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After the turbulent conflicts between Jogaila and Kęstutis, followed by the shifting alliances between Vytautas and the Teutonic Order, Lithuania reached a critical crossroads. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania had grown into a multi-ethnic state with extensive Ruthenian territories, but it was under constant threat from the Teutonic Knights and rival powers like the Grand Duchy of Moscow. With Lithuania’s survival at stake, Jogaila sought a new path—one that would align the duchy with Western Christendom and strengthen it through a union with Poland.
The Union of Krewo and the Christianization of Lithuania
In 1385, Jogaila negotiated the Union of Krewo, agreeing to convert to Catholicism and marry Jadwiga, the 13-year-old crowned king of Poland. This marriage sealed a dynastic union between Lithuania and Poland, giving both realms a powerful ally in their struggles against the Teutonic Order and expanding Lithuania’s influence in Europe. In 1386, Jogaila was baptized, took the name Władysław, and was crowned King of Poland, formally uniting the two states under a personal union.
Poland and Lithuania in 1387.
This political move was essential. Although many Ruthenians in Lithuania had already been Orthodox Christians, the Teutonic Knights continued to use Lithuania’s pagan status as a pretext for military campaigns. Jogaila’s conversion deprived the Order of its justification for forced conversion through warfare. By 1403, the pope banned the Teutonic Order from conducting crusades against Lithuania, marking the beginning of the end of the Knights' threat.
Christianization and Institutional Change
Following his coronation, Jogaila returned to Lithuania in 1386 and began the mass conversion of the population. By 1387, he established a bishopric in Vilnius, generously endowing the Church with land and privileges, instantly transforming it into the most powerful institution in the country. Lithuanian boyars (nobles) who accepted baptism were granted privileges that improved their legal rights, creating a new class of Catholic nobility. At the same time, Vilnius’s townspeople were granted self-governance, further integrating Lithuania into the political framework of Western Europe.
The Church also initiated a civilizing mission, promoting literacy and education, which laid the foundations for the emergence of separate estates and institutions within the realm. Though Orthodox Christianity continued to be a significant presence, Catholicism now became the dominant religion in Lithuania proper, aligning it more closely with Poland and other Western powers.
Challenges and Power Struggles with Vytautas
While the union with Poland brought new opportunities, Jogaila's position was still precarious. His cousin Vytautas—who had initially fought alongside the Teutonic Order against Jogaila—continued to pose a threat. Jogaila’s new alliance with Poland provided him with the support needed to stabilize his rule and manage his relationship with Vytautas. However, tensions between the cousins persisted, and the need to balance their power would shape Lithuanian-Polish relations for years to come.
The dynastic union with Poland and the Christianization of Lithuania marked a profound transformation for the Grand Duchy. It shifted Lithuania away from its pagan traditions and longstanding reliance on Orthodox ties and aligned it with Western Christendom, ensuring the state's long-term survival. The Teutonic Order, which had threatened Lithuania for two centuries, lost its primary reason for war, while the union with Poland opened new avenues for cooperation and expansion.
Although Lithuania had previously balanced between East and West, the reforms initiated by Jogaila began the process of integrating the Grand Duchy of Lithuania into the European political order. This transition laid the groundwork for Vytautas the Great’s later expansion and the eventual formation of one of the largest and most powerful states in Eastern Europe.