The Grand Duchy of Lithuania integrated the lands of Rus through marital alliances, blending legal systems smoothly.
Lithuania's victory at the Battle of Grunwald consolidated its power and showcased collaborative military strength.
Deep dives
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania Expands its Influence Over Rus
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania asserted its rule over the lands of Rus, consolidating power by marrying into existing princely families. This approach of appropriation rather than drastic change facilitated a smooth transition of authority. Lithuania's rulers inherited not only territories but also the legal language and customs of Rus, embracing the role of rulers of Rus in addition to their Lithuanian dominion. The Lithuanians absorbed the lands of Rus, incorporating the legal language into their governance.
Lithuania's Alliance with Poland and the Conversion to Christianity
Lithuania formed an alliance with Poland through the marriage of the Lithuanian Grand Duke to a Polish King, creating a de facto union that would last for the next two centuries. This merger facilitated the conversion of the ruling Lithuanian family to Christianity in the late 14th century. The synthesis of Lithuanian and Polish nobility led to the emergence of a new state characterized by a personal union between Lithuanian rulers and Polish monarchs.
The Battle of Grunwald and the Defeat of the Teutonic Knights
The Battle of Grunwald in 1410 marked a decisive victory for the Lithuanian ruler, now King of Poland, over the Teutonic Knights. This battle has been revered in history, symbolizing Lithuania's triumph over the Teutonic Order. The battle demonstrated the collaborative strength of an army comprising forces from Rus, Poland, and Lithuania, securing a significant victory and shaping the course of the region's history.
Legacy of Lithuania's Pagani Past and Religious Practices
Lithuania's pagan roots endured for centuries, remaining the last major pagan group in Europe. The ongoing practice of paganism, animistic beliefs, and reverence for nature persisted, with traditions such as sacrifice, omens, and burial customs ingrained in the culture. Despite eventual conversion to Christianity, Lithuania's earlier beliefs and rituals left a lasting imprint on its societal practices and heritage.
Class 6 continues the foundations of the Kyiv state at a time when Lithuania was much larger than most people think.
Timothy Snyder is the Richard C. Levin Professor of History at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. He speaks five and reads ten European languages.
Ukraine must have existed as a society and polity on 23 February 2022, else Ukrainians would not have collectively resisted Russian invasion the next day. What does it mean for a nation to exist? Is this a matter of structures, actions, or both? Why has the existence of Ukraine occasioned such controversy? In what ways are Polish, Russian, and Jewish self-understanding dependent upon experiences in Ukraine? Just how and when did a modern Ukrainian nation emerge? For that matter, how does any modern nation emerge? Why some and not others? Can nations be chosen, and can choices be decisive? If so, whose, and how? Ukraine was the country most touched by Soviet and Nazi terror: what can we learn about those systems, then, from Ukraine? Is the post-colonial, multilingual Ukrainian nation a holdover from the past, or does it hold some promise for the future?
Course reading list
Video version of this course available on YouTube.
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