Union of Kėdainiai

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Text of the treaty in Latin

The Republic during The Deluge

Union of Kėdainiai (or Agreement of Kėdainiai, Lithuanian Kėdainių unija or Kėdainių sutartis; Polish Umowa Kiejdańska) was a controversial agreement between several magnates of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the King of Sweden Charles X Gustav, signed in 1655 during The Deluge. Its purpose was to end the Polish-Lithuanian Union and carve up two separate principalities of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to be ruled by the Radziwiłł (Radvila) family, while the rest of the Duchy was to become a Swedish protectorate.

The agreement's power did not last for long and never came into effect, as the Swedish defeat in the Battles of Warka and Prostki as well as a popular uprising in both Poland and Lithuania put an end both to Swedish power and the influences of the Radziwiłłs.

1 History
2 Controversy
3 See also
4 Further reading

[edit] History

The Radziwiłł family, owner of vast areas in Lithuania and Poland, were dissatisfied with the role of magnates, who in Polish-Lithuanian political system theoretically had the same rights as the Polish and Lithuanian nobility. Eventually, the interests between the wealthy clan (known in Poland as The Family) and the Crown began to drift apart.

In 1654, during the Swedish and Russian invasion of Poland, known as The Deluge, two notable members of the Radziwiłł clan, Janusz and Bogusław, began negotiations with Swedish king Charles X Gustav, aimed at breaking the Commonwealth and the Polish-Lithuanian Union. At that time the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was attacked from both sides by Russia and Sweden, and royal control over its area deteriorated. The Lithuanian army capitulated to the Swedes without firing a single shot and the state collapsed. Most of the Crown of Poland along with western parts of Lithuania became occupied by Swedish forces, while most of the Grand Duchy (except Samogitia and parts of Suvalkija and Aukštaitija) was under Russian occupation. In addition, Chmielnicki's Uprising struck the Ukraine.

Janusz Radziwiłł

On October 10, 1655, Janusz and Bogusław Radziwiłł signed an agreement with the Swedes in their castle at Kėdainiai. According to the treaty, signed by the two in the name of all Lithuanian nobility, the Polish-Lithuanian Union was declared null and void. In exchange for military assistance against Russia, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was to become a protectorate of Sweden, with personal union joining two states. In addition, The Family was to be given two sovereign principalities carved from their lands within the Grand Duchy and the Lithuanian nobility was to retain its liberties and privileges.

The agreement never came into life. Its main proponent, Janusz Radziwiłł, died only 2 months after its signing, on December 31, in the castle of Tykocin, besieged by forces loyal to the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jan Kazimierz. Shortly after his death, the castle was taken by Jan Paweł Sapieha, who immediately succeeded Janusz Radziwiłł on the office of Grand Hetman of Lithuania. The tide of the war soon turned and a popular uprising in Poland managed to break the power of the Swedish army. The Swedish occupation of Lithuania sparked a similar uprising in Lithuania. The Swedish defeat and eventual retreat from the territories of the Commonwealth abruptly ended the plans of Janusz's cousin Bogusław, who lost his army in the Battle of Prostki and died in exile in Königsberg on December 31, 1669.

The Radziwiłł family line ended with the next generation. Bogusław became commonly referred to as Gnida by his fellow nobles and Janusz became known as Zdrajca (Traitor). Their treason of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth eclipsed the deeds of other members of their family, like Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł, who fought for the Crown and the Commonwealth against the Swedes.

[edit] Controversy

Although seen as an act of treason by the contemporaries, views on the proposed Swedish-Lithuanian agreement differ. The advent of national revival in modern Lithuania and Belarus led some to a conclusion, that the Union was an attempt in creation of an independent Lithuanian state (the meaning of Lithuania in this context is disputed, whether it is related to ethnic Lithuanian state, state based on territories and nations of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, or even an ethnic Ruthenian state as some Belarusians claim). So far, there are no proofs that the decision to sign the treaty with Sweden was ethnically-motivated in any way.

Still, some argue that the agreement with the Swedes was made not out of greed and political ambitions of Janusz Radziwiłł, but rather because of his Realpolitik. According to another theory, Janusz Radziwiłł attempted to get a strong ally against Russia. Supporters of this theory point out, that this move was forced, because Grand Duchy of Lithuania hadn't enough resources to fight a two way war, and Polish Crown didn't help either by financing, neither by military force. Although this choice proved wrong - Swedes proved to be not much better than Russians themselves.