Ryngold or Ringaudas was a mythological

Grand Duke of Lithuania The monarchy of Lithuania concerned the monarchical head of state of Lithuania, which was established as an absolute and hereditary monarchy. Throughout Lithuania's history there were three ducal dynasties that managed to stay in power—House ...

from the

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 ...

legends and supposed father of

Mindaugas Mindaugas (german: Myndowen, la, Mindowe, orv, Мендог, be, Міндоўг, pl, Mendog, c. 1203–1263) is the first known Grand Duke of Lithuania and the only crowned King of Lithuania. Little is known of his origins, early life, or r ...

, the first

King of Lithuania The monarchy of Lithuania concerned the monarchical head of state of Lithuania, which was established as an absolute and hereditary monarchy. Throughout Lithuania's history there were three ducal dynasties that managed to stay in power—House ...

(1251–1263). In fact, there is nothing known about Mindaugas' father from reliable sources. The

Livonian Rhymed Chronicle The ''Livonian Rhymed Chronicle'' (german: Livländische Reimchronik) is a chronicle written in Middle High German by an anonymous author. It covers the period 1180 – 1343 and contains a wealth of detail about Livonia — modern South Estonia a ...

, a contemporary source, just mentions that he was a powerful duke, but does not provide his name. Ryngold, son of otherwise unknown Algimantas, is first mentioned in the second redaction of the Lithuanian Chronicle written c. 1515 and has no historical basis. In the chronicle Ryngold returned to

Navahrudak Novogrudok ( be, Навагрудак, Navahrudak; lt, Naugardukas; pl, Nowogródek; russian: Новогрудок, Novogrudok; yi, נאַוואַראַדאָק, Novhardok, Navaradok) is a town in the Grodno Region, Belarus. In the Middle A ...

after a victorious battle with the

Mongols The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...

on the bank of the Neman River at Mohilna near

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...

. This battle could have some historical basis as Mongols did invade Lithuania, but it happened in the late 1230s and early 1240s. However, it is known for a fact that at the time Mindaugas already had supreme power in Lithuania. The legendary account claimed that Ryngold fathered three sons. He left Navharudak to one of his sons,

Vaišvilkas Vaišvilkas or Vaišelga (also spelled as ''Vaišvila'', ''Vojszalak'', ''Vojšalk'', ''Vaišalgas''; killed on 18 April 1267) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania (1264–1267). He was son of Mindaugas, the first and only Christian King of Lithu ...

. However, it is known from reliable contemporary sources that Vaišvilkas was son of Mindaugas. Therefore the third redaction of the Lithuanian Chronicle, also known as the

Bychowiec Chronicle The Bychowiec Chronicle (also spelled ''Bykhovets'', ''Bykovets'' or '' Bychovec'') is an anonymous 16th-century chronicle of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Although one of the least reliable sources of the epoch, it is considered the most extensive ...

, made Ryngold father of Mindaugas to correct this clear contradiction. This legendary version was popularized by

Maciej Stryjkowski Maciej Stryjkowski (also referred to as Strykowski and Strycovius;Nowa encyklopedia powszechna PWN. t. 6, 1997 – ) was a Polish historian, writer and a poet, known as the author of ''Chronicle of Poland, Lithuania, Samogitia and all of Rutheni ...

and other medieval historians, and it still survives to this day.

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite encyclopedia , editor-first=Simas , editor-last=Sužiedėlis , encyclopedia=

Encyclopedia Lituanica ''Encyclopedia Lituanica'' (likely named after ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' or ''Encyclopedia Americana'') is a six-volume (about 3600-page) English language encyclopedia about Lithuania and Lithuania-related topics. It was published between 19 ...

, title=Ringaudas , year=1970–1978 , publisher=Juozas Kapočius , volume=IV , location=Boston, Massachusetts , id={{LCC, 74-114275 , pages=500–501 {{cite book , title=Lithuania Ascending: A Pagan Empire Within East-Central Europe, 1295-1345 , first=S. C. , last=Rowell , pages=50–51 , year=1994 , publisher=Cambridge University Press , isbn=978-0-521-45011-9 {{cite journal , url=http://viduramziu.istorija.net/socium/sostine2.htm , title=Kiek buvo Lietuvos sostinių? , first=Tomas , last=Baranauskas , journal=Kernavė , date=July 2001 , volume= 1 , issue=1 , accessdate=2007-09-07 , language=lt , issn=1648-2735 {{cite encyclopedia , encyclopedia=Lietuvių enciklopedija , title=Ringaudas , first=Zenonas , last=Ivinskis , location=Boston, Massachusetts , publisher=Lietuvių enciklopedijos leidykla , year=1953–1966 , volume=25 , pages=308–309 , id={{LCC, 55020366 , language=lt 13th-century Lithuanian nobility Legendary rulers

See also

References