Treaty of Lyubutsk
Encyclopedia
Treaty of Lyubutsk was a peace treaty signed in summer of 1372 between Algirdas
, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Dmitri Donskoi
, Prince of Moscow. The treaty resulted in a seven-year peace period.
Influence and power of the Grand Duchy of Moscow
grew steadily and its interests clashed with those of Lithuania. After the Battle of Blue Waters
in 1362 Lithuania took over Kiev
and became direct neighbor of Moscow. Algirdas assisted Tver
, chief rival of Moscow, and attempted to promote his brother-in-law Mikhail II of Tver
to the throne of Vladimir
, a long-time possession of Moscow. In 1372 Algirdas organized a third attack against Moscow. Other two attacks in 1368 and 1370 reached the city of Moscow, but did not succeed in taking the city's Kremlin
. In 1372 Lithuanian army was stopped near Lyubutsk, a village on the Oka River
northeast of Tula
. Lithuanian vanguard troops were defeated and had to retreat. Algirdas secured his position in steep hills and faced Dmitri's army. After a period of standoff, the peace treaty was concluded. Algirdas agreed to abandon the plans of promoting Mikhail thus ending Lithuania's assistance to Tver. The peace lasted for about seven years until 1379, when after the death of Algirdas in 1377 his eldest son Andrei of Polotsk
allied himself with Moscow against Jogaila
.
The raids to Moscow consumed many resources, but did not achieve any significant results. They strengthened Moscow's prestige and influence in Rus' and signified that Lithuanian eastward expansion into Slavic lands was coming to an end.
Algirdas
Algirdas was a monarch of medieval Lithuania. Algirdas ruled the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 1345 to 1377, which chiefly meant monarch of Lithuanians and Ruthenians...
, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Dmitri Donskoi
Dmitri Donskoi
Saint Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy , or Dmitry of the Don, sometimes referred to as Dmitry I , son of Ivan II the Meek of Moscow , reigned as the Prince of Moscow from 1359 and Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1363 to his death. He was the first prince of Moscow to openly challenge Mongol authority in...
, Prince of Moscow. The treaty resulted in a seven-year peace period.
Influence and power of the Grand Duchy of Moscow
Grand Duchy of Moscow
The Grand Duchy of Moscow or Grand Principality of Moscow, also known in English simply as Muscovy , was a late medieval Rus' principality centered on Moscow, and the predecessor state of the early modern Tsardom of Russia....
grew steadily and its interests clashed with those of Lithuania. After the Battle of Blue Waters
Battle of Blue Waters
The Battle of Blue Waters was a medieval battle fought at some time between 24 September and 25 December 1362 near the Syni Vody of the Southern Bug between the armies of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Golden Horde....
in 1362 Lithuania took over Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and became direct neighbor of Moscow. Algirdas assisted Tver
Tver
Tver is a city and the administrative center of Tver Oblast, Russia. Population: 403,726 ; 408,903 ;...
, chief rival of Moscow, and attempted to promote his brother-in-law Mikhail II of Tver
Mikhail II of Tver
Mikhail Alexandrovich was Grand Prince of Tver and briefly held the title of Grand Prince of Vladimir. He was one of only two Tver princes after 1317 to hold the grand princely title, which was almost the exclusive purview of the Muscovite princes.Mikhail Alexandrovich was the third son of...
to the throne of Vladimir
Vladimir
Vladimir is a city and the administrative center of Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the Klyazma River, to the east of Moscow along the M7 motorway. Population:...
, a long-time possession of Moscow. In 1372 Algirdas organized a third attack against Moscow. Other two attacks in 1368 and 1370 reached the city of Moscow, but did not succeed in taking the city's Kremlin
Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin , sometimes referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River , Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square and the Alexander Garden...
. In 1372 Lithuanian army was stopped near Lyubutsk, a village on the Oka River
Oka River
Oka is a river in central Russia, the largest right tributary of the Volga. It flows through the regions of Oryol, Tula, Kaluga, Moscow, Ryazan, Vladimir, and Nizhny Novgorod and is navigable over a large part of its total length, as far upstream as to the town of Kaluga. Its length exceeds...
northeast of Tula
Tula, Russia
Tula is an industrial city and the administrative center of Tula Oblast, Russia. It is located south of Moscow, on the Upa River. Population: -History:...
. Lithuanian vanguard troops were defeated and had to retreat. Algirdas secured his position in steep hills and faced Dmitri's army. After a period of standoff, the peace treaty was concluded. Algirdas agreed to abandon the plans of promoting Mikhail thus ending Lithuania's assistance to Tver. The peace lasted for about seven years until 1379, when after the death of Algirdas in 1377 his eldest son Andrei of Polotsk
Andrei of Polotsk
Andrei of Polotsk was the eldest son Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and his first wife Maria of Vitebsk. He was Duke of Pskov and Polotsk . As the eldest son of the Grand Duke, Andrei claimed his right to the throne after his father's death in 1377...
allied himself with Moscow against Jogaila
Jogaila
Jogaila, later 'He is known under a number of names: ; ; . See also: Jogaila : names and titles. was Grand Duke of Lithuania , king consort of Kingdom of Poland , and sole King of Poland . He ruled in Lithuania from 1377, at first with his uncle Kęstutis...
.
The raids to Moscow consumed many resources, but did not achieve any significant results. They strengthened Moscow's prestige and influence in Rus' and signified that Lithuanian eastward expansion into Slavic lands was coming to an end.