Samogitian uprisings

Samogitia as an object of strategic interests The Livonian Order was the first to attempt the conquest of Samogitia, but they were decisively defeated by the Samogitians in the Battle of Saule in 1236 and had to become a branch of the Teutonic Order. Continued crusade brought little territorial gains. Samogitia was important to the Knights as it physically separated the Teutonic Knights in Prussia from its branch in Livonia. The treaty awarded Samogitia up to the Dubysa River to the Knights for their support to Jogaila against Vytautas in the Lithuanian Civil War (1381–84). However, it was not ratified and hostilities between Poland and the Knights broke out soon after. Knights take control of Samogitia According to the Treaty of Salynas, Samogitia was ceded to the Order and Vytautas agreed to help enforce the treaty. The Order attempted to take control of Samogitia: even if they had the legal title to the land, local population resisted Teutonic rule and had to be subdued. The Knights tried to maintain friendly relationship with Vytautas: they warmly welcomed his wife Anna during her pilgrimage to the tomb of Dorothy of Montau and sent him gifts. However, soon disagreements arose when the Order demanded to return about 4,000 peasants who escaped into Lithuania. Vytautas argued that they were free people and had the right to choose where to live. The disagreement was not resolved via diplomatic means and grew into a war. ==First uprising==

The fighting started on March 13, 1401, after the Union of Vilnius and Radom was ratified by Polish nobles in March assuring Vytautas of Polish support. Jogaila's brother Švitrigaila joined the war in January 1402 on the side of the Teutonic Knights as he laid claims to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He confirmed the Treaty of Salynas in exchange for Order's military assistance and drew Vytautas into open war against the Knights. In May 1402, Samogitians burned Memel (now Klaipėda). Vytautas joined the fight in 1402 by attacking Gotteswerder. The fortress surrendered after a three-day siege. In July, Švitrigaila lead the Knight's army south of Vilnius (Medininkai, Ashmyany, Šalčininkai) hoping to capture the capital city. These were the last Teutonic raids into the Lithuania proper. In April 1403, Lithuanians and Samogitians responded by raiding Dünaburg in Livonia. The Teutonic Knights also waged a propaganda war by sending multiple complaints to the Pope, church officials, and western rulers. They accused Vytautas of triple treachery for breaking treaties of 1384, 1390, and 1398. Vytautas responded that while Samogitia was ruled by a military order, established to spread Christianity, Samogitians were not yet baptized. Pope Boniface IX issued an edict prohibiting the Knights to attack Lithuania. When neither side could achieve decisive victory and Vytautas wished to concentrate his attention to troubles in Smolensk, both sides started negotiations in summer 1403. A temporary truce was signed in December and the Peace of Raciąż was concluded on May 22, 1404. In essence it confirmed the Treaty of Salynas. Vytautas agreed to transfer Samogitia and assist the Knight in subduing any rebellious residents. He also agreed not to accept any Samogitian families that might escape into Lithuania. In 1405 Vytautas put his words into action and helped the Knights to take control of environs of Raseiniai, Viduklė, Ariogala. ==Interim peace==

The Knights took control of Samogitia and began rebuilding old and building new castles along the rivers. Königsburg was built on the Šušvė River near Josvainiai. Vytautas provided the manpower for construction, food, guns, and even garrison. The castle was manned by 40 Teutons and 400 Poles. The Samogitians unsuccessfully attacked the newly built castle in fall 1405. Other castles were built in Christmemel and rebuilt in Friedeburgh. Dobesinburg, completed in 1407 near the mouth of Dubysa, was to become the new capital of the region. The Knights attempted to implement their administrative system: they measured land, counted residents, appointed local officers, and sent their own colonists. They promoted the three-field crop rotation, which had potential of higher outputs but would eventually lead to higher taxes and serfdom. When Vytautas attempted to introduce similar reforms a decade later, he too faced resistance and revolts. Despite the reforms, there were no significant efforts to convert the pagan Samogitians into Christianity. Hundreds of Samogitians were taken as hostages into Prussia. Rebellious residents were punished and executed, while those who swore loyalty were awarded with expensive gifts. In a complaint submitted to the Council of Constance in 1417, the Samogitians listed many crimes and injustices perpetrated by the Knights. The Knights assisted Vytautas in his campaigns in Pskov, Veliky Novgorod, and Moscow. However, the friendly relationship between Vytautas and the Teutonic Knights was somewhat strained after election of Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen, who was less inclined to ally with Lithuania. ==Second uprising==

Local rebellion At the end of 1408, when Vytautas was finished with his campaigns in the east, tensions rose between him and the Knights. Escalation into regional war When the Knights threatened that they would invade Lithuania, Poland, through archbishop Mikołaj Kurowski, declared its support to the Lithuanian cause and threatened to invade Prussia in return. While all parties presented their arguments to the mediator, Vytautas and Jogaila agreed to a joint military campaign, which was executed in summer 1410. The joint Polish–Lithuanian forces soundly defeated the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of Grunwald, one of the biggest battles in medieval Europe. However, the cousins were not able to take advantage of the victory and did not capture much territory. The Peace of Thorn was signed in 1411. Samogitia was granted to Lithuania, but only for the lifetimes of Vytautas and Jogaila. It took two other brief wars, the Hunger War (1414) and Gollub War (1422), to sign the Treaty of Melno which resolved the dispute, assigning Samogitia to Lithuania. ==References==