Letters of Gediminas

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There are 6 surviving transcripts of letters of Gediminas written in 1323-1324 by Grand Duke Gediminas. These letters are one of the first surviving documents from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Since they were sent to the Western Europe, the pope, merchants, and craftspeople, they were written in Latin.

The first letter was written to Pope John XXII. Here Gediminas claimed that the Teutonic Knights do not act in the interest of the Catholic faith. Instead, they do much harm to the land and the people are forced into resistance. Gediminas enumerates many crimes and demages done by the knights, for example, he claims that Vytenis sent a letter to the Franciscan monks asking for two brothers who could come to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and take care of a church. When the Teutonic Knights learned about the letter, they sent their army and destroyed the church. In the last sentence Gediminas promises to accept Christianity and obey the pope so that the knights could do no more demage.

The second letter was written on January 25, 1323 to Lübeck, Sund, Bremen, Magdeburg, Cologne and other cities. Gediminas explains that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania is very tolerant to the Christians and only damage done by the Teutonic Knights prevent baptism. Also, he tells that he sent a letter to the pope and intends to baptize in the Catholic rite. Gediminas invites knights, squires, merchants, doctors, smiths, wheelwrights, cobblers, skinners, millers, and others to come to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and practise their trade and faith without any restrictions. The peasants are promised they could cultivate their land for ten years and not pay any taxes. The merchants are also exempt from any tariffs or taxes. However, this letter is well known because it mentions Vilnius for the first time. Therefore, 1323 is considered to be the founding year of Vilnius and Gediminas is considered to be the founder even though it is clear that the city is much older than Gediminas. Also, Vilnius is unambigiously mentioned as the capital city.

The third letter addressed to Lübeck, Rostock, Sund, Greifswald, Stetin, Gotland cities was written on May 26, 1323. In essence it repeats the second letter. It asks for various craftspeople (the list of crafts was expanded) to come to Lithuania and practice their trade. It says that there are three churches in the duchy: two Franciscan (in Vilnius and in Navahradak) and one Dominican. Everyone is free to use them.

The fourth and the fifth letters were also written on May 26, 1323 and were addressed to the Franciscan and Dominican Orders. Gediminas, in anticipation of his baptism, invites priests and monks to come to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He also asks to spread the word to craftspeople that they are welcome in Lithuania. In the letter to the Dominicans, Gediminas mentions that his seal was burned by the Teutonic Knights.

The last surviving letter was written on September 22, 1324 and was addressed to the bishops of Tartu and Erzel, ruler of Tallinn land, and Council of Riga. It reports that The Teutonic Knights violates a peace treaty signed earlier. The knights attack border regions, kill residents and take all their property. Many messengers were captured and killed. Gediminas asks for help enforcing the treaty.

[edit] References

• (Lithuanian) Gedimino laiškai (Letters of Gediminas), full-text versions, Lithuanian Classical Literature Anthology, Institute of Lithuanian Scientific Society. Accessed June 24, 2006.
• (Lithuanian) S. C. Rowell. Chartularium Lithuaniae res gestas magni ducis Gedeminne illustrans. Gedimino laiškai. ISBN 5-415-01700-3