Union of Grodno (1432) - Background

Background

After death of Vytautas in 1430, the Lithuanian nobles unilaterally selected Švitrigaila as the new Grand Duke. This violated the terms of the Union of Horodło of 1413, where Lithuanians promised not to elect a new Grand Duke without an approval from Poland. The Polish nobles were outraged and demanded that Švitrigaila acknowledged fealty to his brother Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło), King of Poland. Švitrigaila refused and the conflict grew into a civil war. In September 1431, Poland and Lithuania signed a two-year truce; however, on August 31, 1432, a group of nobles deposed Švitrigaila in support of Sigismund Kęstutaitis, brother of Vytautas. Sigismund resumed policy of union with Poland. A Polish delegation, sent to Lithuania by Jogaila and led by Zbigniew Oleśnicki, Bishop of Kraków, pronounced Sigismund as the Grand Duke of Lithuania for life on September 30, 1432. Sigismund swore loyalty to Poland in an act, signed in Grodno (Hrodna) on October 25, 1432. Jogaila confirmed both acts on January 3, 1433. Sigismund had to reconfirm his loyalty to these provisions on January 20, 1433; February 27, 1434; December 6, 1437; and October 31, 1439. Collectively all these acts are known as the Union of Grodno.

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