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This text is part of the project “History of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania”. Find more historical texts on the page ldkistorija.lt
The images of ancient Prussian or Lithuanian paganism transmitted by the chroniclers (Peter Dusburgietis, Jonas Dlugošas) are strongly influenced by the images of classical paganism (Greek, Roman) and the characteristic didactic objectives of the political discourse of the time.
Without going into the discussion of complicated topics, we will limit ourselves to the authentic and less dubious examples of spells and superstitions practiced by the ancient Lithuanians.
Spells and sacrifices are a wish for security in the face of a daily threat.
A distinctive feature of paganism is polytheism, the belief that the human world is affected and sometimes determined by gods and goddesses.
A constant feature of paganism were sacrifices and supplications to the gods in the hope of favoring them. The belief that sacrifices can affect gods and gods as objects of living and inanimate nature is an obvious feature of the magical worldview.
Measures that seek to obtain personal benefits, affect distant people or predict the future are called spells.
Predictions of the future by lottery before any major action was taken were common in pagan Baltic societies. This is especially true on military expeditions.
XIII century in Lithuanian society, war permeated everyday life. As expected, the war was accompanied by ritual acts and spells.
A typical scene is transmitted by the author of the Poetic Chronicle of Livonia, who describes the preparation of the Samogitians for the expedition to Curonia in 1259: “Samogitians, / they may have a lot of trouble seeing this on the trek, / but they will be protected / And you will get a great victory ”(vv. 4680–4689).
Practical battlefield magic
Not only the priests but also the soldiers paid the spell. An eloquent example is provided by Petras Dusburgietis, who describes the behavior of the Lithuanian prince Jazbutas, who collaborated with the Crusaders.
In the summer of 1290, the Lithuanians returning from the prey march approached the place where the ambush of the crusaders awaited them, and a Lithuanian, casting lots, exclaimed: “Woe to us, because failure awaits us!”
The commander told him to be quiet, and he screamed until the enemies jumped out of the ambush and killed many …
The Lithuanians successfully avoided an ambush in 1323, when a soldier rushed to warn his relatives: “Let’s go back soon, the Germans have prepared an ambush here!”
The practice of spells was more typical in the 13th century and in the 14th century. This phenomenon is recorded in the meetings of soldiers who operate autonomously from the Grand Duke’s army.
Reading the sources of that time, the following impression is formed: XIII c. it was customary for Gentile tribes to meet the enemy by magic, while the Crusaders sent reconnaissance.
Individual cases of recognition among Lithuanians have been known since the time of Mindaugas. It seems that this phenomenon became common for Lithuanians in the 14th century.
This was due to the strengthening of the power of the Grand Duke, the further rationalization of public life.
A spell was cast against the prince’s word
The comparison of the disappearance / control of spells in the political sphere can be the comparison of the Prussian leader Herkus Mantas and Duke Kęstutis.
Grand Duke Kęstutis and Duchess Ona
When an old acquaintance of Herkus, the German Hirtshals, had to sacrifice a spell, most of what could be done was to repeat the spell.
When the tie fell to Hirtshals for the third time, the latter had “out of respect [krikščionių] free will faith ”.
When we “moved” to Kęstutis, we entered not only another time, but also another social environment.
When Jonas Zurbach, the head of the Ekersberg castle, who got angry with them, fell into the hands of the Lithuanians, they wanted to sacrifice him to the gods, but Kęstutis’s life was saved thanks to the intervention of Kęstutis. No spells, just the decisive word from the prince.
After spells collapsed in public political life and war, they continued to live in the domestic realm.
People have always been plagued by disease and its unpredictable consequences, so it is no wonder that future fortune tellers have met the needs of those affected.
Also in the 15th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, there were predictors in Lithuania. Here is Jeronimas Prahiškis testifying: “[Žyniai] and he came to the fire at night, and answered the questioner in the morning when he saw the shadow of the one who was sick with the holy fire, which was heated and showed signs of death or life.
13 to 14 c. In the history of Lithuania, Kęstutis stood out with a new way of thinking.
If in the time of Mindaugas in Lithuania some princes (e.g. Lengvenis) were able to predict the future from the bone of the pork shoulder, then in a more recent era we see a prince who was skilled at sacrifice, but which seemed to give no more importance. to spells.
Religion is disappearing, superstitions remain
Superstitions describe actions driven by a special and exaggerated fear of gods or other mythical creatures.
The atmosphere of superstitions was permeated by the Prussians, who killed St. Adalbert-Vaitiekai, because they thought that when those people reached their land, the sun would stop shining, the plants would no longer bear fruit and the cattle would no longer have young.
Apparently, other Baltic tribes were not far behind. Here Estonians date back to the 12th century. At the end of the 19th century the monk accused Theodoric of the solar eclipse and wanted to sacrifice him to his gods.
Photo from Trakai History Museum / Kaunas Castle Site in 1362
We do not have similar and equally reliable testimonials about Lithuanians. Probably the most famous superstition attributed to the Lithuanians is the message from Halich-Volyn’s chronicle of Mindaugas: “When they went out and a hare ran away, they did not go into the heat of the forest and did not even dare to break a branch.”
The treatment of this superstitious custom is probably inaccurate, but it shows that the Lithuanians behaved with caution in the sacred groves.
The relationship of pagan customs and superstitions to Christianity was ambiguous. Some were incompatible, contrary to the teachings of Christianity, but they were also religiously neutral and, at times, morally praiseworthy. The latter were appreciated even by very religious people. Lo and behold, Jogaila awoke until the morning of his death, and before appearing in public, he circled several times and stepped aside after breaking a straw three times. Dlugos speculated that he had learned this superstition from his mother’s orthodox Julian. No one knew what he meant.
Darius baronas
Literature: Sources of Baltic Religion and Mythology, Vol. 1: From the earliest times to the late 15th century, by Norbertas Vėlius, Vilnius: Science and Encyclopedia Publishing House, 1996.
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