The House of Gediminid or simply the Gediminids ( lt, Gediminaičiai, sgs, Gedėmėnātē, be, Гедзімінавічы, pl, Giedyminowicze, uk, Гедиміновичі;) were a
dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...
of
monarch
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power i ...
s in the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Lit ...
that reigned from the 14th to the 16th century. A
cadet branch
In history and heraldry, a cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets— realm, tit ...
of this family, known as the
Jagiellonian dynasty
The Jagiellonian dynasty (, pl, dynastia jagiellońska), otherwise the Jagiellon dynasty ( pl, dynastia Jagiellonów), the House of Jagiellon ( pl, Dom Jagiellonów), or simply the Jagiellons ( pl, Jagiellonowie), was the name assumed by a cad ...
, reigned also in the
Kingdom of Poland
The Kingdom of Poland ( pl, Królestwo Polskie; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a state in Central Europe. It may refer to:
Historical political entities
* Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom existing from 1025 to 1031
* Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom exi ...
,
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...
and
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia ( cs, České království),; la, link=no, Regnum Bohemiae sometimes in English literature referred to as the Czech Kingdom, was a medieval and early modern monarchy in Central Europe, the predecessor of the modern Czec ...
. Several other branches ranked among the leading aristocratic dynasties of Russia and Poland into recent times.
Their monarchical title in
Lithuanian primarily was, by some folkloristic data, ''kunigų kunigas'' ("Duke of Dukes"), and later on, ''didysis kunigas'' ("Great/High Duke") or, in a simple manner, ''karalius or kunigaikštis''. In the 18th century, the latter form was changed into
tautological ''didysis kunigaikštis'', which nevertheless would be translated as "
Grand Duke" (for its etymology, see
Grand Prince
Grand prince or great prince (feminine: grand princess or great princess) ( la, magnus princeps; Greek: ''megas archon''; russian: великий князь, velikiy knyaz) is a title of nobility ranked in honour below emperor, equal of king ...
).
Origin
The origin of
Gediminas
Gediminas ( la, Gedeminne, ; – December 1341) was the king or Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1315 or 1316 until his death. He is credited with founding this political entity and expanding its territory which later spanned the area ranging from t ...
himself is much debated. Some sources say he was
Vytenis
Vytenis ( be, Віцень, Vicień; pl, Witenes) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from c. 1295 to c. 1316. He became the first of the Gediminid dynasty to rule for a considerable amount of time. In the early 14th century his reputation outshon ...
'
ostler, others that he was of peasant stock. Some historians consider him as the son or grandson of Lithuanian or
Yatvingian King/duke
Skalmantas. Most scholars agree, however, that Gediminas was
Vytenis
Vytenis ( be, Віцень, Vicień; pl, Witenes) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from c. 1295 to c. 1316. He became the first of the Gediminid dynasty to rule for a considerable amount of time. In the early 14th century his reputation outshon ...
' brother (the parentage of Vytenis is explained differently in various fake genealogies, compiled from the 16th century onwards; according to the latest Polish research, his parentage cannot be established).
[Jan Tęgowski, ''"Pierwsze pokolenia Gedyminowiczów"'', 1999]
Confirmed Gediminid rulers
*
Gediminas
Gediminas ( la, Gedeminne, ; – December 1341) was the king or Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1315 or 1316 until his death. He is credited with founding this political entity and expanding its territory which later spanned the area ranging from t ...
*
Jaunutis
Jaunutis ( pl, Jawnuta, be, Яўнут; literally ''young man''; baptized: Ioann, "Jawnuta", "John" or "Ivan"; ca. 1300 – after 1366) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from his father Gediminas' death in 1341 until he was deposed by his elder bro ...
*
Algirdas
*
Jogaila
*
Kęstutis
Kęstutis ( la, Kinstut, ; – 3 or 15 August 1382) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania. He was the Duke of Trakai and governed the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, 1342–1382, together with his brother Algirdas (until 1377), and with his nephew Jogaila ...
*
Vytautas
Vytautas (c. 135027 October 1430), also known as Vytautas the Great ( Lithuanian: ', be, Вітаўт, ''Vitaŭt'', pl, Witold Kiejstutowicz, ''Witold Aleksander'' or ''Witold Wielki'' Ruthenian: ''Vitovt'', Latin: ''Alexander Vitoldus'', O ...
– King/Grand Duke from 1392 to 1430
*
Švitrigaila
Švitrigaila (before 1370 – 10 February 1452; sometimes spelled Svidrigiello) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1430 to 1432. He spent most of his life in largely unsuccessful dynastic struggles against his cousins Vytautas and Sigismund K ...
