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Kuršėnai Manor
Kuršėnai (; Samogitian: ''Koršienā'') is a city in northwestern Lithuania, Šiauliai County, Šiauliai district municipality. It is the twenty-fifth largest city in Lithuania. According to the 2023 estimate, it had 10,651 residents. Etymology The city's name was first documented in the 16th century. According to historian , its name is derived from the word ''kuršis'' ( Curonian). However, according to folk legend, the city didn't have a name for a long time. But, one summer day the river Venta flooded and washed all hay bales which were standing at the river banks. People started questioning each other: where is the hay? where is the hay? („Kur šienai? Kur šienai?“). Since then, the city name stayed as Kuršėnai. In other languages the town is referred to as: ''Kurshon''; ; ; . History Early history The town and its surroundings fall within the boundaries of the territory inhabited by the ancient Samogitian tribe. According to historian S. Zajančiovskis, Kur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jonas Basanavičius
Jonas Basanavičius (, ; 23 November 1851 – 16 February 1927) was an activist and proponent of the Lithuanian National Revival. He participated in every major event leading to the independent Lithuanian state and is often given the informal honorific title of the " Patriarch of the Nation" () for his contributions. Born to a family of farmers, Basanavičius was to become a priest but instead chose to study medicine at the Moscow Medical Academy. He worked as a doctor from 1880 to 1905 in the Principality of Bulgaria. Despite the long distance, he dedicated substantial effort to the Lithuanian cultural work. He founded the first Lithuanian-language newspaper ''Aušra'' (1883), contributed articles on Lithuania to the press, collected samples of Lithuanian folklore (songs, fairy-tales, legends, riddles, etc.) and published them. He was also involved with local Bulgarian politics. He returned to Lithuania in 1905 and immediately joined Lithuanian cultural life. He became chairman o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Samogitians
Samogitians ( Samogitian: ''žemaitē'', , ) are the inhabitants of Samogitia, an ethnographic region of Lithuania. Many speak the Samogitian language, which in Lithuania is mostly considered a dialect of the Lithuanian language together with the Aukštaitian dialect. The Samogitian language differs the most from the standard Lithuanian language. Whether Samogitians are considered to be a distinct ethnic group or merely a subset of Lithuanians varies. However, 2,169 people declared their ethnicity as Samogitian during the Lithuanian census of 2011, of whom 53.9% live in Telšiai County. The political recognition and cultural understanding of the Samogitian ethnicity has, however, changed drastically throughout the last few centuries as 448,022 people declared themselves Samogitians, not Lithuanians, in the 1897 Russian Empire census. History On 13 July 1260, the Samogitians decisively defeated the joint forces of the Teutonic Knights from Prussia and Livonian Order from Liv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Podskarbi
Podskarbi in the Kingdom of Poland and later in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was Minister (government), minister responsible for the treasury. Since 1569 also a senatorial office. The title although meaning treasurer can be deconstructed as "''under[King]-treasury''" – treasury as an old-fashioned adjective. One other title was formed in the same way: "podkomorzy" – not meaning vice. Following treasury offices where among 14 most important national ministers: * Podskarbi wielki Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, koronny – Grand Treasurer of the Crown (till 15th century called Podskarbi koronny – Treasurer of the Crown) was the highest ranking treasurer. * Podskarbi wielki litewski – Grand Treasurer of Lithuania * Podskarbi nadworny Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, koronny – Court Treasurer of the Crown * Podskarbi nadworny litewski – Court Treasurer of Lithuania Lesser treasurers: * Podskarbi nadworny – Court Treasurer * Podskarbi Prus – Treasurer o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steponas Pacas
Stefan Pac (; 1587–17 November 1640) was a Polish–Lithuanian nobleman, politician and magnate. He was the private secretary of King Sigismund III of Poland since 1611, Grand Clerk of Lithuania since 1615, Recorder of Lithuania since 1626, Court Treasurer of Lithuania since 1630, Grand Treasurer of Lithuania since 1630 and eventually the Deputy Chancellor of Lithuania since 1635. Marshal of the Sejm (extraordinary) on 13–18 November 1629 in Warsaw. See also * Lithuanian nobility The Lithuanian nobility () or ''szlachta'' of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (, ) was historically a legally privileged hereditary elite class in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth (including during period of foreign r ... References 1580s births 1640 deaths Stefan Lithuanian vice-chancellors Grand treasurers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania {{Lithuania-noble-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polotsk
Polotsk () or Polatsk () is a town in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It is situated on the Dvina River and serves as the administrative center of Polotsk District. Polotsk is served by Polotsk Airport and Borovitsy air base. As of 2025, it has a population of 79,285. Nomenclature The Old East Slavic name, ''Polotesk'', derives from the Polota river, which flows into the neighboring Western Dvina. The Vikings rendered that name as ''Palteskja''. Geography Lakes * Lake Babyna Climate History Polotsk is one of the earliest mentioned cities of the Eastern Slavs. The '' Primary Chronicle'' mentioned Polotsk in the year 862 (as Полотескъ, /poloteskŭ/), together with Murom and Belozersk. However, an archaeological expedition from the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus suggests that Polotsk existed in the first half of the 9th century. The first known prince of Polotsk was Rogvolod (ruled 945–978). He had two sons and a daughter n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Castellan
