Rulers of GDL ( The Grand Duchy of Lithuania )

 

Jogaila (1348 - 1434) lith: Jogaila Algirdaitis,pol.: Wladyslaw II Jagiello. Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jogaila



Jogaila University. Jogaila and Jadwyga. Knight from Jogaila army, XV century.




 

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Vladislaus III of Varna (1424-1444) lith.: Vladislovas III Varnietis. King of Poland from 1434, and of Hungary from 1440, until his death at the Battle of Varna. Son of Jogaila, one of the lithuanian Gediminin dynastyn.



 

 

 

 




Portret and mausoleum of Vladislaus III of Varna in Bulgaria.





 

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Casimir IV Jagiellon (1427-1492) lith.: Kazimieras I Jogailaitis. Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440, and King of Poland from 1447, until his death.
He was the second son of Jogaila, and the younger brother of Vladislaus III of Varna. As a thirteen-year-old boy, Casimir was invited by Lithuanian nobles under the leadership of John Gasztold to come to Lithuania, and on 29 June 1440 he was installed as Grand Duke of Lithuania without Polish consent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_IV_Jagiellon

 

 





 

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Saint Casimir Jagiellon (1458-1484), patron saint of Lithuania, was prince of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. A member of the Jagiellon dynasty
Casimir (Lith.: Kazimieras) was the grandson of Jogaila (Wladyslaw II Jagiello) and was the second son of king Casimir IV and queen Elizabeth of Austria.











Vilnius. St. Casimir church.








 


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John I Albert ( 1459 – 1501) lith.: Jonas Albrechtas. Was King of Poland (1492 – 1501), Duke of Głogów (1491 - 1498), Grand Duke of Lithuania.
He was the third son of Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland, and Elizabeth, daughter of Albert II of Germany.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_I_Albert_of_Poland



 

 

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Alexander Jagiellon (1460-1506) lith.: Aleksandras; King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, was the fourth son of Casimir IV Jagiellon. He was elected Grand Duke of Lithuania on the death of his father (1492), and King of Poland on the death of his brother John I Albert (1501). Grandson of Jogaila

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksander_Jagiellon



 

 

 


500th anniversary of Polotsk Magdeburg rights. King Alexander.


500th anniversary of Sejm (Parliament). Reproduction of carving 'King Alexander Jagiellon in Sejm'.


 

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Sigismund I the Old (1467-1548) lith.: Žygimantas II Senasis. of the Jagiellon dynasty reigned as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 to his death at age 81 in 1548
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zygmunt_I_the_Old

Portret of Sigismund I the Old. M.Copernicu and coin of Sigismund I the Old.


Portret of Sigismund I the Old on wood carving.


 

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Sigismund II Augustus (1520 - 1572) lith.: Žygimantas III Augustas. was the only son of Sigismund I the Old, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigismund_August


Lublin Uniion 1569 and Sigismund II Augustus. Monument of Lublin Union in Lublin city, Poland.








Sigismund II Augustus and Barbara Radziwill (lith.:Barbora Radvilaite):

 

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Henry III (1551-1589) lith.: Henrikas Valua, fr: Henri III Valois. was a member of the Valois Dynasty, King of France from May 30, 1574 until his death. He was also briefly King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1574)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_III_of_France

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Anna Jagiellon (1523 - 1596) lith.: Ona Jogailaitė daughter of Poland's King Zygmunt I the Old, wife of King Stefan Batory, was one of the last members of the Jagiellon dynasty.
She became Queen of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was an heir to the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Jagiellon


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Stefan Batory (1533-1586) lith.: Steponas Batoras King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania (1575-1586), Prince of Transylvania (1571-1586). Born István Báthory to a powerful Hungarian noble, likewise named István Báthory, younger Batory succeeded John II Zapolya as Prince of Transylvania in 1571 In 1575 Batory became the ruler of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, reigning as Stefan Batory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Batory



Foundation of Vilnius University


In Poland ship is named "Batory"







 

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Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) lith.: Zigmantas Vaza; swed: Sigismund. King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sigismund of Sweden , was the son of Sweden's King John III (1537 – 1592) of the House of Vasa, and his first wife, Catherine Jagiellon (1526 – 1583).

Sigismund ruled the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where he was known as Zygmunt III Waza, 1587 – 1632, and Sweden, where he was known as Sigismund Vasa, from 1592 until he was deposed in 1599. Thus he began and ended his kingship in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, spending thirty eight years of his forty-five year reign, on the Polish-Lithuanian throne.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigismund_III_Vasa




He was commemorated on the striking of Sigismund's Column in Warsaw, commissioned by his son and successor Wladislaw IV.








Sigismund chapel in Wawel XVI century..