*
Sigismund Kęstutaitis
Sigismund Kęstutaitis ( lt, Žygimantas I Kęstutaitis, pl, Zygmunt Kiejstutowicz; 136520 March 1440) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1432 to 1440. Sigismund was his baptismal name, while his pagan Lithuanian birth name is unknown. He was ...
*
Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV (in full Casimir IV Andrew Jagiellon; pl, Kazimierz IV Andrzej Jagiellończyk ; Lithuanian: ; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447, until his death. He was one of the m ...
*
Alexander Jagiellon
Alexander Jagiellon ( pl, Aleksander Jagiellończyk, lt, Aleksandras Jogailaitis; 5 August 1461 – 19 August 1506) of the House of Jagiellon was the Grand Duke of Lithuania and later also King of Poland. He was the fourth son of Casimir IV Jag ...
*
Sigismund I the Old
*
Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus ( pl, Zygmunt II August, lt, Žygimantas Augustas; 1 August 1520 – 7 July 1572) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548. He was the first ruler ...
Branches of the dynasty
![Lithuania Rambynas Gedimin columns](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Lithuania_Rambynas_Gedimin_columns.jpg)
The
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or " canonical ...
branches of the family were mostly
Ruthenian, which also was one of the two main languages of their established state. Some of these families (e.g.,
Czartoryski
The House of Czartoryski (feminine form: Czartoryska, plural: Czartoryscy; lt, Čartoriskiai) is a Polish princely family of Lithuanian- Ruthenian origin, also known as the Familia. The family, which derived their kin from the Gediminids dyna ...
) later converted to
Roman Catholicism and became
Polonized
Polonization (or Polonisation; pl, polonizacja)In Polish historiography, particularly pre-WWII (e.g., L. Wasilewski. As noted in Смалянчук А. Ф. (Smalyanchuk 2001) Паміж краёвасцю і нацыянальнай ідэя ...
. Others (e.g.,
Galitzine
The House of Golitsyn or Galitzine was one of the largest princely of the noble houses in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire. Among them were boyars, warlords, diplomats, generals (the Mikhailovichs), stewards, chamberlains, the richest ...
) moved to
Muscovy and became thoroughly
Russified
Russification (russian: русификация, rusifikatsiya), or Russianization, is a form of cultural assimilation in which non-Russians, whether involuntarily or voluntarily, give up their culture and language in favor of the Russian cultur ...
.
In Poland, most Gediminid families (such as Olelkowicz-Słucki,
Wiśniowiecki
The House of Wiśniowiecki ( uk, Вишневе́цькі, ''Vyshnevetski''; lt, Višnioveckiai}) was a Polish-Lithuanian princely family of Ruthenian-Lithuanian origin, notable in the history of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. They we ...
, Zbaraski) are extinct, but at least some families survive to the present:
Chowański,
Czartoryski
The House of Czartoryski (feminine form: Czartoryska, plural: Czartoryscy; lt, Čartoriskiai) is a Polish princely family of Lithuanian- Ruthenian origin, also known as the Familia. The family, which derived their kin from the Gediminids dyna ...
,
Sanguszko
150px, Paweł Karol Sanguszko
150px, Dymitr Sanguszko
150px, Roman Sanguszko
150px, Janusz Sanguszko
150px, Hieronim Sanguszko
150px, Barbara Sanguszko née Dunin
150px, Eustachy Erazm Sanguszko
150px, Władysław Hieronim Sanguszko
150p ...
,
Siesicki (Dowmont-Siesicki, Szeszycki) and
Koriatowicz-Kurcewicz..
The Russian Gediminid families include
Bulgakov Bulgakov (russian: Булгаков) is a Russian surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Anatoly Bulgakov (footballer, born 1944), Russian football coach and former player
* Anatoly Bulgakov (footballer, born 1979), Russian football pl ...
,
Golitsin,
Kurakin
The House of Kurakin (russian: Куракин) is a name of an old, historical Russian princely family descended from Lithuanian dynasty of Gediminas and it's also a masculine surname. Its feminine counterpart is Kurakina.
Notable members
* Pri ...
,
Khovansky,
Troubetzkoy
The House of Trubetskoy (English), Трубецкие (Russian), Трубяцкі ( Belarusian), ''Trubecki'' (Polish), ''Trubetsky'' ( Ruthenian), Трубецький (Ukrainian), ''Troubetzkoy'' (French), ''Trubic'' (Croatian), ''Trubetski'' ...