A castellan, or constable, was the governor of a castle in medieval Europe. Its surrounding territory was referred to as the castellany. The word stems from . A castellan was almost always male, but could occasionally be female, as when, in 1194, Beatrice of Bourbourg inherited her father's castellany of Bourbourg upon the death of her brother, Roger. Initial functions During the Migration Period after the fall of the Western Roman Empire (third to sixth century), foreign tribes entered Western Europe, causing strife. The answer to recurrent invasion was to create fortified areas which evolved into castles. Some military leaders gained control of several areas, each with a castle. The problem lay in exerting control and authority in each area when a leader could only be in one place at a time. To overcome this, they appointed castellans as their trusted vassals to manage a castle in exchange for obligations to the landlord, often a noble. In the 9th century, as fortification ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks in World War II, Tanks and Air warfare of World War II, aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the List of wars by death toll, deadliest conflict in history, causing World War II casualties, the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Allied-occupied Germany, Germany, Allied-occupied Austria, Austria, Occupation of Japan, Japan, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gruževskiai
Gruszecki (; , sometimes anglicized as Grushetsky) is the name of a Polish, Lithuanian, Ukrainian and Russian noble family. History The name originates from the knight Maciej, Chorąży of the King of Poland and Lithuanian Grand Duke, Jogaila. The king had granted him the village of Gruszka Duża in eastern Poland in 1411. The Gruszecki family name was derived from the village. Pawel (Povilas) Gruszecki had owned estates in the Łomża area in the mid-16th century. Five of his eight sons - John, Nicholas, Jacob, Andrius and Domijonas - moved to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania around 1560. Except for Jacob, who settled in Navahrudak, brothers settled and acquired estates in Dirvėnai parish, Samogitia. They became Reformed Protestants, and until the beginning of the 20th century they materially supported and defended the Protestants against persecution. Maintained relations with the Radvilas. The most famous were the descendants of John, and their most important possession ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
House Of Pac
The House of Pac or Pacowie (, , ) was one of the most influential noble families in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Numerous high-ranking officials of the Commonwealth came from their ranks. Their coat of arms was Gozdawa. The family reached the height of its influence during the second half of the 17th century. Their lands were located mainly in Hrodna (, ) and Lida (). The family's ancestor Kimantas was mentioned in the privilege of 1388 issued by Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas the Great as ''Kymunt''. The estate of the family in proximity of Grodno was mentioned in the road description, charted by the Teutonic Knights, as ''Kymundsdorf''. Kimantas and his son Daukša (Dowkszewicz) were among the signatories of the Union of Vilnius and Radom of 1401. Daukša's son Pacas Daukšaitis is considered the founder of the family; his descendants took his first name as their family name, beginning with his son Jerzy Pac (d. 1505/6). Their lands were concentrated in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jan Hieronimowicz Chodkiewicz
Jan Hieronimowicz Chodkiewicz (, ) ( – 4 August 1579) was a 16th-century Lithuanian noble. He was Grand Pantler of Lithuania from 1559, Elder of Samogitia (1564–1579), Governor of Livonia (1566–1578), Grand Marshal of Lithuania (1566–1579), Count of Shklow 1568, Castellan of Vilnius (1574–1579). He was the elder of Telšiai and Plateliai from 1566, of Rumšiškės from 1568, and of Kaunas from 1569. Early life He was one of the most famous Lithuanian magnates of the 16th century. He was raised a Calvinist. He studied at the Universities of Königsberg (which he entered in 1547), Leipzig (1550), and Wittenberg. He served in the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V from 1552 to 1555. He returned to Lithuania in 1555. Military service From 1559, Jan Chodkiewicz defended the Livonian Confederation with the Grand Ducal Lithuanian Army against the Muscovites during the Livonian War. He hired 1,200 cavalry at his own expense to defend Livonia. With the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Volok (unit)
Volok (, , , ) was a late medieval unit of land measurement in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Kingdom of Poland and later, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was equal, on average, to in Lithuania or to in Poland. It was subdivided into 30 or 33 morgens. Volok was also a unit that determined taxation and other duties to the state. Previously, taxes and duties were based on the number of households (see, for example, 1528 census of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that recorded households as a measure of military duty) or number of horses/bulls needed to work the land. Such system was not exact: households varied greatly in size and in wealth. Therefore, the introduction of voloks marked an important transition to taxes based on area (width times length). In Lithuania, it was introduced during the Volok Reform that began in 1547. Officially, voloks were abandoned as a unit after the emancipation reform of 1861, but survived in everyday use until the introduction of the metric s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
