2018, vol. 6, no. 3. Grinberg M.

2018, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 504-527

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22378/2313-6197.2018-6-3.504-527

   A LITHUANIAN EMBASSY IN THE GOLDEN HORDE IN 1348:
THE BACKGROUND AND CONSEQUENCES*

Moshe Grinberg
The Hebrew University, Mt. Scopus
Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
levant17@mail.ru; levant82@yahoo.com

Abstract: Research objective: To investigate the relationship between the Golden Horde and (not taking into account the Catholic states in the region) the other two largest state entities in Eastern Europe, the Lithuanian and Moscow principalities in the middle of the 14th century, on the basis of the Lithuanian embassy sent by the Lithuanian Grand Duke Olgerd to the khan of the Golden Horde Janibeg in 1348.
Research materials: The study is mainly based on the Russian chronicles. A distinction is made between earlier and later Moscow chronicles, as well as some others, with emphasis of the importance of this distinction. Additionally, attention is drawn to the formulations appearing in chronicles, and even to the chronicles’ tone, all of this being used as arguments in the article.
Results and novelty of the research: The events considered in this article have been not sufficiently covered in research literature, despite their considerable, though rather short-term, significance. The novelty of the research includes making the most complete and correct reconstruction of these events in the author’s point of view and giving the appropriate meaning to the events primarily by explaining their consequences. Their integration into the context of interstate, including vassal, relations in Eastern Europe, is explored, as well as into the framework of the foreign policies of Janibeg Khan, the Lithuanian ruler, Grand Duke Olgerd, and the Muscovite ruler, Grand Prince Semen, in this period.

Keywords: Medieval Embassies, Golden Horde, Lithuania, Moscow, Janibeg, Olgerd, Narimant, Grand Prince Semen, Battle of Strawe, Teutonic Order, Poland, Novgorod, Volhynia

For citation: Grinberg M. A Lithuanian Embassy in the Golden Horde in 1348: The Background and Consequences. Zolotoordynskoe obozrenie=Golden Horde Review. 2018, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 504–527. DOI: 10.22378/2313-6197.2018-6-3.504-527

* The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) / ERC grant agreement n° 312397

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About the author: Moshe Grinberg – a graduate (M.A.) of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem (the Faculty of Humanities, an individual program on the history of Russia and Inner Asia) (The Hebrew University, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel). E-mail: levant82@yahoo.com

Received  May 14, 2018   Accepted for publication  August 24, 2018
Published online September 29, 2018