Treaty of Lyck; hostages demanded¶

What the chronicles say [Historical record]¶

Signed at Lyck (Ełk) on 19 January 1390 by Marquard von Salzbach, komtur Arnold von Bürglen and Thomas son of Survila; it confirmed the 1384 Königsberg treaty (Samogitia to the Nevėžis, vassalage). Hostages demanded: his brother Sigismund (Žygimantas), wife Anna (Ona), daughter Sofija, sister Rymgajla, brother-in-law Ivan Olshanski and other nobles. Sofija was a hostage; the Moscow embassy reached Prussia at the end of the summer and she left from Marienburg by ship via Danzig and Pskov (Grala, citing Posilge). The marshal is not attested; some doubt the treaty’s originality.

Treaty of Lyck; hostages demanded


Type	event
Years	1390-01-19
Status	Historical record
Book	II · The Golden Shadow
Chapters	6
Note	Signed by Marquard von Salzbach, komtur Arnold von Bürglen and Thomas son of Survila. Hostages: Žygimantas, Ona, Sofija, Rymgailė, Ivan Olshanski and other nobles.

Where: Lyck (Ełk) (on the map)

What really happened [The saga’s invention]¶

Vytautas swears “honestly”, to keep faith as long as the Order does; the pebble is dim in the consecrated stone. Marquard von Salzbach, his old captive and friend, offers a velvet threat to the hostages. The Order lets mother and daughter spend a day together before Sofija’s autumn departure.

Consequences¶

Caused by the second defection. Leads to the siege of Vilnius.

Dramatisation¶

Book II ch. 6 “Įkaitų Pilis” (Ona; January 1390, Lyck); ch. 8 (Sofija’s road to Moscow: Marienburg - Danzig - ship - Pskov).

Relations

Caused by: Vytautas flees to the Order again

Causes: Siege of Vilnius (11 Sep - 7 Oct); Crooked Castle falls 16 Sep

Location: Lyck (Ełk)

Participants: Marquard von Salzbach · Ona — Hostage. · Sofija Vytautaitė — Hostage (Posilge via Grala). · Vytautas · Žygimantas Kęstutaitis — Hostage 1390-98.

Connections¶

graph LR
  ev_lyck_1390["Treaty of Lyck; hostages demanded"]
  ev_second_defection["Vytautas flees to the Order again"]
  ev_vilnius_siege_1390["Siege of Vilnius (11 Sep - 7 Oct); Crooked Castle falls 16 Sep"]
  lyck["Lyck (Ełk)"]
  marquard["Marquard von Salzbach"]
  ona["Ona"]
  sofija["Sofija Vytautaitė"]
  vytautas["Vytautas"]
  zygimantas["Žygimantas Kęstutaitis"]
  ev_lyck_1390 -->|Location| lyck
  ev_lyck_1390 -->|Causes| ev_vilnius_siege_1390
  ev_second_defection -->|Causes| ev_lyck_1390
  vytautas -->|Took part in| ev_lyck_1390
  marquard -->|Took part in| ev_lyck_1390
  ona -->|Took part in| ev_lyck_1390
  sofija -->|Took part in| ev_lyck_1390
  zygimantas -->|Took part in| ev_lyck_1390
  style ev_lyck_1390 stroke-width:3px