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Lithuanian Collectors Coins Grunwald field and hanged in the Vilnius Cathedral reminded the public of the the development of Lithuanian history but a new international situation in Central GDL of the great victory. and Eastern Europe. The Polish–Lithuanian union gained high authority which was The Battle of Grunwald made an immense impression on the contemporaries. It shortly used by the Jagiellonian generation who established itself by assuming was mentioned in major European chronicles of the time and after a few years the thrones of all the monarchies in the region – Poland, Bohemia, Hungary, and already the states who had fought in the Battle named it the Great. At the same the GDL. For Lithuania, the Battle meant a period of lasting peace during which time care was taken to make the Battle be remembered. Jogaila intended building the long-matured modernization of the country’s political and social structure a monastery on the site of the Battle, yet later, on having abandoned Prussia, he commenced. The Battle (in Polish – the Battle of Grunwald, in German – the Battle funded the construction of the monastery in honour of the Battle in Lublin. On of Tannenberg), which resounded widely and brought deep changes, has left traces Lithuanian the recaptured field, the Grand Master erected a chapel in memory of the slain. in the historical memory of different nations. The different names of the Battle The Battle symbolised the end of the power of the Teutonic Order, however the reflect differences in the approaches to it. The image of Grunwald and of Grand Collectors weakening of the Order was the outcome of a change in the situation in Europe Duke Vytautas of Lithuania, who is reasonably related to this victory, had a great and Eastern Baltic several decades ago. As a matter of fact, the Order managed to influence on the historic self-awareness of the Lithuanian nation and has become Coins defend its main stronghold then. Heinrich von Plauen, who took over the duties of a lasting symbol of national identity. Also, the memory of this Battle formulated the Grand Master, organised the defence of Marienburg, and the allies, on having the political consciousness of both the GDL nobility in the 16th century and the reached the Order’s capital, saw, as it soon turned out, a secure stronghold before figures of Lithuanian national revival in the 19th–20th c.c. In present Lithuania, too, COINS TO COMMEMORATE THE 600TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF GRUNWALD their eyes. After the siege that lasted for several months at first Vytautas’, then July 15th is one of the officially announced and calendar established memorable DENOMINATION 500 LITAS DENOMINATION 50 LITAS DENOMINATION 1 LITAS Jogaila’s troops retreated. The Peace of Thorn signed on 1 February 1411, which days for the state. Memory and its forms, however, change inevitably over time. At Gold Au 999.9 Silver Ag 925 Alloy of copper and nickel ended the war, confirmed the state of affairs. Poland regained the Dobrin Land and the beginning of the 21st century, the history of the Battle and its consequences Quality proof Quality proof Cu 75%, Ni 25% Lithuania regained Samogitia for the lifetime of Jogaila and Vytautas. The worst not only can be presented as a heroic deed but also as a real attempt to discover Diameter 33.00 mm Diameter 38.61 mm Diameter 22.30 mm problem for the Order was not the territorial losses but the huge contribution the forms of peaceful co-existence in the Central and Eastern European region, Weight 31.10 g Weight 28.28 g Weight 6.25 g – 100 thousand kapas of Prague groats. The financial obligations of the knights which, however, failed due to a variety of reasons. A wider approach to the Battle On the edge of coin: On the edge of the coin: Edge rimmed at intervals that were much ahead of their possibilities shook the territory’s economy. From of Grunwald is also important because in the context of the Battle, a wealth of stylised 15th c. spearheads stylised 15th c. spearheads then on, the Order did not constitute a military threat, and after the conclusion political categories urgent to date have appeared, such as the concept of fair Mintage 5,000 Mintage 10,000 Mintage 1,000,000 of the “eternal” Meln Peace Treaty in 1422 (Samogitia was recognised to belong war, international intermediation process, possibilities and forms of peaceful to Lithuania for good) it even became a GDL’s potential ally in the complicated communication at war. Finally, the Battle of Grunwald is the historical symbol of Designed by Rytas Jonas Belevičius controversy on the consolidation of political sovereignty. The western boundaries Lithuania’s political sovereignty; it is reflected in Grand Duke Vytautas’ majestic seal Issued 2010 with Prussia which for the first time then began to be marked by signs became the created just a few years before the Battle depicted on the collectors coin. Information is available at the Bank of Lithuania state’s most stable borders