Gediminids
From Freepedia
The Gediminids (Lithuanian: Gediminaičiai, singular: Gediminaitis) were a dynasty of grand dukes of Lithuania that reigned from the 13th to the 16th century. One branch of this dynasty, known as the family of Jagiellons, reigned also in Poland, Hungary and Bohemia. Several other branches ranked among the leading aristocratic dynasties of Russia and Poland into recent times.
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Their origin
The origin of Gediminas himself is much debated. Some sources say he was Vytenis' ostler, others that he was of peasant stock. Most scholars agree, however, that he was related to Vytenis, although it is a moot point whether he was Vytenis' son. The parentage of Vytenis is explained differently in various fake genealogies, compiled from the 16th century onwards. According to the latest Polish reaserch, his parentage cannot be established. For more information see Jan Tęgowski, "Pierwsze pokolenia Gedyminowiczów", 1999.
- Vytenis
- Gediminas
- Jaunutis
- Algirdas
- Jogaila
- Kęstutis
- Vytautas
- Švitrigaila
- Žygimantas Kęstutaitis
- Kazimieras Jogailaitis
- Aleksandras
- Žygimantas Senasis (the Old)
- Žygimantas Augustas
Their nationality
The Eastern Orthodox branches of the family were mostly Ruthenian, which also was the one of the two main languages of their established state. Some of these families (e.g., Czartoryski) later converted to Roman Catholicism and became thoroughly Polonized. Others (e.g., Galitzine) moved to Muscovy and became throughly Russified.
Some of the noblest princely families of Russia and Poland belong to the Gediminid stock. In Belarusian the Gediminids are known as Гедзімінавічы (Giedziminavičy, sing.: Гедзімінавіч, Giedziminavič), in Polish — as Giedyminowicze (sing.: Giedyminowicz), in Ukrainian - as Гедиміновичі (Hedyminovychi, sing. Гедимінович Hedyminovych), and in Russian — as Gediminovichi (sing.: Гедиминович).
In Poland, most Gediminid families (such as Korecki, Olelkowicz-Słucki, Wiśniowiecki, Zbaraski, Jagiellons) are extinct, but at least three families survive to the present: Czartoryski, Sanguszko, and Koriatowicz-Kurcewicz.
The Russian Gediminid families include Galitzine, Kurakin, Khovansky, Trubetskoy, Mstislavsky, Belsky, and Volynsky.
External Links
Genealogy of the House of Gediminas
See also
Categories: Lithuanian nobility | Lithuanian rulers | History of Lithuania | History of Poland | History of Belarus
