scholarly journals Two approaches to the myth of city foundations: Syntagmatic and paradigmatic

2002 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 503-512
Author(s):  
Kestutis Nastopka
Keyword(s):  
Social Structure ◽  
Functional Model ◽  
Cultural Expression ◽  
Semantic Code ◽  
The Core ◽  
Spiritual Culture ◽  
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania ◽  
City State ◽  
The City ◽  
Grand Duchy

The paper discusses the myth of the founding of Vilnius as an example of a myth of city foundation. The myth has received two independent semiotic interpretations. Narrative grammar procedures are applied to the analysis of the mythical story and the semantic code generating the story in the paper “Gediminas’ Dream (Lithuanian myth of city foundation: an attempt at analysis)” by Algirdas Julien Greimas (1971). The sovereignty ideology expressed in the myth, which describes religious and spiritual culture of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, is linked to the tri-functional model of the IndoEuropean social structure. The semantics of the Vilnius myth is seen as analogous with such Indo-European myths as king’s accession to the throne and creation of a city-state. The Lithuanian myth of Vilnius is linked paradigmatically to the Indo-European mythology in the study “Vilnius, Wilno, Vil’na: City and myth” by Vladimir Toporov (1980). At the level of the signifier, phonological equivalents of toponyms of Vilnius are traced. At the level of the signified, transformations of the “core” Indo-European myth are identified. The myth of the city foundation can be read both as a figurative form of cultural expression and as an ideology narrated as a plot of a story. In this view, the paradigmatic and syntagmatic approaches complement each other.

The relationship of magnates and the szlachta of the Great Principality/Grand Duchy of Lithuania with Russia in 1733

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
А.В. Мацук
Keyword(s):  
Free Choice ◽  
Russian Empire ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Russian Empire ◽  
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Grand Duchy

В статье исследуются события бескоролевья 1733 г. в Речи Посполитой. Согласно «трактату Левенвольде» компромиссным кандидатом на избрание монархом Речи Посполитой был португальский инфант дон Мануэль, которого предложила Австрия. Россия больше склонялась к кандидатуре «пяста». Россия оказалась не подготовленной к началу бескоролевья. Бывшие российские союзники магнаты ВКЛ рассорились с российским послом Фридрихом Казимиром Левенвольде и перешли на сторону Франции. В конце февраля 1733 г. в ВКЛ направили Юрия Ливена, который от имени российской царицы предложил поддержку в получении короны Михаилу Вишневецкому и Павлу Сангушке. Принятое на конвокационном сейме решение об избрании королем «пяста» и католика показало популярность Станислава Лещинского. В результате вслед за Австрией Россия поддержала кандидатом на корону Фридриха Августа. Магнаты ВКЛ до последнего оставались конкурентами о короне. Оппозиция Лещинскому объединилась под лозунгом защиты «вольного выбора» и поэтому в ней остались кандидаты «пясты», которые не могли уступить друг другу, и согласились на компромисс – кандидатуру Фридриха Августа. Для противодействия возможному избранию Лещинского Россия создала в ВКЛ новоградскую конфедерацию. Ее организатором стал новоградский воевода Николай Фаустин Радзивилл. Эта конфедерация становится основой Генеральной Варшавской конфедерации, которая 5 октября 1733 г. избирает королем саксонского курфюрста. The article examines the events of the «kingless» year of 1733 in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. According to the Levenwolde Treaties the compromise candidate for the Commonwealth’s throne was the Portuguese Infante Don Manuel, who’s candidacy was proposed by Austria. Russia, in turn, leaned towards the «pyasta» candidate. The Russian Empire was clearly unprepared for the start of the kingless period. Russia’s former allies – magnates of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania – came into conflict with the Russian ambassador Frederick Kazimir Levenwolde and sided with France. In late February of 1733, Empress Anna Ioanovna of Russia sent Yuri Liven to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, who offered official support in the struggle for the crown to Mikhail Vishnevetsky and Pavel Sangushka. The electoral decision made at the Sejm proved the popularity of the «pyast» and Catholic candidates, specifically – Stanislaus Leschinsky. In turn, Russia – following Austria – showed its support for the candidacy of Frederick August. The magnates of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania remained in opposition in the crown issue until the very last. Opposition to Leschinsky was united under the motto of «free choice». For that reason, it was comprised of «pyasta» candidates, who were in a deadlock with one another, and were now ready for the compromise candidacy of Frederick Augustus. In order to counter the possible election of Leschinsky, Russia created the Novograd Confederation in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was organized by the Novograd Voevoda Faustin Radzivill. This confederation became the core of the General Warsaw Confederation that – on October 5th 1733 – elected the Saxon King to the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