during the GDL’ entire period of existence. Tel. +370 5 268 0316 The Battle of Grunwald and related events not only determined further trends in Dr. Rimvydas Petrauskas Fax +370 5 268 0314 www.lb.lt The coins were minted at the UAB Lithuanian Mint www.lithuanian-mint.lt Lithuanian Collectors Coins © Lietuvos bankas, 2010 Photographs by A. Baltėnas, R. Ginaitis and A. Lukšėnas. Illustrations from the collections of the Royal Library of Belgium, Kernavė Archaeological and Historical Museum, Polish Army Museum, Lithuanian Art Museum, National Museum - Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and from private collections (collection of E. Rimša) are used Designed by Virgaudas Minialga Published by the Bank of Lithuania, Gedimino pr. 6, LT-01103 Vilnius COINS TO COMMEMORATE THE 600TH ANNIVERSARY Printed by the UAB “Baltijos kopija”, Kareivių g. 13B, LT-09109 Vilnius, Lithuania OF THE BATTLE OF GRUNWALD GDL. Not accidentally, the first international agreements entered into by grand dukes Lithuania’s great military backwardness. Well, the warfare epoch not only saw of Lithuania were those with the Order. Major trade routes extended across the Order’s armed conflicts but also cultural and technological exchange which primarily The 600th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald is commemorated territories, Prussia and Livonia; the influences of European political culture came through changed the GDL’s political elite. From the 14th c. the Lithuanian warriors took in 2010. On 15 July 1410, the allied forces of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand these routes too, including the territorial state model adopted over time by the Grand over the western customs of knightly warfare. They learnt to use the knightly Duchy of Lithuania (GDL) defeated the forces of the Teutonic Order thereby Duchy of Lithuania which was establishing itself as a state. arms, mastered the subtleties of tactics, adhered to a knightly code of conduct putting and end to the epoch of crusades in the Eastern Baltic that had lasted for In the early 15th c. the epoch of wars was coming to an end. The Order’s marches in and began using the distinguishing knightly signs, coats-of-arms. Therefore, at 200 years. The victory was not only determined by the more numerous forces and 1402–1403 were the last reisen on the territory of the GDL. In 1403, Pope Bonifacius IX the Battle of Grunwald quite a significant part of the Polish-Lithuanian army bore successful tactical military decisions of the alliance. In fact, it was the aftermath forbade the Order to fight against Lithuania. Further military actions took place on the resemblance to European knights units. As a matter of fact, alongside them there of the changed geopolitical situation in the region after the 1385–1386 union of territory of the Order only. The Battle of Grunwald became the peak of the 1409–1411 were units of another type, for example ordinary nobles and Tartars. This diversity Lithuania and Poland and the Christianization of Lithuania in 1387. After accepting war between Poland–Lithuania and the Teutonic Order. In the Christian world at that of tradition in the armament of the GDL forces should be seen as an advantage Catholic Christianization Lithuania could no longer be an arena for crusades, time war was treated as the possible legal means of solving disputes between Christian rather, as it allowed applying more different tactical schemes. although the Order for some time tried to continue the usual crusading policy. The states, where all negotiating and intermediation efforts had failed. Therefore before On the church midsummer festivities, Separation of the Apostles Day morning Teutonic Order was the first Roman Christian state that Lithuania encountered. Up starting military actions, efforts were to be made to try convincing the international both armies formed their lines in a large field between the villages of Grünfelde until the Christianization of Lithuania and long afterwards it remained one of the community in one’s righteousness. Both the Order and Poland with Lithuania raised a and Tannenberg. A battle in the Middle Ages was perceived as the judgement major factors in Lithuanian history. Permanent wars against the Order that lasted real “war of offices” in 1409 and 1410, and in their public letters to the Western European of God, therefore both sides spent the start of the day praying. The Battle which for over a hundred years seriously affected the development of the Lithuanian rulers declared the justness of their actions. Moreover, the letters written on behalf of started already after noon lasted long hours. While the chief commander of the State. The 14th c. marches to Prussia and Lithuania (Litauerreisen) became an Vytautas and Jogaila can be considered as the first texts of political polemic writing in Polish–Lithuanian forces was the King of Poland, Jogaila (Władyslaw II Jagiełło), important cultural element of the Western European nobility.
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