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Grand Chancellor of Lithuania

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The Grand Chancellor of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos didysis kancleris) was one of the highest offices in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The office functioned from the middle of the 15th century until the end of the real union with the Kingdom of Poland in 1795 and its subsequent partition among Prussia, Russia and Austria.[1] The chancellor possessed the Great Seal of Lithuania and had the Lithuanian Metrica at his disposal.[2]

Grand Chancellor of Lithuania
State Coat of arms
AppointerGrand Duke of Lithuania
PrecursorChancellor of Lithuania
Formation15th century
First holderSudivojus Valimantaitis
Final holderJoachim Chreptowicz
Abolished1795

History edit

 
A Lithuanian Metrica of 1511–18, from the chancellery of Lithuanian Grand Chancellor Mikołaj Radziwiłł, written in Ruthenian.

It is thought that the role of chancellor originated from court positions of the manor of the Grand Duke of Lithuania. Although the role of a state chancellor existed since the times of Grand Duke Vytautas, it formally appeared during the reign of Casimir IV Jagiellon.[1] The expanding territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the increasing value of land, property as well as judicial institutions meant an increased need for written documents. The needs of Vytautas's political diplomacy with the Grand Duchy of Moscow, Byzantine Empire and tatars were met with the creation of two chancelleries - the first of which would prepare documents in Latin and German, while the second would prepare documents in Russian. Eleven scribes worked in those offices, some of whom were sent by Vytautas's cousin and king of Poland, Jogaila, from his estate in Poland (Mikalojus Cebulka and Mikalojus Maldrzykas are examples of such scribes). It is known that three scribes came from the Teutonic Order. Scribes from Volhynia were given the task of assisting in writing Ruthenian, although it is believed that some Ruthenian documents were prepared by Lithuanians.[3] Up until the Union of Lublin the role of the Grand Chancellor would be the second highest next to the Grand Duke since he would usually reside in Poland and consequently Grand Chancellor oversaw most of the Grand Duchy's politics as well as the Lithuanian Council of Lords.[1]

Since official roles weren't yet formalized, the scribe's office would be categorized as either a simple scribe or the secretary of the Grand Duke. During the reign of Casimir IV Jagiellon, the chancellery would be fully established. Its first grand chancellor was Sudivojus Valimantaitis. During the reign of Alexander Jagiellon, the chancellery became the center of the politics of the Grand Duchy. Offices became categorized into treasury-related matters and diplomacy-related matters. The Grand Chancellor would usually be a member of a noble magnate family, such as the Radziwill, Sapieha, Gasztowt families. Up until the creation of the Lithunaian Tribunal in 1581, the Grand Chancellor led the Grand Duchy's Supreme Court. In the 16th century, the number of scribes as well as literacy itself increased; tariffs and taxes would be more frequently and effectively checked within the country's territory. The Grand Chancellor would usually have a second role of being the Voivode of Vilnius as well as the Castellan of Vilnius,[3] although this practice would later be abandoned. Until the creation of the Permanent Council, the Grand Chancellor would oversee relations with the Russian Empire.[1]

Today the office of the chancellor has been replaced by that of the Prime Minister of Lithuania.

List of Grand Chancellors edit

Portrait Name Birth Term Death
  Sudivojus Valimantaitis 1441–1444
  Mykolas Kęsgaila 1444–1476 1476
  Alekna Sudimantaitis 1478–1490 1490
  Mikalojus Radvila 1450 1492–1509 16 July 1509
  Mikołaj II Radziwiłł 1470 1510–1529 1529
  Albertas Goštautas 1480 1522–1539 1539
  Jonas Glebavičius [lt] 1546–1549
  Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł 4 February 1515 1550–1565 28 May 1565
  Mikołaj Radziwiłł VI 1512 1565–1584 27 April 1584
  Lew Sapieha 4 April 1557 1589–1623 7 July 1633
  Albrycht Stanisław Radziwiłł 1 July 1595 1623–1656 12 November 1656
  Krzysztof Zygmunt Pac 1621 1658–1684 1684
  Marcjan Aleksander Ogiński 1632 1684–1690 5 January 1690
  Dominik Mikołaj Radziwiłł 1643 1690–1697 1697
  Karol Radziwiłł 1668 1698–1719 1719
  Michał Serwacy Wiśniowiecki 13 May 1680 1720–1735 18 September 1744
  Jan Fryderyk Sapieha 1680 1635–1651 1651
  Michał Fryderyk Czartoryski 1696 1752–1755 1775
  Aleksander Michał Sapieha 1730 1755–1793 1793
  Joachim Chreptowicz 4 January 1729 1793–1795 4 March 1812
Source supporting the list.[1]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Gudavičius, Edvardas; Spečiūnas, Vytautas. "kancleris". vle.lt.
  2. ^ Ragauskienė, Raimonda. "LDK istorija: kaip LDK kancleriai XVI a. saugojo Lietuvos Metriką". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b Cicėnienė, Rima (2009). RANKRAŠTINĖ KNYGA LIETUVOS DIDŽIOJOJE KUNIGAIKŠTYSTĖJE XIV a. PRADŽIOJE– XVI a. VIDURYJE: SKLAIDOS IR FUNKCIONAVIMO SĄLYGOS. pp. 24–25.


    

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