Jurgis Gedgaudas
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Jurgis Gedgaudas (died ) was a noble and diplomat from 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 Li ...
. He used the Leliwa coat of arms. He was active in political life from 1401 to 1435, serving Grand Dukes
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 ...
and
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 ...
as
voivode Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the me ...
and diplomat. His represented their interest at the
Council of Constance The Council of Constance was a 15th-century ecumenical council recognized by the Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418 in the Bishopric of Constance in present-day Germany. The council ended the Western Schism by deposing or accepting the res ...
and
Teutonic Order The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...
. He was one of the few nobles who continued to support Švitrigaila after he was deposed. However, after being captured in the
Battle of Ashmyany The Battle of Ashmiany was a battle fought on 8 December 1432 at Ashmiany between the armies of Švitrigaila and Sigismund Kęstutaitis, two pretenders to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during the Lithuanian Civil War (1432–1438). ...
, he switched sides and supported
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 ...
managing to retain his social status.


Political career

Gedgaudas was first mentioned in 1401 when he witnessed the Union of Vilnius. At the time he was duke's marshal. Sometime later he became
Voivode of Kiev This the list of voivodes of Kiev. A Kiev voivode ( pl, wojewoda kijowski) was the major administrative position in Kiev Voivodship, in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 1471 until 1569 and in of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland from 1569 unt ...
. He lost this position in 1411 to become the elder of
Podolia Podolia or Podilia ( uk, Поділля, Podillia, ; russian: Подолье, Podolye; ro, Podolia; pl, Podole; german: Podolien; be, Падолле, Padollie; lt, Podolė), is a historic region in Eastern Europe, located in the west-central ...
(predecessor of the
Voivode of Podolia The Podolian Voivodeship, uk, Подільське воєводство or Palatinate of Podolia was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Kingdom of Poland, since 1434 until 1793, except for the period of Ottoman occup ...
). King Jogaila sent him and several Polish nobles to Hungary in 1411 and Grand Duke
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 ...
sent him to the
Council of Constance The Council of Constance was a 15th-century ecumenical council recognized by the Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418 in the Bishopric of Constance in present-day Germany. The council ended the Western Schism by deposing or accepting the res ...
in 1416. Traveler
Guillebert de Lannoy Guillebert de Lannoy (also Gilbert, Guilbert or Ghillebert; 1386–1462), was a Flemish traveler and diplomat, chamberlain to the duke of Burgundy, governor of the fort of Sluys, and a knight of the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Guillebert I ...
was received by Gedgaudas in 1421. After the death of his brother
Albertas Manvydas Albertas Manvydas or Albertas Vaitiekus Manvydas ( pl, Wojciech Moniwid), died in 1423 was a Lithuanian noble, the first Voivode of Vilnius and founder of the Manvydai family. During the turbulent disputes over Samogitia, he was sent as a negot ...
, Voivode of Vilnius, in 1423, Gedgaudas became the Voivode of Vilnius until the 1432 coup against Švitrigaila. Gedgaudas was sent on a diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Poland in 1429. After the death of Vytautas, he supported Grand Duke
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 ...
and represented him in negotiations with Poland 1431 and 1432 and with the
Teutonic Order The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...
in 1432 (see Lithuanian Civil War (1432–1438) for political background). Gedvilas was of nine Lithuanian noble witnesses of the Treaty of Christmemel (June 1431) and was at Švitrigaila's side when he was deposed in a coup on 1 August 1432. He was one of the few Lithuanian nobles supporting Švitrigaila after the coup. He was one of the commanders of the
Battle of Ashmyany The Battle of Ashmiany was a battle fought on 8 December 1432 at Ashmiany between the armies of Švitrigaila and Sigismund Kęstutaitis, two pretenders to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during the Lithuanian Civil War (1432–1438). ...
(December 1432) and was taken prisoner. He switched sides to support
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 ...
and was able to retain his wealth and influence (his son even received Mir from Sigismund in 1434). In May 1434, Gedgaudas witnessed Sigismund's privilege to Catholic and Eastern Orthodox nobility though at that time he did not hold any posts.


Origin and family

Gedgaudas is his pagan Lithuanian name; Jurgis (George) is his baptismal name after the conversion of Lithuania in 1387. His origin is unknown; his father's name is known only from his
patronymic name A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, alt ...
. He was a brother of
Albertas Manvydas Albertas Manvydas or Albertas Vaitiekus Manvydas ( pl, Wojciech Moniwid), died in 1423 was a Lithuanian noble, the first Voivode of Vilnius and founder of the Manvydai family. During the turbulent disputes over Samogitia, he was sent as a negot ...
. His patrimony was around
Kernavė Kernavė was a medieval capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and today is a tourist attraction and an archeological site (population 272, 2011). It is located in the Širvintos district municipality located in southeast Lithuania. A Lithuanian ...
and Ashmyany with the principal estate in Vishnyeva. ''
Die Littauischen Wegeberichte ''Die Littauischen Wegeberichte'' (German for ''Lithuanian route report'') is a compilation of 100 routes into the western Grand Duchy of Lithuania prepared by the Teutonic Knights in 1384–1402. The Knights waged the Lithuanian Crusade to convert ...
'' mentioned Manewidendorf near
Hieraniony Hieraniony ( be, Геранёны) is a village (an agrotown) in Iwye District, Belarus. It is located near the Belarus–Lithuania border. It is known for the 16th-century Hieraniony Castle built by Albertas Goštautas Albertas Goštautas ( la ...
which likely belonged to the family. In September 1442, his widow Anastasia, possibly a daughter of Jurgis Taločka, donated to the Chapel of St. Albert and St. George of Vilnius Cathedral that was established by his brother Albertas Manvydas and where Gedgaudas was buried (note that brothers' baptismal names were Albert and George). Only one son of Gedgaudas is known. Petras Simonas Gedgaudas (died in 1451 without leaving children) was regent of Polotsk (1440) and Smolensk (1447–1451).


References

;Notes ;Bibliography * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gedgaudas, Jurgis 14th-century births 1430s deaths 14th-century Lithuanian nobility 15th-century Lithuanian nobility Burials at Vilnius Cathedral Voivode of Vilnius