Ryngold or Ringaudas was a mythological
Grand Duke of Lithuania from the
Palemonids legends and supposed father of
Mindaugas, the first
King of Lithuania (1251–1263). In fact, there is nothing known about Mindaugas' father from reliable sources. The
Livonian Rhymed Chronicle, 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 The Lithuanian Chronicles ( lt, Lietuvos metraščiai, also called Belarusian-Lithuanian Chronicles) are three redactions of chronicles compiled in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. All redactions were written in the Ruthenian language and served the ...
written c. 1515 and has no historical basis.[ In the chronicle Ryngold returned to Navahrudak after a victorious battle with the Mongols on the bank of the ]Neman River
The Neman, Nioman, Nemunas or MemelTo bankside nations of the present: Lithuanian: be, Нёман, , ; russian: Неман, ''Neman''; past: ger, Memel (where touching Prussia only, otherwise Nieman); lv, Nemuna; et, Neemen; pl, Niemen; ...
at Mohilna near Minsk.[ 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.][ 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, made Ryngold father of Mindaugas to correct this clear contradiction.][ This legendary version was popularized by Maciej Stryjkowski and other medieval historians,][ and it still survives to this day.][
]
See also
* Palemonids – the legendary dynasty of Ryngold
* House of Mindaugas
The House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered on Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later. His known fa ...
– historical family tree of Mindaugas
* List of early Lithuanian dukes
Early dukes of Lithuania (including Samogitia) reigned before Lithuanians were unified by Mindaugas into a state, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. While the Palemonids legend provides genealogy from the 10th century, only few dukes were mentioned by ...
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