Treaty of Dovydiškės

The Treaty of Daudisken ( Lithuanian: Dovydiškių sutartis; Polish: Treatise w Dawidyszkach ) was a closed on May 31, 1380 secret agreement between the Teutonic Order and the Grand Duke Jogaila of Lithuania, who was King of Poland from 1386 as Władysław II Jagiello.

Prehistory

Jogaila was in 1379 in an armed conflict with his uncle Kestutis for supremacy in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and it was in the interests of the Order, to nourish the conflict, and exploit. Jogaila his part, was keen to keep the military Order of Knights of themselves and conduct their military thrust on his uncle. There was probably already secret preliminary, because after extensive consultation with the supreme Gebietigern of the Order of Grand Master Winrich von Kniprode sent in May 1380 the Grand Commander Rüdiger von Elner, the Supreme Spittler Ulrich Fricke and Vogt of Dirschau, Albrecht von Luchtenberg, with the authority to Lithuania to contact Jogaila in contract negotiations and, if this is successful, enter into a contract.

Negotiations

To cover up this project, a multi-day hunting together was organized. On the Lithuanian side, next to his brother Jogaila and consultants Vaidila, Jogailas cousin Vytautas and his advisers Jonas Alšėniškis were involved. It is the presence of Vytautas the son of Kestutis ' remarkable: It is unclear whether he or was not on the contract negotiations in the image and, thus, whether he secretly made ​​a pact already at this time with Jogaila, or whether he to conceal the true intentions had been invited to the hunting pleasure. They met at Daudisken, a place whose location is not known today. In the Chronica nova Prutenica of Wigand of Marburg the place is called Dowidisken. The treaty text itself speaks of Daudiske, and overwrite older historical texts either Daudiske or Daudisken. However, is not found either in Lithuania or in East Prussia a place of this name. There is therefore a presumption that the agreement was made somewhere between Kaunas and Insterburg or that the place was called Šiaudiniškė ( Szaudiniszki ). The negotiations were satisfactory for both parties to the agreement was signed on May 31, 1380.

Contract

These were an anti Kestutis non-aggression pact. Both sides were free to continue to invade Kestutis ' areas and that of his sons while they mutually wanted to preserve peace. Jogailo promised the religious peace in Livonia and Prussia and security for all areas and people. He promised to continue not to intervene in attacks against Kestutis of the Order or his sons. If it is to keep up appearances Lithuanian cohesion, be necessary that Jogailo with their own troops rushed in an order of incidence in areas of Kestutis there, so should not imply a breach of the peace, but Jogailo should not start a fight with the army of the Order, or it otherwise harm. Prisoners from the army of the Order should be released immediately. If people of the Order in campaigns against Kestutis unknowingly gets on Jogailos area and cause damage or take prisoners, as well as the no trespassing should be, but prisoners should be released.

For Jogaila, this meant that he - without being considered as a friend and ally of the Order - had directed the military impact force of the Order solely on his rival. The Order, in turn, had now secured a portion of his Lithuanian border and only had to reckon with a part of the Lithuanian Armed Forces as an opponent.