scholarly journals The Jews of Lithuania During the Muscovite Occupation (1655–1660)

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-70
Author(s):  
Elmantas Meilus
Keyword(s):  
Local Population ◽  
Occupied Territory ◽  
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania ◽  
The City ◽  
Grand Duchy ◽  
Hostile Attitude

This article deals with the situation of the Jews in 1654 at the beginning of the Muscovite invasion of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It is maintained that that was the main reason to the disasters that befell the Jewry of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The extant sources (mainly relating to Vilnius) show that in the occupied western lands of the GDL the attitude of the Russian authorities towards the Jews was more relaxed than in the eastern lands inhabited by the Orthodox. Seeking to win the favour of the population of the occupied territory, the Russians tried the Jews and the Christians by the same laws at least in areas where their jurisdiction was introduced. That could mean that Muscovy had no definite programme concerning the Jews at least in the western part of the GDL, inhabited mainly by the Catholics. Meanwhile, the Jews, despite the hostile attitude of the local population – that was attested by the plea of Vilnius authorities to the tsar to evict the Jews from the city – managed to find a way of coexistence both with the locals and the authorities of the occupiers. The sources show that even after the tsar’s indication to remove the Jews they continued to reside in the city.

scholarly journals High treason. The activity of The Communist Party of Western Belarus in Vilnius in 1930–1935

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-93
Author(s):  
SERGIUSZ ŁUKASIEWICZ
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Communist Party ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Second Republic ◽  
The North ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Production And Distribution ◽  
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania ◽  
The City ◽  
Grand Duchy

The purpose of this paper is to attempt to explain the activities of the Communist Party of Western Belarus in Vilnius during the fi rst half of the thirties of the twentieth century. The author’s aim is to show the organisation, theory and practice of this illegal party. Further-more, the intention is to present the activities of Vilnius police towards communist sym-pathizers and activists. Founded in 1923 in Vilnius, the Communist Party of Western Belaruswas a branch of The Communist Party of Poland. This organization like the polish communist party was illegal. Its aim was to combat the Polish state and to perform electioneering for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Although the name of the party could indicate a desire for independence of Belarus, in practice it was for the removal of the north eastern provinces of the Second Republic of Poland to the USSR. CPWB activity had a special dimension in Vilnius. As the region’s largest city and former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Vilnus was home for many nations, religions and cultures. Moreover, Vil-nius was the most important fi eld for communist action. Given the number of inhabitants, industrialized multi-ethnic character, communists had the opportunity to develop wide subversive and conspiratorial work. In addition, the city was the great centre of production and distribution of communist publications, which allowed the spread of propaganda in both its administrative boundaries and in the Vilnius Voivodeship.

scholarly journals Duchowa kultura Tatarów polskich jako integralny element kultury pogranicza słowiańsko-muzułmańskiego

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 151-163
Author(s):  
Selim Chazbijewicz
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Present Article ◽  
Religious Practices ◽  
East Europe ◽  
Spiritual Culture ◽  
History Of ◽  
Integral Element ◽  
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania ◽  
Grand Duchy

