Krėvos sutartis su Lenkija

01Jogaila–Kęstutis conflict and Dovydiškės treaty

After Algirdas died in 1377, he left the throne to Jogaila, and Kęstutis, who had co-ruled with Algirdas, recognised Jogaila's authority. Jogaila's brothers, helped by Moscow, sought to remove him. The two rulers disagreed over the Teutonic Order: Jogaila saw the greater threat in Moscow and wanted peace with the Order. In 1380 Jogaila secretly signed the Dovydiškės treaty, promising not to support Kęstutis if the Order attacked the Trakai principality. In 1381 Kęstutis seized Vilnius, but in 1382 Jogaila retook it and arrested Kęstutis and Vytautas by trickery.

• Algirdas died in 1377 and left the throne to Jogaila
• Jogaila feared Moscow more and sought peace with the Order
• The 1380 Dovydiškės treaty was secret and sparked the conflict
• Kęstutis died imprisoned in Krėva castle; Vytautas fled to the crusaders

02Circumstances and terms of the Union of Krėva

King Louis I the Great of Hungary and Poland died and the union of those states collapsed. His daughter Jadwiga was declared heir, and Polish magnates sought a husband for her to build a new alliance. Jogaila was a pagan but an influential ruler, and he needed an ally because he had not kept his promise to the Order to be baptised and baptise Lithuania, so war resumed in 1383. Vytautas, baptised among the crusaders, joined raids into Lithuania. On 14 August 1385 in Krėva castle a treaty was signed: Jogaila would marry Jadwiga, baptise Lithuania, return lost Polish lands, free Polish prisoners and 'attach' Lithuania to Poland.

• Jadwiga became heir after Louis I died
• Jogaila needed an ally; Polish and Lithuanian aims coincided
• Treaty signed 14 August 1385
• Jogaila promised marriage, baptism, return of lands, release of prisoners

Why it matters. It was the way Jogaila sought an ally against the crusaders and a route to Lithuania's baptism.

03Personal union and the status of Lithuania

In 1386 Jogaila was baptised as Vladislav in Kraków, married Jadwiga and was crowned king of Poland on 4 March. This created a personal union of Lithuania and Poland, in which one monarch rules several states and each keeps its sovereignty. Historians once thought 'attach' meant annexing Lithuania to Poland, but now believe the treaty was only part of the negotiations, finished by the marriage, and contains no statement of annexation. Lithuania stayed a separate state, though Jogaila had to recognise the Polish king as suzerain, making him a vassal of himself. Poland became his main residence, and being a recognised king boosted the Jogailaičiai dynasty's influence in Europe.

• Coronation on 4 March 1386
• Personal union keeps each state's sovereignty
• Treaty did not annex Lithuania
• Risk: service to one's own ruler became service to a foreign land

Why it matters. It strengthened the position of both Lithuania and Poland in Europe over time.

04Baptism of Lithuania and privileges

In early 1387 Jogaila, Vytautas and other Gediminids, with Polish priests, baptised the Lithuanians, and Catholicism was introduced quickly. Lithuania became a Christian country open to European culture: churches, new architecture, paintings, church books, Latin and writing, and schools. Pope Urban VI recognised the baptism, while the Order saw it as insincere because it lost its pretext for attacking. Jogaila gave privileges to the Catholic Church, nobles and Vilnius. The Church received land and was freed from duties and taxes. Nobles who accepted Catholicism got inheritance rights, and Vilnius burghers gained self-government under Magdeburg law.

• Lithuania baptised in 1387
• Pope Urban VI recognised the baptism
• Church, nobles and Vilnius received privileges
• Privileges laid the basis for estates in Lithuania

Why it matters. The privileges laid the foundation for the consolidation of estates in Lithuania.