Svitrigaila
| Švitrigaila | |
|---|---|
Švitrigaila by Alexander Guagnini
|
|
| Grand Duke of Lithuania | |
| Reign | October 1430 – 1 August 1432 |
| Predecessor | Vytautas |
| Successor | Sigismund Kęstutaitis |
| Born | Before 1370 |
| Died | 10 February 1452 |
| Spouse | Anna of Tver |
| Issue | Son (died young) |
| Dynasty | Gediminid |
| Father | Algirdas |
| Mother | Uliana of Tver |
| Religion |
Roman Catholic prev. Lithuanian paganism |
Švitrigaila (Polish: Świdrygiełło; before 1370 – 10 February 1452) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1430 to 1432. He spent most of his life in largely unsuccessful dynastic struggles against his cousins Vytautas and Sigismund Kęstutaitis.
Švitrigaila was born to Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and his second wife Uliana of Tver. His date of birth is unknown, but it is believed that he was the youngest or second youngest son of Algirdas. He first appeared in politics in October 1382 when he witnessed the Treaty of Dubysa between his elder brother Jogaila and the Teutonic Knights. Historians believe that would indicate that at the time Švitrigaila was no younger than 12 which would put his date of birth sometime before 1370. In a complaint submitted to the Council of Florence, Švitrigaila claimed that he and Jogaila were favorite sons of Algirdas. Before his death in 1377, Algirdas transferred his throne to Jogaila but made him swear to make Švitrigaila his heir. Jogaila's representatives did not outright deny the arrangement and instead claimed that it had been modified by mutual agreement between the brothers.
In 1386, as part of the Christianization of Lithuania and union between Poland and Lithuania, Švitrigaila together with his brothers was baptized in the Roman Catholic rite in Kraków. His baptismal name was Bolesław.
Despite numerous power struggles in Lithuania, including rebellion by Andrei of Polotsk, conquest of the Principality of Smolensk, and the Lithuanian Civil War (1389–92), Švitrigaila does not appear in politics until 1392. After the death of his mother Uliana of Tver, Jogaila appointed falconer Fedor Vesna regent of the Principality of Vitebsk. This angered Švitrigaila and he rebelled against his brother. Vytautas, who just concluded the Ostrów Agreement to become Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Skirgaila gathered an army and captured Drutsk, Orsha, and then Vitebsk. Švitrigaila was captured and sent to Kraków. He was not held in a prison as demonstrated by the fact that he headed a commission for demarcation of the Lithuanian–Prussian border in 1393, but at the same time he had no territories.
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