SAMOGITIA IN THE ORDER ’S CONSTITUTION
A er the Treaty of Salynas in 1398, the Samogitians relinquished their elders as hostages to the Order, while the more important nobles were baptised in the Order‘s capital, Marienburg. Some time later, having been roused by Vytautas, the Samogitians started to & ee to Lithuania. e Order protested as to why Vytautas was harbouring these refugees. e ' rst stage of the Order’s rule in Samogitia did not last very long – by 1401 the Samogitians staged an uprising and regained freedom. In 1404 Jogaila again gave Samogitia to the Order in return for it relinquishing its right to Lithuania’s and Ruzen’s lands. is agreement is important in that it stands as o- cial recognition that the Order relinquishes all other Lithuanian lands. e earlier privileges whereby Lithuania and Ruzen were donated to the Order had not yet been repealed. Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas’ le er where he promises not to enter into any e second stage of the Order’s rule in Samogitia agreements with the Teutonic Order without the knowledge of the King of Poland, Jogaila. Lublin. June 19, 1403. Archives of Ancient Documents, Warsaw lasted until May, 1409. e Order a empted to establish itself in Samogitia in several ways: it sent Samogitians held a second uprising, which was most livestock and grains, threatened to use force, and likely initiated in accordance with Vytautas’ word. asked Vytautas to convince the Samogitians to e Order’s soldiers were forced to retreat, and the accept the Order’s rule. In the spring of 1490 the territory itself came under the rule of vicegerents sent by Vytautas. e Order retaliated by seizing the grains being sent by Jogaila at a time when the crops had failed across the country, and rapidly started to prepare for war with Lithuania.
Ba le-axe with a spur and wide blade, iron. Masteikiai. Early 15th century. Vytautas the Great War Museum
Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas’ le er to the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, Konrad von Jungingen, where he agrees to unite with the Order against all its enemies, apart from the Roman Catholic Church, the Holy Roman Empire, and Jogaila, King of Poland. Kaunas. August 17,1404. Mace. 15th century. Secret State Archives Prussian Cultural Vytautas the Great War Heritage Foundation, Berlin Museum