Švitrigaila

Švitrigaila (other orthographies: Svidryhajła, Świdrygiełło, Svitrigaylo, Svidrigailo, Swidrigailo), 1370 - 1452 (Loutsk), was the last leader of the orthodoxe majority Ruthénie to occupy the throne of the Grand-Duchy of Lithuania, between 1430 and 1432. It was active in the Lithuanian policy of the years 1390 until its death.

Rebellion against Vytautas

Švitrigaila was baptized by his/her father Algirdas. At the eleven years age, it was converted with his brother Jogaila with Cracow with the Roman Catholicisme, and changed its first name, Lev, in Bolesław (his/her brother devanant Władysław, the future king Ladislas II of Poland).

At that time, Polotsk was the capital of its grounds. In 1392, it made an attempt fallen through to allot Vitebsk, but was demolishes by his/her cousin Vytautas Large the. It had to be exiled in Prussia.

Whereas he lived abroad, Švitrigaila put at the sides teutonic Chevaliers in their combat prolonged against Vytautas. In 1400, it was authorized to turn over in Lithuania, receiving the Podolie in its field. Four years later, it turned over towards the east in Sévérie.

Passage in the Muscovite camp and consequences

If Švitrigaila sympathized with the Russian , it is, thinks one, that it had been born from a Russian mother (Ouliana de Tver) and had married with a princess of Tver. When, in 1408, the war burst between Vytautas and its son-in-law, the large-prince de Moscou Basile I {{er}}, Švitrigaila lined up at the sides of the second; it passed to Moscow and delivered all the towns of Sévérie to the Russian army.

During its short stay in Moscovie, Švitrigaila accepted its reward: it obtained Volokolamsk and some other cities and was put at the head of the Russian army charged to fight Vytautas. Not having absolutely any military talent, it did not manage to gain only one battle and, having heard of the invasion of the White Horde of the emir Edigou, it flees in Lithuania, plundering Serpoukhov on its way.

Of return in Lithuania, one stopped it like a treacherous poor wretch and dangerous claiming and one imprisoned it during nine years with the castle of Kremenets. Delivered finally by the prince Daniel d' Ostrog, it succeeds in escaping in Hungary. It is the mediation of the emperor of Germany and its brother Jogaila who allowed him to turn over in Lithuania in 1420 like sovereign lord of Sévérie.

Large-duke of Lithuania

With died of Vytautas in 1430, Švitrigaila immediately put forward its rights on the throne. It had the support of the Ruthènes and the orthodoxe population of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, while the catholic population decided for the rival candidate, Žygimantas Kęstutaitis (or Sigismond Korybut, prince of Starodoub). Finally Švitrigaila carried it and was crowned Large-Duke of Lithuania to Vilnius.

He began his reign by proclaiming the full independence of the Grand Duchy compared to the Poland and granting important privileges on his orthodoxe subjects . Such measurements caused the anger of the Poland, which declared the war to him and occupied the towns of Podolie, in particular the castle of Kamianets-Podilsky, not strategic. Švitrigaila sought of the assistance in the West and encouraged the Knights teutonic to invade the Poland. Although the operations of its generals had been crowned success, it did not fight the decisive battle and signed with Loutsk an armistice, where it obtained that the Poland accepted all its claims.

Fall and last years

In 1432, however, Sigismond de Starodub started a rebellion and, constant by the Lithuanians and the Poles of the Grand Duchy, invades most of the territory. Švitrigaila , initially constrained to give up Vilnius for Vitebsk, was entirely demolishes close to the river Sviataïa in 1435. Although the Ruthènes with Kiev, in Podolie and Volhynie continue to give their support to him, it flees with Cracow, where it beseeched peace. After its proposals had been disallowed, it had to give up the country for a ashamed exile in Valachie, where it is claimed that it had to become simple shepherd.

In 1440, Sigismond was assassinated by the Lithuanian nobility and Švitrigaila took again the capacity in Podolie and Volhynie, but to 70 years (or 85, according to certain sources), it was too old to start again a fight without end to take again the throne of Lithuania. Little before its death with Loutsk in 1452, it bequeathed all its goods in Podolie and Volhynie at the Lithuanian State.

Be-X-old: СьвідрыгайлаАльгердавіч

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