,
Mstislavsky
Mstislavsky ( Russian Мстиславский) was a Russian princely family of Gediminid origin who prior to their move to Russia ruled the principality of Mstislavl. In the following, the Mstislavsky family produced some notable military command ...
,
Belsky, and
Volynsky. Some of these families also survive as of 2020.
Gediminid descendants
I. The descendants of *
Bujwid Vytianis Bujwid is a Polish-Lithuanian nobility family name belonging to the Ślepowron coat of arms. The archaic feminine form is Bujwidowa (literally meaning "Bujwid's"). In modern time it is a unisex surname. Bujwid is a Polish form of the Lithuanian ...
Rex. King Lithuania.
# Dukes Prince of
Bujwid Bujwid is a Polish-Lithuanian nobility family name belonging to the Ślepowron coat of arms. The archaic feminine form is Bujwidowa (literally meaning "Bujwid's"). In modern time it is a unisex surname. Bujwid is a Polish form of the Lithuanian t ...
I. The descendants of
Narimantas
Narimantas or Narymunt (baptized ''Gleb''; 1277 or just before 1300 (according to Wasilewski 1992) – 2 February 1348) was the second eldest son of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania. During various periods of his life, he ruled Pinsk and Polat ...
:
# Dukes of (faded at the end of the 15th century)
## Dukes of
### Dukes of
# Dukes of
## Dukes of
## Dukes of
### Dukes of
Golitsyn
### Dukes of
Kurakin
The House of Kurakin (russian: Куракин) is a name of an old, historical Russian princely family descended from Lithuanian dynasty of Gediminas and it's also a masculine surname. Its feminine counterpart is Kurakina.
Notable members
* Pri ...
## Dukes of
## Dukes of
# Dukes of
Korecki
## Dukes of
II. The descendants of
Algirdas:
# Duke
Andrei of Polotsk
Andrei of Polotsk ( be, Андрэй Альгердавіч, lt, Andrius Algirdaitis, pl, Andrzej Olgierdowic, ca. 1325 – 12 August 1399, in the Battle of the Vorskla River) was the eldest son of Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and ...
## Dukes of
## Dukes of
#
Dmitrijus Algirdaitis
## Dukes of
Trubetskoy
The House of Trubetskoy (English), Трубецкие (Russian), Трубяцкі ( Belarusian), ''Trubecki'' (Polish), ''Trubetsky'' ( Ruthenian), Трубецький (Ukrainian), ''Troubetzkoy'' (French), ''Trubic'' (Croatian), ''Trubetski'' ...
(
Trubchevsk
Trubchevsk (russian: Трубче́вск, pl, Trubczewsk) is a town and the administrative center of Trubchevsky District in Bryansk Oblast, Russia, located about south of the city of Bryansk, the administrative center of the oblast. Population ...
)
#
## Dukes of
Czartoryski
The House of Czartoryski (feminine form: Czartoryska, plural: Czartoryscy; lt, Čartoriskiai) is a Polish princely family of Lithuanian- Ruthenian origin, also known as the Familia. The family, which derived their kin from the Gediminids dyna ...
#
Vladimiras Algirdaitis
##
Olelkaičiai (descendants of )
### Dukes of (faded at the end of the 16th century)
## Dukes of
Belsky
# The descendants of
Kaributas
Kaributas (''Koribut'', ''Korybut'', baptized ''Dmitry''; after 1350 – after 1404) was a son of Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and reigned in Severian Novgorod until 1393.
Kaributas was born some time after 1350 (exact date is unknown) ...
## Dukes of
### Dukes of
Wiśniowiecki
The House of Wiśniowiecki ( uk, Вишневе́цькі, ''Vyshnevetski''; lt, Višnioveckiai}) was a Polish-Lithuanian princely family of Ruthenian-Lithuanian origin, notable in the history of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. They we ...
### Dukes of
### Dukes of
### Dukes of
# The descendants of
## Dukes of
## Dukes of
Kobryn
Kobryn ( be, Кобрын; russian: Кобрин; pl, Kobryń; lt, Kobrynas; uk, Кобринь, Kobryn'; yi, קאָברין) is a city in the Brest Region of Belarus and the center of the Kobryn District. The city is located in the southwest ...
## Dukes of
Sanguszko
150px, Paweł Karol Sanguszko
150px, Dymitr Sanguszko
150px, Roman Sanguszko
150px, Janusz Sanguszko
150px, Hieronim Sanguszko
150px, Barbara Sanguszko née Dunin
150px, Eustachy Erazm Sanguszko
150px, Władysław Hieronim Sanguszko
150p ...
