Vytenis

Vytenis
Grand Duke of Lithuania
Vytenis as depicted in the Sapieha Genealogy in Kodeń, 1709
Reign	1295–1316
Coronation	1295
Predecessor	Butvydas
Successor	Gediminas
Born	1260
Died	1316
Spouse	Vikinda
Issue	Žvelgutis
House	Gediminids
Religion	Paganism

Vytenis (Belarusian: Віцень, Vićien') was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from c. 1295 to c. 1316. He became the first of the Gediminid dynasty to rule for a considerable amount of time. In the early 14th century his reputation outshone that of Gediminas, who is regarded by modern historians as one of the greatest Lithuanian rulers. The rule of Vytenis was marked by constant warfare in an effort to consolidate the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the Ruthenians, Masovians, and the Teutonic Order.

Vytenis is mentioned for the first time in 1292 during his father's invasion of Masovia: an army of 800 men reached as far as Łęczyca. After his father's death, c. 1295, he became Grand Duke. Vytenis was soon involved in succession disputes in Poland, supporting Boleslaus II of Masovia, who was married to a Lithuanian duchess Gaudemunda, and opposing Władysław I of Poland. In Ruthenia, Vytenis managed to recapture lands lost after the assassination of Mindaugas and capture the principalities of Pinsk and Turaŭ.

The crusade against pagan Lithuania and Samogitia intensified and reached a new level in the 1290s as Prussians and other Baltic tribes were conquered by the Teutonic Knights and Livonian Order. During Vytenis's reign a network of defensive castles was established and strengthened along the banks of the Neman and Jūra rivers; the Knights matched this with their own castles on the opposite bank. During this time, the Teutonic Order was attempting to establish a corridor along the Baltic Sea, in Samogitia, to link up with the Livonian Order to the north. During the reign of Vytenis, the Teutonic Knights organized some 20 raids into Samogitia. Vytenis took measures to undermine influence of local Samogitian nobles, as evidenced by an increasing numbers of traitors and refugees. It seems that Gediminas was helping Vytenis to control the nobles, who seriously considered resettling in Prussia as vassals of the Teutonic Knights. The Order also consolidated its control over Semigalia, where Lithuanians had their garrisons since the Battle of Aizkraukle. The Order captured Dynaburg Castle, controlled by Lithuanians since 1281, in 1313.