Vygantas

Vygantas (baptized Alexander; Polish: "Wigunt", died on June 28 1392) was Duke of Kernavė. He was one of the sons of Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania (1345–1377), and his second wife Uliana Alexandrovna of Tver. Vygantas should not be confused with his brother Andrei of Polotsk, who is sometimes called Wigunt–Andrei following confused 15th century chronicles of Jan Długosz.lt icon cite encyclopedia | last=Jonynas | first=Ignas | editor=Vaclovas Biržiška | encyclopedia=Lietuviškoji enciklopedija | title=Andrius | year=1933–1944 | publisher=Spaudos Fondas | volume=I | location=Kaunas | pages=575–585] Kazimierz Stadnicki in his work "Bracia Władysława-Jagiełły Olgierdowicza" (published in 1867) suggested that Vygantas and his elder brother Theodore were the same person, but this theory was rejected. [lt icon cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia=Lietuvių enciklopedija | title=aaaa |first=Konstantinas |last=Avižonis | location=Boston, Massachusetts | publisher=Lietuvių enciklopedijos leidykla |year=1953–1966 |volume=XXXIV |pages=167 |id=LCC|55020366 ] In 1385 Vygantas supported his older brother Jogaila by signing the Union of Krewo. In 1386 he was baptized as "Alexander" and married a daughter of Władysław Opolczyk.lt icon cite encyclopedia | first=Edvardas | last=Gudavičius | authorlink=Edvardas Gudavičius | editor=Vytautas Spečiūnas | encyclopedia=Lietuvos valdovai (XIII-XVIII a.): enciklopedinis žinynas | title=Vygantas | year=2004 | publisher=Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas | location=Vilnius | isbn=5-420-01535-8 | pages=55] Polish nobles expected that Władysław would grant Vygantas the Dobrzyń Land, contested territory between Poland and the Teutonic Knights, as his dowry. [cite book| title=Samogitian Crusade |first=William |last=Urban |publisher=Lithuanian Research and Studies Center |location=Chicago |year=2006 | isbn=0-929700-56-2 |pages=206] Vygantas received Kuyavia from Jogaila instead. In 1388 he supported Poland in an armed conflict with the Teutonic Knights. He also supported Jogaila in the Lithuanian Civil War (1389–1392) against Vytautas the Great. Vygantas was considered as a replacement for unpopular Skirgaila as Grand Duke of Lithuania. However, he soon died. The rumors had it that he was poisoned – either by Vytautas or Skirgaila. [cite book| title=Samogitian Crusade |first=William |last=Urban |publisher=Lithuanian Research and Studies Center |location=Chicago |year=2006 | isbn=0-929700-56-2 |pages=203] He is buried in Vilnius Cathedral together with his brother Karigaila, who died in the civil war in 1390. [lt icon cite web| url=http://www.vilniauspilys.lt/arkikatedra2 |title=Arkikatedra Bazilika |publisher= The Directorate of the State Cultural Reserve of Vilnius Castles |accessdate=2008-07-02]

ee also

* House of Algirdas – family tree of Vygantas

References