Jaunutis

Jaunutis (literally: young man , baptized in the name of Iwan , * around 1300; † after 1366) was the Lithuanian Grand Duke after the death of his father Gediminas in 1341 until he was ousted by his brothers Algirdas and Kęstutis in 1345.

There are various theories as to why Gediminas chose Jaunutis, one of his middle sons, to be his successor. The reason for this could have been the need for a unifying balance between paganism , represented by Algirdas and Kęstutis, and orthodoxy , represented by Narimantas, Karijotas and Liubartas. Jaunutis is believed by others to be the eldest son of Gediminas' second wife. Jaunutis is only mentioned in written sources after Gediminas' death.

Little is known about the years of his reign. Because of the weakness of the Livonian Order under its master Ludolf König, it was a comparatively peaceful time. His brothers were meanwhile more combative: Algirdas attacked Moshaisk and the Livonian order and defended Pskov , Kęstutis supported Liubartas in his struggles for the succession in Galicia-Volhynia . The Bychowiec Chronicle mentions that Jaunutis was supported by Yevna , his alleged mother. She died around 1344 and soon afterwards Jaunutis lost his throne. However, a specific trigger could also have been a major “journey” ( cruise ) of the Teutonic Order in 1345. Narimantas helped his brother, traveled to Dschani Beg , the khan of the Golden Horde , in order to forge an alliance with him against Algirdas and Kęstutis. Jaunutis was captured in Vilnius , but managed to escape to Moscow to see his brother-in-law Simeon . There he was baptized with the name 'Iwan' or 'Ioan', but failed in the endeavor to get help. Both Jaunutis and Narimantas had to submit to Algirdas, Jaunutis became prince of Zasłaŭje . It is believed that he died around 1366, as he was last mentioned in a treaty with Poland from 1366, but not in a treaty with Livonia from 1367. Jaunutis had two sons, Symeon Zaslawski and Michal Zaslawski. Michal ruled Zasłaŭje until his death on August 12, 1399.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c Zigmantas Kiaupa, Jūratė Kiaupienė, Albinas Kunevičius [1995]: The History of Lithuania Before 1795 , English. Edition, Lithuanian Institute of History, Vilnius 2000, p. 118, ISBN 9986-810-13-2 .
↑ ^a ^b Simas Sužiedėlis (ed.): Encyclopedia Lituanica : Jaunutis , Volume II. Juozas Kapočius, Boston, Massachusetts 1970–1978, p. 516.
^ ^A ^b ^c C. S. Rowell: Lithuania Ascending: A Pagan Empire Within East-Central Europe, 1295-1345 (= Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought: Fourth Series). Cambridge University Press, 1994, ISBN 9780521450119 , pp. 280-287.

predecessor	Office	successor
Gediminas	Grand Duke of Lithuania 1341–1345	Algirdas

personal data
SURNAME	Jaunutis
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Lithuanian Grand Duke (1341-1345)
DATE OF BIRTH	around 1300
DATE OF DEATH	around 1366

[kiaupa-1] Zigmantas Kiaupa, Jūratė Kiaupienė, Albinas Kunevičius [1995]: The History of Lithuania Before 1795 , English. Edition, Lithuanian Institute of History, Vilnius 2000, p. 118, ISBN 9986-810-13-2 .

[el-2] Simas Sužiedėlis (ed.): Encyclopedia Lituanica : Jaunutis , Volume II. Juozas Kapočius, Boston, Massachusetts 1970–1978, p. 516.

[rowell-3] A ^b ^c C. S. Rowell: Lithuania Ascending: A Pagan Empire Within East-Central Europe, 1295-1345 (= Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought: Fourth Series). Cambridge University Press, 1994, ISBN 9780521450119 , pp. 280-287.