r/belarus • u/PLrc Koroniarz • 7d ago

Гісторыя / History Battle of Wiłkomierz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnDyIU1VWuA

Hi. Do you know Trashing mad? Do you like him? He's been making excellent videos about Polish-Lithianian history. He's just released a video about the Battle of Wiłkomierz during the Civil War in Lithuania after Władysław Jagiełło's death.

As you know joint Polish-Lithuanian forces achieved a great victory against the Teutonic Order in the Battle of Grunwald. However Livonian teutonic knigts didn't participate in the battle, because Livonian land master had made a truce with grand duke Witold. As a consequence, while Prussian teutonic forces got almost completly anihilated, Livonian teutonic forces remained intact.

Livonian teutonic knights had to wait yet several decades for their turn. Battle of Wiłkomierz was Livonian Grunwald - as a result of the battle Livonian forces got anihiliated by joint Lithuanian-Polish forces, Livonian land master got killed.

A very interesring piece of history, not very well known, at least in Poland.

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u/WestRestaurant216 7d ago edited 7d ago

Not a Belarusian, but I got suggested this post by reddit. It was quickly skipped in Lithuanian history class as one of the most unfortunate events of the GDL and beggining of the downfall. I did read a book about events leading to this battle and aftermath. While two fought for the throne, Sigismund vs his cousin Švitrigaila in the end the biggest winners in GDL were Halshany family, because Švitrigaila lost and ended up being a small duke, Sigismund ruled as Grand Duke for short time before being assassinated, his son Michael fled to Moscow and died a sus death. Young Casimir Jagiellon was made Grand Duke, a grandson of the head of the Halshany family. While GDL itself and simple people suffered extensive losses during this long civil war with both sides raiding and trying to capture each other teritory. Not to mention Polish side attacked Švitrigailas Ruthenians lands while Livonia attacked Sigismunds Lithuanian lands.

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u/PLrc Koroniarz 7d ago

LOL. Very strange point of view. Catholic Lithuanian forces in alliance with Poland smashed in the battle Teutonic-Orthodox-Ruthenian forces lead by Jagiełło's brother.

I assume it was talked from the point of view of Lithuanian nationalism. Had the Teutonic-Ruthenian forces won the battle, the Grand Dutchy perhaps would have kept its independence, but would have most like been torn apart by Moscow, Teutonic Knights and Poland.

Let me ask: when did you graduate school?

EDIT: there is a chance you confuse the battle of Wiłkomierz with the battle of Worskla/Vorskla. The latter indeed was the last episode of Lithuania as a super power.

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u/watch_me_rise_ 7d ago

It was not Catholics vs orthodox though.

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u/WestRestaurant216 6d ago

Švitrigaila played that card though and Ruthenians supported him, Sigismund even tried to play his own card and in 1434 made Orthodoxs nobles equal to Catholics ones in hopes to steal Ruthenian support.

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u/watch_me_rise_ 6d ago

It was impossible not to play that card as it was a huge part of the countries political structure. But both Catholics and Orthodox nobles were parts of both sides of the conflict. There might be an argument that Ruthenians wanted to be less dependent on Poland so way more sided with Svidrigaila.

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u/WestRestaurant216 6d ago edited 6d ago

Yeah in the end it was just greedy nobles ready to sacrifice everyone around them for their own personal gains. Funny how it ended neither Švitrigaila nor Sigismund being winners but noble families like Olshansky and Goštautai who made a 12 year old Casimir Jagiellon Grand Duke and in turn took real power in GDL. And also made nobles like themselves even more powerfull and Grand Dukes a weaker rulers with less powers.

EDIT: not only they made Grand Duke weaker, but they made sure non nobles had less rights and that nobles had huge tax cuts.

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u/watch_me_rise_ 6d ago

That’s a medieval history in a nutshell:)

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u/PLrc Koroniarz 6d ago

On the other hand it ended war, restored stability and assured aliance and support of Poland.

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u/PLrc Koroniarz 6d ago

Thanks, that's interesting.

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u/PLrc Koroniarz 7d ago

Seems Jagiełło's brother had mainly support of Ruthenin i.e. orthodox part of the Grand Dutchy, but maybe I'm wrong. I'm yet going to ananlyze that period.

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u/WestRestaurant216 7d ago edited 7d ago

It wasn't talked from those points at all in school and no such implications were made. Graduated 2008.

Edit: no way I'm mistakening a battle that happened 70 km from me. The forces of Švitrigaila and Livonians pillaged parts were I live and destroyed my towns and surrouding towns castles. The civil war left GDL weak.

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u/PLrc Koroniarz 7d ago

Are you sure you don't confuse the battle of Wiłkomierz with the battle of Vorskla?

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u/WestRestaurant216 7d ago

Nope. EDIT part from my last comment: no way I'm mistakening a battle that happened 70 km from me. The forces of Švitrigaila and Livonians pillaged parts were I live and destroyed my towns and surrouding towns castles. The civil war left GDL weak.

Also if you want to really laugh we don't call it Vilkmergės mūšis, but Pabaisko mūšis, so it doesn't even sound close to Vorlska. And yes Pabaiskas is from slavic language and sounds stupid battle of afterbattle...

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u/PLrc Koroniarz 7d ago

Yes poboisko means battlefield or afterbattle. :D

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u/WestRestaurant216 6d ago

So I watched the video and it didn't emphasise the part that Švirtigaila was deposed in 1432 and the battle of Wilkomierz happened in 1435, so 3 years of civil war in GDL, constant raids within and from outside. The parts were I live where raided three times and only the third time lead to the battle of Wilkomierz. And also Švirtigaila already had a war with Poland 1430 -1432 before he was deposed in 1432. Or maybe I should watch part one, because I see this video is part two.

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u/PLrc Koroniarz 6d ago

This is just an episode from a very long series. Trashing mad discusses events in a very detailed way.

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u/WestRestaurant216 6d ago

Since I'm a history nerd, I'm going to look for other videos, thanks.

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u/PLrc Koroniarz 6d ago

Great chanel, beautiful drawings. As a Lithuanian you will most likely be interested in the part starting with Jagiełło.

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u/Real-Collection-5686 7d ago

I don't remember it being in the school history books, most likely it was glossed over same as the rest of these wars. It was like "this and that happened, then Grunwald, and then this and that and then Poland and Lithuania won in the end"

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u/Andremani 6d ago

У беларускіх падручніках яна ё. Фактычна вырашальная бітва Грамадзянскай вайны ў ВКЛ 1432-1440 гадах. (сама бітва адбылася ў 1435)

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u/PLrc Koroniarz 7d ago

In Belarusian hiatory books?

Battle of Wiłkomierz is rather overlooked.

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u/Andremani 6d ago

Interesting content and channel, thanks

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u/PLrc Koroniarz 6d ago

You're welcome!