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Jurgis Astikas
Jurgis Astikas or Jurgis Astikaitis (1530–1579) was a Lithuanian nobleman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and a member of the noble Astikai family. He participated in the Livonian War and signing of the election of king Henry of Valois after the death of king Sigismund Augustus in 1572. Jurgis was executed in Lithuania in 1579 under suspicions of plotting to assassinate king Stephen Báthory Stephen Báthory (; ; ; 27 September 1533 – 12 December 1586) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1576–1586) as well as Prince of Transylvania, earlier Voivode of Transylvania (1571–1576). The son of Stephen VIII Báthory .... Jurgis did not leave any descendants. References 1530 births 1579 deaths Astikai family Voivodes of Smolensk {{Lithuania-noble-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, partitions of Poland–Lithuania. The state was founded by Lithuanians (tribe), Lithuanians, who were at the time a Lithuanian mythology, polytheistic nation of several united Baltic tribes from Aukštaitija. By 1440 the grand duchy had become the largest European state, controlling an area from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south. The grand duchy expanded to include large portions of the former Kievan Rus' and other neighbouring states, including what is now Belarus, Lithuania, most of Ukraine as well as parts of Latvia, Moldova, Poland and Russia. At its greatest extent, in the 15th century, it was the largest state in Europe. It was a multinational state, multi-ethnic and multiconfessionalism, multiconfessional sta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Astikai Family
Astikai (, , ''Ościkowicze'' or ''Ostik'') was a Lithuanian noble family, that prospered in late 14th and early 17th centuries. Kristinas Astikas, a noble from Kernavė, was the founder of the family. There is some vague evidence, that his father was Sirputis (probably descendant of other Sirputis, brother of Traidenis, Bardis, Liesis, and Svalkenis) and his grandfather was Viršulis, mentioned in chronicles. It is worth to note, that members of Astikai family on different occasions were referred to by these names. One of treaties signed by Kristinas Astikas mentions his father name, Radvilas. However, that is the only reliable clue into the genealogy of Astikai family. Astikas name is first mentioned in 1398 in the Treaty of Salynas as castellan of Užpaliai. After Union of Horodło he received Trąby coat of arms. From 1419 until his death in 1442 or 1444, he was castellan of Vilnius. He was a strong supporter of Vytautas the Great and participated in signing of many treaties, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Starost
Starosta or starost (Cyrillic: ''старост/а'', Latin: ''capitaneus'', ) is a community elder in some Slavic lands. The Slavic root of "starost" translates as "senior". Since the Middle Ages, it has designated an official in a leadership position in a range of civic and social contexts throughout Central and Eastern Europe. In reference to a municipality, a ''starosta'' was historically a senior royal administrative official, equivalent to a county sheriff or seneschal, and analogous to a '' gubernator''. In Poland, a ''starosta'' administered crown territory or a district called a '' starostwo''. In the early Middle Ages, a ''starosta'' could head a settled urban or rural community or other community, as in the case of a church starosta or an '' artel'' starosta. A starosta also functioned as a master of ceremonies. Czech Republic and Slovakia In the Czech Republic and Slovakia ''starosta'' is the title of a mayor of a town or village. Mayors of major cities use the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Braslaw
Braslaw or Braslav (; ; Lithuanian: Breslauja; Polish: Brasław) is a town in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Braslaw District. As of 2025, it has a population of 9,338. History The town was first mentioned in 1065 as a castle in the border of the Principality of Polotsk with the Lithuanian tribes. Archaeologists excavated a Viking settlement in the village of Maskachichy not far from the town. They think that Viking mercenaries were used as dependable border guards. In the 14th century, Braslaw was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and, in fact, became an important fortification near the disturbing line with the Livonian Order in the 14th and 15th centuries. In 1500, Alexander Jagiellon privileged the townsfolk with limited self-administration rights and a coat of arms. In 1506, the castle was presented to the widowed queen Yelena Ivanovna, the daughter of Ivan III of Russia and wife of Alexander Jagiellon, who founded an O ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mstsislaw Voivodeship
Mstislaw Voivodeship or Mścisław Voivodeship (; ; ; ) was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (from 1569 the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth), since the 15th century until the Partitions of Poland in 1795. Zygmunt Gloger in his monumental book Historical Geography of the Lands of Old Poland provides this description of the Mscislaw Voivodeship: “Mscislaw (Mscislavia), which lies at the Wiechra river, was probably founded in the late 13th century, and named after Duke of Smolensk, Mstislav Romanovich the Old. In the 14th century, it was captured by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and for a while remained a fief (...) By 1538, the Duchy of Mscislaw was already governed by a starosta, who during the reign of King Zygmunt August was renamed into a voivode, while the Duchy was turned into a voivodeship. First Voivode of Mscislaw was Jerzy Oscik, Traby coat of arms. The Voivodeship of Mscislaw was not divided into counties (see pow ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Voivode Of Smolensk
