TOPIC 2
THE LITHUANIAN-POLISH PERIOD

The Rise of Lithuania

At the beginning of the 13^th century Lithuania was a backward country. Lithuanian tribes were pagan (they worshiped grass-snakes and oaks) and illiterate. They were often at war with each other. Thus, Lithuania was a weak country and could be captured by more powerful states. The Roman Pope decided to take advantage of the situation. He sent German crusaders to Lithuania with the aim of capturing new territories and spreading Catholicism in the area. That threat caused Lithuanians to stop quarrels and unite. In the mid-13^th century the Lithuanian tribes were united under the leadership of Prince Mindovg. He defeated the German army and burnt all the prisoners to thank the Lithuanian gods for the victory. Having a powerful army the Lithuanians decided to conquer nearby lands. In the 14^th century they moved first into Belarus and then to Ukraine.

At this time Ukraine was under the control of the Golden Horde, the state formed by the Mongol-Tatars in the 13^th century.¹ By the mid-14^th century the Golden Horde was not as powerful as in the 13^th century since it was in a process of disintegration. In 1362 the Lithuanians defeated the Tatars at the Battle of Blue Waters (Suni Vody) and attached central and eastern Ukraine to the Grand Principality of Lithuania. The Lithuanian state was the biggest in Europe and included, besides Lithuanian lands, also the territories of Belarus, Ukraine,² and significant parts of Russia (as far as the Oka River with such cities as Vyazma and Smolensk).

The Lithuanians were culturally inferior to the Ukrainians as they were pagan and illiterate. So they quickly adapted to a more developed Ukrainian culture. Many of the upper class Lithuanians adopted Orthodox faith and intermarried with Ukrainian nobles. The Ruthenian language (common for Ukrainians and Belarusians at the time) became the official language of government.³ Ukrainian and Belarusian laws were used to form the basis of the Lithuanian law. Having powerful enemies (Moscow Principality in the east and the Teutonic order of German knights in the west) the Lithuanians were interested in good relations with the Ruthenian (Ukrainian/Belarusian) majority.⁴ That is why a popular slogan of the Lithuanian rulers was “We do not change the old traditions.” The Lithuanian army was well organized and strong. It adopted modern military equipment and tactics from German crusaders. Lithuanians built a number of powerful fortifications in Ukraine after the model of German fortresses and castles.

The Conquest of Galicia-Volhynia Principality

A successor state to Kyivan Rus on part of the territory of today’s Ukraine was the principality of Galicia-Volhynia (western Ukraine). Along with Novgorod and Vladimir-Suzdal (later Moscow) it was one of the three most important powers to emerge after the collapse of Kyivan Rus. Previously Volodymyr the Great had established the cities of Halych and Ladomyr (later Volodymyr) as regional capitals of western Ukraine.

After the Mongol invasion of 1240 Galicia-Volhynia Principality managed to quickly recover due to its favorable geographic location on major trade routes and substantial deposits of salt.⁵ Under Prince Danylo of Halych (1238-1264), Galicia-Volhynia reached the peak of its political influence. He subdued the powerful local aristocracy, defeated the German knights on his western borders, and tried to form a military coalition against the Mongols.⁶ In 1253, in recognition of Danylo’s power and with the hope of converting West Ukrainians into Catholicism, the Roman Pope granted him the title of king. Danylo placed the Orthodox Church under the Pope’s jurisdiction in the hope of his assistance in forming a military coalition against the Mongols. However, after the Pope’s failure to help him with that Danylo changed his mind and removed the church from Rome’s authority. Danylo built such major cities of Western Ukraine as Lviv (named in honor of his son Lev) and Kholm. Kholm became the capital of his principality and also his burial place.⁷ After Danylo’s death the principality had been relatively stable until his dynasty died out in the 14^th century (1340). Taking advantage of the situation Poland and Lithuania invaded Western Ukraine. The result of the long struggle between Poland and Lithuania was the division of Galicia-Volhynia (1387) into two parts: the Poles gained Galicia and the Lithuanians gained Volhynia.⁸