# The
Jagiellons
The Jagiellonian dynasty (, pl, dynastia jagiellońska), otherwise the Jagiellon dynasty ( pl, dynastia Jagiellonów), the House of Jagiellon ( pl, Dom Jagiellonów), or simply the Jagiellons ( pl, Jagiellonowie), was the name assumed by a cad ...
# The descendants of
Lengvenis
## Dukes of
Mstislavsky
Mstislavsky ( Russian Мстиславский) was a Russian princely family of Gediminid origin who prior to their move to Russia ruled the principality of Mstislavl. In the following, the Mstislavsky family produced some notable military command ...
III. The descendants of
Kęstutis
Kęstutis ( la, Kinstut, ; – 3 or 15 August 1382) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania. He was the Duke of Trakai and governed the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, 1342–1382, together with his brother Algirdas (until 1377), and with his nephew Jogaila ...
#
Patrikas Kęstutaitis
#
Vaidotas Kęstutaitis
#
Butautas Kęstutaitis
#
Vytautas the Great
Vytautas (c. 135027 October 1430), also known as Vytautas the Great ( Lithuanian: ', be, Вітаўт, ''Vitaŭt'', pl, Witold Kiejstutowicz, ''Witold Aleksander'' or ''Witold Wielki'' Ruthenian: ''Vitovt'', Latin: ''Alexander Vitoldus'', O ...
#
Tautvilas Kęstutaitis
#
Žygimantas Kęstutaitis
IV. The descendants of
Jaunutis
Jaunutis ( pl, Jawnuta, be, Яўнут; literally ''young man''; baptized: Ioann, "Jawnuta", "John" or "Ivan"; ca. 1300 – after 1366) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from his father Gediminas' death in 1341 until he was deposed by his elder bro ...
:
# Dukes of
Zaslavsky Zaslavsky, Zaslavski, Zaslavskii, Zaslavskiy ( uk, Заславський) or Zasławski (Polish) is a masculine surname of Polish origin. The feminine counterpart (in Slavic countries) of "Zaslavsky" is Zaslavskaya or Zaslavskaia; that of "Zasław ...
## Dukes of
Mstislavsky
Mstislavsky ( Russian Мстиславский) was a Russian princely family of Gediminid origin who prior to their move to Russia ruled the principality of Mstislavl. In the following, the Mstislavsky family produced some notable military command ...
V. The descendants of
Liubartas
Demetrius of Liubar or Liubartas (also ''Lubart'', ''Lubko'', ''Lubardus'', baptized ''Dmitry''; died ) was Prince of Lutsk and Liubar (Volhynia) (1323–1383), Prince of Zhytomyr (1363–1374), Grand Prince of Volhynia (1340–1383), Grand Princ ...
(faded in the first half of the 15th century)
VI. , descended from
Karijotas Karijotas or Koriat (baptized ''Michal''; died between 1358 and 1363) was the Duke of Navahrudak ( lt, Naugardukas) and Vaŭkavysk ( lt, Valkaviskas), one of the sons of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania.
According to Polish historian Jan Tęgo ...
# Dukes of
Podilskyi (nobility)
# Dukes of
Family tree
See also
*
Columns of Gediminas
The Columns of Gediminas or Pillars of Gediminas ( lt, Gediminaičių stulpai, ; be, Калюмны, translit=Kaliumny, 'Columns') are one of the earliest symbols of Lithuania and its historical coats of arms. They were used in the Grand Duchy of ...
*
Family of Gediminas
The family of Gediminas is a group of family members of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania (ca. 1275–1341), who interacted in the 14th century. The family included the siblings, children, and grandchildren of the Grand Duke and played the pivot ...
*
Galitzine family
*
List of Belarusian rulers
Belarusian statehood can be traced to the medieval Principality of Polotsk. From the 13th century, the lands of modern-day Belarus became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which later evolved into the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In the 19t ...
*
List of Lithuanian rulers
The article is a list of heads of state of Lithuania over historical Lithuanian state. The timeline includes all heads of state of Lithuania as a sovereign entity, legitimately part of a greater sovereign entity, a client state, or a Republics o ...
*
List of Ukrainian rulers
This is a list that encompasses and includes all reigning leaders/rulers in the history of Ukraine.
This page includes the titles of the Grand Prince of Kyiv, Grand Prince of Chernigov, Grand Prince of Pereyaslavl, Grand Prince of Galicia ...
*
Palemonids
The Palemonids were a legendary dynasty of Grand Dukes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The legend was born in the 15th or 16th century as proof that Lithuanians and the Grand Duchy are of Roman origins. Already Jan Długosz (1415–1480) wrote ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Dynasty genealogy