Stanislovas Kęstgaila (1503–1532) was a Lithuanian nobleman, son of

Stanislovas Kęsgaila Stanislovas Jonavičius Kęsgaila (; died 1527) was a Lithuanian nobility, Lithuanian nobleman, son of Jonas Kęsgaila from the Kęsgaila family. Stanislovas Kęsgaila was the Elder of Samogitia (1486–1522), Grand Hetman of Lithuania (1501–150 ...

from the

Kęsgaila family Kęsgaila is a Pre-Christian Lithuanian name belonging to the Lithuanian noble Kęsgaila family. It was Polonized as Kieżgajło. It may also be pronounced as Kensgaila, Kenzgaila, or Kinzgaila. Notable people with the surname include: * Jonas ...

. Stanislovas Kęstgaila was the Elder of Samogitia (1527–1532) and

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 1 ...

Trakai Trakai (; see Trakai#Names and etymology, names section for alternative and historic names) is a city and lake resort in Lithuania. It lies west of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania or just from the administrative limits of the Lithuanian capi ...

(1528–1532). After marriage to Anna, daughter of Stanisław Kiszka, Stanislovas was the wealthiest magnate in the

Grand Duchy of Lithuania The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...

. When Stanislovas was appointed as the Elder of Samogitia in 1527, Grand Duke

Sigismund I the Old Sigismund I the Old (, ; 1 January 1467 – 1 April 1548) was List of Polish monarchs, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until his death in 1548. Sigismund I was a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty, the son of Casimir IV of P ...

limited power and income of the elder as 17 valsčius were transferred to Grand Duke's jurisdiction. The elder was left with 8 valsčius (

Karklėnai Karklėnai ( Samogitian: ''Karklienā'') is a small town in Šiauliai County in northern-central Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states an ...

Kražiai Kražiai (; ; ) is a historic town (Lithuania), town in Lithuania, located in the Kelmė district municipality, between Varniai (32 km) and Raseiniai (44 km), on the River. The old town of Kražiai is an archeological and urban monument ...

, , , Pavandenė, ,

Viduklė Viduklė () is a small town in a Raseiniai district municipality, Kaunas County, central-western Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and ...

and Žarėnai) that had only about 10% of the Samogitian population. After Stanislovas' early death, the office of the Elder of Samogitia was assigned to Piotr Kiszka, who was not a member of the Kęsgaila family, which had the position of Elders of Samogitia for more than a century. Stanislovas' last will left about a third of his possessions to the Grand Duke, who then transferred the towns to his wife, the Grand Duchess

Bona Sforza Bona Sforza (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen consort, Queen of Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569), Poland and List of Lithuanian consorts, Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund the Old, and Duchess of Bari and ...

. Subsequently the family faded from the public life.

References

1532 deaths 1503 births Stanislovas Elders of Samogitia {{Lithuania-noble-stub