Familypedia
Register
Advertisement



Skirgaila of Lithuania was born 1354 to Algirdas (1296-1377) and Uliana Aleksandrovna of Tver (c1325-1392) and died 11 January 1397 Kiev, Ukraine of unspecified causes.

Trakai castle close

Trakai Island Castle. For ten years Skirgaila was Duke of Trakai.

Skirgaila (Belarusian: Скіргайла), also known as Ivan; ca. 1353 or 1354 – 11 January 1397 in Kiev; baptized 1383/1384 as Casimir) was a regent of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania for his brother Jogaila from 1386 to 1392. He was son of Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and his second wife Uliana of Tver.

Biography

After Algirdas' death in 1377, Jogaila became the Grand Duke. It is believed that dynastic disputes that soon erupted between him and his uncle Kęstutis and his cousin Vytautas the Great were largely inspired by Skirgaila. It is known about his travels to the State of the Teutonic Order in 1379 just a year prior to the controversial Treaty of Dovydiškės. Skirgaila was the chief supporter of his brother Jogaila and helped him to imprison both Kęstutis and Vytautas in Kreva castle during the Lithuanian Civil War (1381–1384). Some historians speculate that Kęstutis' death after a week in prison was in fact assassination carried out by Skirgaila. As a reward for a job well done, Skirgaila received the Duchy of Trakai.

When Jogaila was preparing for the Union of Kreva, Skirgaila was actively involved in the negotiations and even headed a diplomatic mission to Poland. The negotiations succeeded and Jogaila married Jadwiga of Poland and was crowned as King of Poland in 1386. He left Skirgaila as his regent in Lithuania. However, Skirgaila was not popular with the nobles and Vytautas saw this as an opportunity to gain power. In 1389 he started a new civil war, but after an unsuccessful attack on Vilnius he had to seek help from the Teutonic Knights. In 1392 Jogaila and Vytautas signed Ostrów Agreement, and Vytautas became his regent of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Duchy of Trakai was returned to Vytautas as his patrimony.

As a compensation Skirgaila received a portion of Volhynia and Kiev since 1395. The circumstances surrounding his death are not entirely clear. It is rumored he was poisoned by the order of Orthodox Church officials. He was interred in Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

See also

References

Commons-logo
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
  • (Lithuanian) Vytautas Spečiūnas, ed (2004). "Skirgaila". Lietuvos valdovai (XIII-XVIII a.): enciklopedinis žinynas. Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas. pp. 54. ISBN 5-420-01535-8. 
Preceded by
Jogaila
Grand Duke of Lithuania
1386–1392
Succeeded by
Vytautas





Persondata
NAME Skirgaila
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Grand Duke of Lithuania
DATE OF BIRTH 1354
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH 1397
PLACE OF DEATH





Siblings


Offspring of Algirdas (1296-1377) and Maria Yaroslavna of Vitebsk (c1300-c1348)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Andrei Olgierdovich of Polotsk (1325-1399) 1325 12 August 1399
Dmitri Olgierdovich of Bryansk (c1330-1399) 1330 12 August 1399 Anna Ivanovna of Drutsk (c1335-c1375)
Anna Aleksandrovna of Ryazan (c1328-c1390)
Vladimir Olgierdovich of Kiev (c1330-1398) 1330 1398 Kiev, Ukraine Anna NN
Konstantin Olgierdovich Chartorysky (c1332-c1388) 1332 1388
Fyodor Olgierdovich (c1333-1404) 1333 1404
Feodora Olgierdovna (c1336-c1375) 1336 1375 Svyatoslav Titovich Karachevsky (c1310-c176)
Agrypina Olgierdovna (c1337-1393) 1337 1375 Boris Konstantinovich of Suzdal (c1322-1394)


Offspring of Algirdas (1296-1377) and Uliana Aleksandrovna of Tver (c1325-1392)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Kenna Olgierdovna (1351-1368) 1351 1368 Casimir IV of Pomerania (1351-1377)
Eufrosyne (c1352-1405) 1352 5 December 1405 Oleg Ivanovich of Ryazan (1335-1402)
Skirgaila (1354-1394) 1354 11 January 1397 Kiev, Ukraine
Koribut (c1355-c1404) 1355 1404 Anastasia Olgovna of Ryazan
Fyodora (c1357-1477)
Simeon Lengvenis (c1358-1431) 1358 19 June 1431 Maria Dmitriyevna (c1376-1399)
Anastasiya Dmitriyevna (c1378-c1430)
Elena of Lithuania (c1360-1438) 1360 1438 Vladimir Andreyevich of Serpukhov (1353-1410)
Jogaila (c1362-1434) 1362 Vilnius, Lithuania 1 June 1434 Gródek Jagielloński, Horodok Rayon, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine Jadwiga of Poland (c1374-1399)
Anne of Cilli (1380-1416)
Elisabeth of Pilica (1372-1420)
Sophia of Halshany (c1405-1451)
Maria Olgierdovna (c1363-c1400) 1363 1400 Vaidila (c1355-1381)
David of Gorodetsk
Karigaila (c1364-1390) 1364 16 September 1390 Vilnius, Lithuania
Mingiełło (c1365-1382) 1365 1382
Alexandra of Lithuania (c1368-1434) 1368 Vilnius, Lithuania 19 January 1434 Płock, Płock County, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland Siemowit IV of Mazovia (c1353-1426)
Katarzyna (c1369-1422) 1369 1422 John II. of Mecklenburg-Stargard (c1367-1416)
Vygantas (c1372-1392) 1372 28 June 1392 Jadwiga of Opole (c1376-c1391)
Švitrigailo (c1373-1452)   1373 10 February 1452 Lutsk, Lutsk Rayon, Volyn Oblast, Ukraine
Jadwiga (c1375-1407) 1375 1407 Jan III of Oświęcim (1366-1405)

Residences

Footnotes (including sources)

‡ General
  • Afil
Advertisement