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Wladislaw IV Vaza
(1595-1648) was the son of Sigismund III Vasa and his wife, Anna of Austria (also known as Anna Habsburg). Wladyslaw IV reigned as King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from November 8, 1632, to his death in 1648.
Wladyslaw managed to prevent the Commonwealth becoming embroiled in the bloody Thirty Years' War that ravaged western Europe during his reign, and was fairly successful in defending the Commonwealth from invasion. He supported religious tolerance and carried out military reforms. He failed, however, to realize his dreams of fame and conquest, or to reform and strengthen the Commonwealth.
His death marked the end of the Golden Age of the Commonwealth, as conflicts and tensions that Władysław had failed to resolve led in 1648 to the greatest of the Cossack uprisings—the Chmielnicki Uprising—and to Swedish invasion ("The Deluge"). Has died in Merkine, Lithuania.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wladyslaw_IV_Vasa

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John II Casimir
(1609-1672) lith.: Jonas Kazimieras Vaza. King and Grand Duke of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and Duke of Opole in Silesia. His parents were Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) and Constance of Austria Habsburg (1588-1631).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_II_Casimir_of_Poland



On stamp’s coupon in illustrated stationery card, the text of King John Casimir oath: - “I, John Casimir,…giving to Your (The God) care my Kingdom of Poland, Dutchy of Lithuania, Ruthenia(part of today’s Russia), Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia (today part of Lithuania), Smolensk, as well as people and army of both nations(Poland-Lithuania).



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Michal Korybut Wisniowiecki
(1640-1673) lith.: Mykolas Kaributas Višnioveckis. King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from September 29, 1669, to his death in 1673.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michal_Korybut_Wisniowiecki


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John III Sobieski (1629-1696) lith.: Jonas Sobieskis was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death. Sobieski's 22-year-reign was marked by a period of the Commonwealth's stabilisation, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and Chmielnicki's Uprising. Popular among his subjects, he was also a brilliant military commander, most famous for his victory over the Turks in the 1683 Battle of Vienna
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_III_Sobieski



Battle of Vienna .




John Sobieski monument in Warsaw



John Sobieski army


Train "EuroCity - Sobieski" Warsaw-Vienna









 

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Augustus II the Strong
(1670-1733) lith.:Augustas II. King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania and Elector of Saxony (Augustus II the Strong) (German: August II der Starke) (12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733) was as Frederick Augustus I Kurfürst Friedrich August the Elector of Saxony 1694-1733, and later also King of Poland - Grand Duke of Lithuania 1697-1704 and again 1709-1733.
As a politician getting blamed for embroiling the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Great Northern War. His attempts at internal reforms and at bolstering the royal power are considered coming to naught, while his policies are said to have allowed the Russian Empire to strengthen its influence over the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_II_the_Strong




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Stanislaw Leshchinski (1677-1766) -King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Duke of Lorraine and count of the empire (bestowed by Emperor Frederick III) on the Leszczyński family.
In 1697, as Cupbearer of Poland, he signed the confirmation of the articles of election of August II the Strong. In 1703 he joined the Lithuanian Confederation, which the Sapiehas with the aid of Swedish gold had formed against August.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislaw_Leszczynski

 

 






 


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Augustus III (1696-1763) lith: Augustas III. King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Elector of Saxony
August III was born in Dresden in 1696, son of August II the Strong, Imperial Prince-Elector of Saxony and King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was groomed to succeed his father as King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and thus in 1721 converted to Catholicism. As King, August III was uninterested in the affairs of his Polish-Lithuanian dominion, focussing on interests like hunting, opera, and collecting paintings.

During his 30-year reign, he spent less than a total of three years in Poland, where the struggle between the Czartoryski and the Potocki paralysed the Sejm (Liberum Veto), fostering internal political anarchy and further weakening the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. August delegated most of his powers and responsibilities to Heinrich, Count von Brühl, who became quasi-dictator of Poland.
The thirty years of August III's reign saw the Seven Years' War (1754 and 1756–1763), and neighboring Prussia, Austria, and Russia refined their plans to partition the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth among them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_III_of_Poland

Portret of Augustus III and his coin Gdansk gulden XVIII century..


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Stanislaw August Poniatowski (1732-1798)
- was the last King of Poland - Grand Duke of Lithuania of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1764-1795).
After the Coup d'état of the Czartoryski Familia, which was supported by Russian troops, he was elected on (September 7, 1764) as King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Stanisław August as King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which was at that time almost entirely controlled by the much more powerful neighboring powers (Russia and Prussia), remained at the mercy of circumstances.
After the final, Third Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Stanisław August was forced to abdicate (November 25, 1795) and left for St. Petersburg, Russia. There, a virtual prisoner, he subsisted on a pension from Catherine the Great and died deeply in debt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanis%C5%82aw_August_Poniatowski

 



Poniatowski bridge in Warsaw, library and Poniatowski pen with coat of arm




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Monument in Novgorod "1000th anniversary of Russia".
In monument Grand Dukes of Lithuania - Daumantas, Kęstutis, Gediminas, Algirdas and Vytautas. In monument they appear as that time rulers of Russia lands.


Daumantas and Kęstutis - Grand Dukes of Lithuania, fragments of monument in pictures.

Gediminas (standing on left), Algirdas (in middle), Vytautas(on the right) - Grand Dukes of Lithuania, fragments of monument in pictures.





More info about monument (in russian):
http://1000.home.nov.ru/hero_statesman.htm

 

 

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David from Grodno (lith.: Gardiniškis, Belarus: Garadzenskij) – 725-year birth anniversary on Belarus stationery cover issued in 2008. Text on the cover: “War and state character of GDL [Grand Dutchy of Lithuania]”
David Gardiniškis (1283-1326) – Duke of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, son of Duke Daumantas, Doyen of Grodno, was the most famous general/soldier of Grand Duke Gediminas.