Ashmyany

Ašmiany (Belarusian: Ашмя́ны, Łacinka: Ašmiany, Russian: Ошмя́ны; Polish: Oszmiana, Yiddish: אָשמענע, Oshmene‎, Lithuanian: Ašmena) is a town in Grodno Region, Belarus, located at 50 km from Vilnius, capital of the Ašmiany raion. It lies in the basin of the Oshmianka River. It is also known as "Aschemynne" in the Chronicles of the Teutonic Knights. It was the birthplace of Lucjan Żeligowski, who was a Polish general.

Town and region surrounding modern Ašmiany was once within the ethnic Lithuanian territory. Between the 17th and 18th centuries a lot of local Lithuanians died out due to wars and famine, in their place were settled new Slavic colonists. With time Lithuanians were outnumbered by Slavs. Presently, its Lithuanian past is sealed in the towns's name, which is of Lithuanian origin. Town's name derivative from river name Ašmena (modern Oshmianka River), which is originated from appellative Lithuanian word akmuo (stone). Link between consonants š and k is old and echoed in Lithuanian words, respectively ašmuo (sharp blade) and akmuo (stone). Present name Ashmyany is using plural form of name and is a modern invention, as through ancient town's history, its name was recorded in Lithuanian singular form.

The first reliable mentioning of Ašmiany (in the Lithuanian Chronicles) tells that after the death of Gediminas in 1341 the town was inherited, among other places, by Jaunutis. In 1384, the Teutonic Knights attempted to attack Ašmiany as a beginning attempt to destroy the hereditary state of Jogaila. The Teutons managed to destroy the town, but it quickly recovered. In 1402 another Teutonic attack on the city occurred, but was bloodily repelled and the Teutons were forced to withdraw to Medininkai.

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