Albertas Manvydas

Leliwa coat of arms which Albertas Manvydas received in 1413

Albertas Manvydas or Albertas Vaitiekus Manvydas (Polish: Wojciech Moniwid; died in 1423) was a Lithuanian noble, the first Voivode of Vilnius and founder of the Manvydai family. During the turbulent disputes over Samogitia, he was sent as a negotiation to the Teutonic Knights. Along with Stanislav Czupurna, Manvydas was the most influential noble during the early reign of Grand Duke Vytautas.[1]

Biography

Manvydas was first mentioned in a document dated 1387–89 when he, along other nobles, vouched for Hryćka Konstantynowicza who organized a rebellion against Skirgaila, regent of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the name of his brother Jogaila.[2] He was starosta of Vilnius from 1396 to 1413. After an administrative reform that established Vilnius Voivodeship in 1413, Manvydas became the first Voivode of Vilnius and held that position until his death.[3] During the First Samogitian uprising, he was sent on diplomatic missions to the Teutonic Knights and helped negotiate the Peace of Raciąż (1404). Very likely he commanded a Lithuanian squad in the Battle of Grunwald.[3] He participated in the 1413 Union of Horodło and received Leliwa coat of arms. Manvydas was among Lithuanian diplomats negotiating with Benedict Makrai, mediator of the Lithuanian–Teutonic dispute over Samogitia.[3]

Die Littauischen Wegeberichte mentioned Manewidendorf near Hieraniony (now in Belarus). Other patronymic territories included Vishnyeva, Zhuprany,[4] and possibly Braslaw.[5] He also had possessions in Vilnius. He funded the Chapel of St. Albert and St. George within Vilnius Cathedral,[6] which is possibly the present-day Chapel of Ignatius of Loyola, and was buried there.[7] He also funded a Catholic church in Braslaw.[3]

Family

The document from 1387–89 recorded his patronymic name as Коиликиновичъ[8] which allows to deconstruct his father's name as Gailiginas (Kojlikin, Gojligin).[9] Manvydas was his pagan Lithuanian name. When Lithuania converted to Christianity, he was given Albertas (Albert) as his baptismal name. Since Wojciech is interchangeable with Albert in the Polish language, he is also known as Wojciech (Lithuanian: Vaitiekus). Manvydas was a brother of Jurgis Gedgaudas, starosta of Podolia, who became Voivode of Vilnius after Manvydas' death.[10]

Manvydas was married twice: Jadvyga and Juliania. Jadviga's origin is unknown. Polish historians Władysław Semkowicz and Marceli Antoniewicz have attempted to identify her with Jadwiga of Leżenic who adopted Manvydas in the 1413 Union of Horodło.[9] Information on Juliana is conflicting. Origo regis Jagyelo et Witholdi ducum Lithuaniae mentions that Juliana, who later married Manvydas, was wife of Butrimas, the murdered nephew of Birutė and cousin of Vytautas. Jan Długosz mentions that Juliana was a widow of Narimantas, who died in defense of Vilnius in 1390, and a sister of Anna, wife of Vytautas.[9] Manvydas had one known son Jonas Manvydas.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Petrauskas (2003), p. 174
  2. ↑ Prochaska (1908), pp. 392–396
  3. 1 2 3 4 Petrauskas (2003), pp. 266–267
  4. ↑ Petrauskas (2003), pp. 90–91
  5. ↑ Petrauskas (2003), p. 126
  6. ↑ Petrauskas (2003), p. 138
  7. ↑ Petrauskas (2003), p. 145
  8. ↑ Prochaska (1908), p. 396
  9. 1 2 3 Petrauskas (2003), p. 77
  10. ↑ Petrauskas (2003), p. 231
Bibliography
Further reading
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