Butigeidis

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Coat of arms of the Gediminids.
Coat of arms of the Gediminids.

Butigeidis (Budzikid) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1285 to 1291. He is the first known and undisputed member of the Gediminids.

He started his rule when the Livonian Order and the Teutonic Knights were finalizing their conquest of the Baltic tribes. In 1289, leading about 8,000 troops, Butigeidis attacked Sambia. In 1289 the Teutonic Knights built a castle in present-day Sovetsk (Tilsit) and their raids intensified. Lithuanians were forced to abandon Koklainiai Castle located on the other bank of the river. Butigeidis was the first to build strong castles along the Neman River. The castle system was further developed after his death and helped to resist the raids until the second half of the 14th century.

Butigeidis transferred Vaŭkavysk to Halych-Volhynia in exchange for peace. He died in 1290 or 1292, and his brother Butvydas (also known as Pukuveras) inherited the crown.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • (Lithuanian) (2004) Lietuvos valdovai (XIII-XVIII a.): enciklopedinis žinynas, Vytautas Spečiūnas (compiler), Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas, 29. ISBN 5-420-01535-8. 


Preceded by
Daumantas		 Grand Duke of Lithuania
1285-1291		 Succeeded by
Butvydas
v • d • e
Monarchs of Lithuania
Early Grand Dukes
Gediminids
Elected
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