Kęstutis seizes Vilnius, spares Jogaila

What the chronicles say [Historical record]

In autumn 1381 (August to December in the sources; VLE says November) Kęstutis learned of the secret treaty of Dovydiškės from the Order’s komtur of Osterode, Kuno von Liebenstein (Ivinskis, via the English Wikipedia). Vytautas denied knowing. Jogaila was away putting down the Polotsk revolt; Kęstutis took Vilnius, which opened without a fight, and was proclaimed Grand Duke. Jogaila was caught on his way back, swore loyalty, and was freed with Krėva and Vitebsk. The sources are the Order’s chroniclers (Wigand of Marburg) and later Lithuanian chronicles.

Kęstutis takes Vilnius; Jogaila caught on his way back

Kęstutis takes Vilnius; Jogaila caught on his way back

Kęstutis takes Vilnius; Jogaila caught on his way back · event

Tipas

įvykis

Metai

1381

Status

Istoriniai duomenys

Knyga

I · Vilko Tremtis

Pastaba

Kęstutis discovers Dovydiškės, seizes Vilnius in autumn 1381, and deposes Jogaila.

Where: Vilnius (on the map)

What really happened [The saga’s invention]

Liebenstein’s warning (the saga keeps the historical informant; Hohenstein of Book VI is a different, invented man, and he does not warn anyone) sends Kęstutis to Vilnius with a band; he rides in three days, the city opens, and when Jogaila is brought back to the Lower Castle with two servants, sweating, the Dovydiškės parchment lies in his chest under his blanket. He spares him: „Kraujas yra kraujas.“ This is his tragic hinge: the mercy that will kill him in 1382.

Consequences

Caused by Dovydiškės; leads to Jogaila’s retaking of Vilnius.

Dramatisation

Book I ch. 1 „Senasis Šernas“ (Kęstutis recalls it in Trakai, late summer 1382; the city opened without a fight and Jogaila was caught coming back), ch. 2 (Vytautas: „Vilnius buvo mūsų“). Kęstutis’s earlier honesty to the Order is Book VI ch. 16–18 (the 1361 capture and Marienburg).

Ryšiai

Caused by: Treaty of Dovydiškės

Causes: Hanulas and the townsfolk take Vilnius for Jogaila

Location: Vilnius

Participants: Kęstutis

Sąsajos

graph LR
  ev_coup_1381["Kęstutis takes Vilnius; Jogaila caught on his way back"]
  ev_dovydiskes["Treaty of Dovydiškės"]
  ev_vilnius_retaken["Hanulas and the townsfolk take Vilnius for Jogaila"]
  kestutis["Kęstutis"]
  vilnius["Vilnius"]
  ev_coup_1381 -->|Location| vilnius
  ev_coup_1381 -->|Causes| ev_vilnius_retaken
  ev_dovydiskes -->|Causes| ev_coup_1381
  kestutis -->|Took part in| ev_coup_1381
  style ev_coup_1381 stroke-width:3px