The spiritual culture of Polish Tatars as an integral element of the Slavic‑Muslim borderlands cultureThe present article depicts the unique culture of Polish Tatars in the context of their history and the histories of other Muslim cultures in Europe, especially in Bosnia. In particular, this article presents the history of this small ethnic group as well as the specificity of their religious practices in relation to the Ottoman tradition and the culture of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Further, the article discusses the tradition of Sufism (the Bektashi and Jesewije orders), as well as its relations with shamanism and its remains. What is more, the article portrays Tatar writings in comparison with the Muslim written culture in East Europe and in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Subsequently, the article analyses Tatar rites: their forms and changes they have undergone. These forms reflect the uniqueness of the Tatar culture in the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania and in the present-day Poland. The existing forms are combinations of Tatar, Muslim and Slavic spirituality and provide evidence that the Polish Tatar culture is strongly related to Slavic and Muslim cultures, especially the Ottoman culture and the culture of the former Crimean Khanate. Духовнaя культура польских татар как интегральная часть культуры на славяно-мусульманском пограничьеВ статье указана специфика культуры польских татар в истории и в контексте других мусульманских культур, существующих в Европе. Автор представил историю этой этнической группы, а также специфическое религиозное сознание в контексте османской империи как соседа древней Речи Посполитой. В статье отмечена также специфика суфийских источников татарских религиозных обрядов. Автор показал религиозную письменность польских татар, ее корни в области языка и литературной традиции. Формы, которые до сих пор сохранились, свидетельствуют об идентичности древней культуры польских татар с культурой османской и бывшего крымского ханства, а также о славянском влиянии.

Toropets in the Territorial and Administrative System of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Moscow State at the End of the 15th — 16th Century

Istoriya ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9 (107)) ◽  
pp. 0
Author(s):  
Iuliia Stepanova
Keyword(s):  
Rural Population ◽  
Land Ownership ◽  
16Th Century ◽  
Old Russian ◽  
Relative Independence ◽  
Peripheral Position ◽  
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania ◽  
The City ◽  
Direct Tax ◽  
Grand Duchy

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the territorial, administrative and settlement structure of Toropets and Toropets uezd at the end of the 15th — 16th centuries. During the period when Toropets was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, it was influenced by its peripheral position and its status as a state settlement, direct tax collection and at the same time maintaining relative independence. Communal traditions inherited from the Old Russian period were also preserved. The involvement of both urban and rural population in crafts activities was recorded, which influenced the formation of special territories (perevaras) in the Toropets uezd. The territories of volosts and a perevaras according to the scribe book of 1540 were localized. The territories of perevaras were within the borders of volosts. The inhabitants of the volosts and the townspeople of Toropets owned the side honey trees. In the city, the yards of shabry are recorded — the collective landowners, and in the county, on the territory of the crossing — the “nest” of settlements under a generalizing name, which served as a means of identifying the object of taxation. After Toropets joined the Moscow state, these features remain. However, the community land ownership and honey craft gradually decline throughout the 16th century.

scholarly journals Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės rusėniški regionai – tarp Rytų ir Vidurio rytų Europos

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021/1 ◽  
pp. 29-57
Author(s):  
Andrius Jurkevičius
Keyword(s):  
The State ◽  
European Region ◽  
The Core ◽  
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania ◽  
Grand Duchy ◽  
Peripheral Regions

ANNOTATION. It is said in historiography that when the core lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania became Christian in 1387, the Europeanisation process started in the state. But little account is taken of the differences between its political nucleus and the peripheral regions, which consisted of Ruthenian lands. The article investigates whether the Europeanisation process in the Ruthenian lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania really started after 1387. It also aims to find out which European region or regions those lands could be assigned to. For this, it seeks to clarify in the article how Europe was understood in the 13th to 16th centuries, and what kind of changes took place in the Ruthenian lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during that time. KEYWORDS: Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Kievan Rus’, Europe, Europeanisation, westernisation.

