Treaty of Dovydiškės

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The Treaty of Dovydiškės.

The Treaty of Dovydiškės (Lithuanian: Dovydiškių sutartis, Polish: Traktat w w lasach dawidyskich or pokój w Dawidyszkach), Daudiske, or Daudisken was a secret treaty signed on May 31, 1380 between Jogaila, the Grand Duke of Lithuania and later King of Poland, and Winrich von Kniprode, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights. The treaty was controversial since it was directed against Jogaila's uncle Kęstutis and it resulted in an internal war.

The treaty was signed soon after Grand Duke Algirdas' death in 1377. Algirdas named his son Jogaila as a successor and not Kęstutis, his brother and co-ruler. Kęstutis and his son Vytautas acknowledged Jogaila's title and maintained friendly relationships. Therefore the secret treaty was an unexpected and disputed development. To cover up the signing of the treaty, the Teutonic Knights organized a five day hunt. Vytautas also participated in the hunt, which further complicated explanations of the treaty.

The clauses of the treaty were, overall, convoluted and not entirely clear. Based on the terms of the accord, Jogaila agreed not to intervene during attacks by the Teutonic Knights against Kęstutis or his children. However, if it was necessary to help to avoid any suspicions, it would not be a violation of the treaty.^[1] The primary purpose of the treaty was to guarantee neutrality of the Teutonic Knights in the power struggle between Jogaila and his brothers, Duke Andrew of Polock and Duke Dmitry of Bryansk, and their ally Dmitri Donskoi, Duke of Moscow.^[2]

In early 1381, the Teutonic Knights informed Kęstutis about Jogaila's secret pact. Kęstutis hesitated and asked his son Vytautas for advice. Vytautas replied that no such treaty was made. At the end of 1381, Kęstutis decided to fight against Jogaila. He seized Vilnius and declared himself Grand Duke. An internal war erupted which ended in Kęstutis' death in Kreva and Vytautas' reconciliation with Jogaila in 1384.

The place where the treaty was signed is not known. The name of Dovydiškės is found only in the chronicles of Wigand of Marburg as Dowidisken. The treaty itself mentions Daudiske; German language texts have used Daudiske or Daudisken.^[3] However, no such place is known either in Lithuania or Prussia. Some theories claim that the treaty was signed somewhere between Kaunas and Insterburg or that the village was named Šiaudiniškė (Szaudiniszki).

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^ Baranauskienė, Inga (May 2005). "Kas buvo Kęstučio nužudymo organizatrius?". Naujasis židinys - aidai 5 (173): 180–186. (Lithuanian)
^ "Dovydiškių sutartis". Tarybų Lietuvos enciklopedija I. (1985). Ed. Jonas Zinkus, et. al. Vilnius, Lithuania: Vyriausioji enciklopedijų redakcija. 449. (Lithuanian)
^ Krumbholz, Robert (July - September 1889). "Samaiten und der Deutsche Orden bis zum Frieden am Melnosee". Altpreussische Monatsschrift 26 (5 and 6): 478. (German)