystė ir jo veikimas iki 1392 m. |title=Vytautas Didysis | editor=Paulius Šležas | year=1988 | origyear=1930 | publisher=Vyriausioji enciklopedijų redakcija | location=Vilnius |oclc=25726071 |pages=36] The 31-member or 30-memberZenonas Ivinskis and Jonas Puzinas interpreted that note "Eywild Eynuren bruder" refers to two persons: Eywild and some unnamed brother of Eynur. Rimvydas Petrauskas interpreted it is the same person.] delegation from seven Samogitian regions (Ariogala, Kaltinėnai, Knituva, Kražiai, Medingėnai, Raseiniai, and Viduklė) arrived to Königsberg around pentecost. [lt icon cite book |first=Zenonas |last=Ivinskis |title=Lietuvos istorija iki Vytauto Didžiojo mirties |year=1978 |location=Rome |publisher=Lietuvių katalikų mokslo akademija |id=LCC|79346776 |pages=306] They promised their loyalty to "their king" Vytautas and guaranteed trade freedom for the Knights in Samogitia. The Knights gifted the nobles with food and clothes.

Vytautas the Great waged a civil against his cousin Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland. In order to secure Teutonic support in the civil war, Vytautas signed the Treaty of Lyck and granted Samogitia up to the Nevėžis River to the Knights on January 19 1390. [cite book| title=Samogitian Crusade |first=William |last=Urban |publisher=Lithuanian Research and Studies Center |location=Chicago |year=2006 | isbn=0-929700-56-2 |pages=197] Samogitia was important for the Knights as this territory physically separated them from uniting with the Livonian Order in the north. Support of Samogitians was crucial to Vytautas as it was the only guarantee that the Treaty of Lyck would be carried out. However, Vytautas betrayed the Knights when in 1392 he reconciled with his cousin Jogaila and signed the Ostrów Agreement. Samogitia was not ceded to the Knights until the Treaty of Salynas in 1398. The treaty and the 30 names of Samogitian nobles are important for the study of personal names in pagan Lithuania.cite encyclopedia | editor=Simas Sužiedėlis | encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Lituanica | title=Personal names | year=1970–1978 | publisher=Juozas Kapočius | volume=IV | location=Boston, Massachusetts | id=LCC | 74-114275 | pages=230]

List of Samogitian nobles

References