Smolensk Voivodeship (; ; ; ; ) was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. History The territory of Smolensk was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1404, but the voivodeship was established only in 1508. Just six years later, in 1514, it was lost to the Grand Duchy of Moscow during the Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars. The voivodeship was recaptured by the Commonwealth in 1611 during the Polish–Muscovite War (1605–18) and lost again in 1654 during the Russo-Polish War (1654–67). Even when the territory was under Russian control, Poland and Lithuania claimed it as a titular voivodeship. The capital of the voivodeship, and the seat of its governor (voivode), was in Smolensk. It was subdivided into two powiats: Smolensk and Starodub. Zygmunt Gloger in his monumental book Historical Geography of the Lands of Old Poland provides this description of the Smolensk Voivodeship: In th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Filon Kmita
Filon Kmita (1530–1587), also known as Kmita the Chernobylan, was a noble in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Filon Kmita was notable for conducting counter-intelligence in the Muscovite wars and establishing a spy network in Russia, as well as successfully leading ambush attacks with considerably fewer soldiers than the enemy. Biography Early years and first position Filon Kmita was born in 1530 in the Kiev Voivodeship to the Kmitów noble family as a son of Semion Kmita and Tatiana Kroszyńska. His father participated in battles between the Ukrainian Cossacks and Tatars, and Filon from a young age would be involved in various wars alongside him. Filon Kmita began his service in 1552 as the leader of a small border fortress on the Oster river. Here in 1562, he was noted for repelling a Muscovite regiment of 2,000 soldiers with just 300 horsemen. In the same year, he would gather a regiment of 1,400 soldiers and occupy Chernigov, a Muscovite f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Calvinist
Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continental Reformed Christian, Presbyterianism, Presbyterian, Congregationalism, Congregational, and Waldensians traditions, as well as parts of the Calvinistic Methodist, Methodist, Reformed Anglican Church, Anglican (known as "Episcopal" in some regions) and Reformed Baptists, Baptist traditions. Reformed theology emphasizes the Biblical authority, authority of the Bible and the Sovereignty of God in Christianity, sovereignty of God, as well as covenant theology, a framework for understanding the Bible based on God's covenants with people. Reformed churches emphasize simplicity in worship. Several forms of ecclesiastical polity are exercised by Reformed churches, including presbyterian polity, presbyterian, Congregational polity, congregational, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Livonian War
The Livonian War (1558–1583) concerned control of Terra Mariana, Old Livonia (in the territory of present-day Estonia and Latvia). The Tsardom of Russia faced a varying coalition of the Denmark–Norway, Dano-Norwegian Realm, the Kingdom of Sweden (1523–1611), Kingdom of Sweden, and the Polish–Lithuanian union, Union (later Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Commonwealth) of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569), Kingdom of Poland. From 1558 to 1578, Russia dominated the region with early military successes at Tartu, Dorpat (Tartu) and Narva. The Russian dissolution of the Livonian Confederation brought Poland–Lithuania into the conflict, and Sweden and Denmark-Norway intervened between 1559 and 1561. Swedish Estonia was established despite constant invasion from Russia, and Frederick II of Denmark, Frederick II of Denmark-Norway bought the old Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek, which he placed under the control of his brother Magnus of Holstein ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry III Of France
Henry III (; ; ; 19 September 1551 – 2 August 1589) was King of France from 1574 until his assassination in 1589, as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575. As the fourth son of King Henry II of France, he was not expected to inherit the French throne and thus was a good candidate for the vacant throne of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, where he was elected monarch in 1573. During his brief rule, he signed the Henrician Articles into law, recognizing the szlachta's right to freely elect their monarch. Aged 22, Henry abandoned Poland–Lithuania upon inheriting the French throne when his brother, Charles IX, died without issue. France was at the time plagued by the Wars of Religion, and Henry's authority was undermined by violent political factions funded by foreign powers: the Catholic League (supported by Spain and the Pope), the Protestant Huguenots (supported by England and the Dutch) and the Malcontents (led by Henry's own ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sigismund Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus (, ; 1 August 1520 – 7 July 1572) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548. He was the first ruler of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the last male monarch from the Jagiellonian dynasty. Sigismund was elder of two sons of Italian-born Bona Sforza and Sigismund the Old, and the only one to survive infancy. From the beginning he was groomed and extensively educated as a successor. In 1529 he was chosen as king in '' vivente rege'' election while his father was still alive. Sigismund Augustus continued a tolerance policy towards minorities and maintained peaceful relations with neighbouring countries, with the exception of the Northern Seven Years' War which aimed to secure Baltic trade. Under his patronage, culture flourished in Poland; he was a collector of tapestries from the Low Countries and collected military memorabilia as well as swords, armours and jewellery. Sigism ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