The Activity of the Lutsk Government's in Conditions of the Magdeburg Law Implementation

2017 ◽  
pp. 320-327
Author(s):  
Alla Bortnikova
Keyword(s):  
City Council ◽  
City Government ◽  
Legal Analysis ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Criminal Cases ◽  
Property Owners ◽  
Collective Resistance ◽  
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania ◽  
The City ◽  
Grand Duchy

The political and legal analysis of the principles of organization and main directions of the city government in Lutsk activity according to the normative and legal acts of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania supreme authority and materials of local administrative and judicial institutions in the conditions of the of Magdeburg lawimplementation has been carried out. Grand privilege to the city of Lutsk for the Magdeburg law in 1497 has been considered in details. The city’s government structure, its bodies’ functions: council and lava and chief officials ─ Vogt, Landvogt, burgomasters, advisers and lavnyks have been found out. The activities of the local government officials’ in the field of administration and justice, tax and customs policy, the organization of bids and fairs, support for the development of a handicraft trade, etc. has been revealed. It has been proven, that that in the middle of the 16thcentury the city government in Lutsk actually gained the value of a higher judicial and administrative body for the burghers who belonged to the jurisdiction of the city self- government. The confirmation of this was the participation of members of the city council and lava in criminal cases and taking over of such sentences as the death penalty. Considerable attention has been paid to the issue of the rights and freedoms of burghers’ protectiongranted to them by Magdeburg law and local customs  from attacks of the landowners and city officials. The examples of the conflict’s resolution between Lutsk burghers and property owners in connection with the unauthorized placement by private landowners of private customs and the unlawful introduction of bids have been given. It has been proven, that theviolations of ancient customs and traditions in the field of customs and tax policy, as well as other abuse of local authorities and landowners met with collective resistance from the burghers of Magdeburg jurisdiction. During their appeal by the Lutsk burghers, the Grand Duke stood on the side of the burghers, confirming the authority and power of the urban community, as well as respect to the traditions and law, that was publicly demonstrated by the supreme power. Keywords: Grand Duchy of Lithuania, local self-government, the Magdeburg law, city, Luts’k, burghers, council, lava, administration, court

scholarly journals Professor Mieczysław Limanowski on Vilnius and the cultural heritage of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

2021 ◽  
pp. 328-343
Author(s):  
Maria Kalinowska
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Cultural Geography ◽  
The Road ◽  
Nature And Culture ◽  
Theatre Company ◽  
Cultural Code ◽  
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania ◽  
The City ◽  
The Church ◽  
Grand Duchy

This text deals with the depiction of Vilnius in the work of Mieczysław Limanowski, geologist, co-founder of the Reduta Theatre Company, art and theatre critic, and professor at the Stefan Batory University. The author, drawing on the work of specialists from various fields, presents a semiotics of Vilnius in Limanowski’s writing. In his depiction of the city and the larger region, reflections on nature and culture and interwoven, and thus his work is an outstanding early example of modern cultural geography. In his vision of Lithuania and Vilnius we can identify such interdisciplinary traits as the motive of the road and the theme of transcendence, along with spirituality recorded in the cultural code of the city. In Limanowski’s writing on Vilnius his reflections on the Gates of Dawn and on the Church of Saint Nicolas are particularly noteworthy.

Manuscript Catalogs and Inventories of Books from the Lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania – Some Problems of Publishing Rules

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 107-121
Author(s):  
Lilia Kowkiel ◽  
Arvydas Pacevičius ◽  
Iwona Pietrzkiewicz
Keyword(s):  
Primary Source ◽  
Digital Form ◽  
Historical Sources ◽  
Historical Texts ◽  
Grand Duchy Of Lithuania ◽  
Grand Duchy ◽  
Book Culture

Historians and publishers of historical sources have a lot of problems with the texts written in different languages and alphabets, which were created at different times, in the multilingual areas inhabited by many nations following different religions. The historians of book culture have the same problems with texts of inventories and catalogues of books, which are the primary source of knowledge about the content of libraries. At present it’s also important the historical texts to be published in the digital form. This article is a part of the discussion on this very important subject.

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