On this day in 1323, the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas invited the townspeople of Lübeck, Bremen, Magdeburg, Stralsund and Köln to settle in Vilnius, constituting the first written mention of the capital city, now celebrated as its birthday
On this day in 1323, the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas invited the townspeople of Lübeck, Bremen, Magdeburg, Stralsund and Köln to settle in Vilnius, constituting the first written mention of the capital city, now celebrated as its birthday
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As far as Köln? Guess this was Hanse Business?
At that moment in time, Lithuania was an obscure pagan country on the edge of Europe yearning for political recognition and wishing to end its economic isolation – a state it was doomed to return to again and again throughout the course of history. And the Hanseatic League seemed like the place to be.
The attached picture is not actually the original letter. Those who received it were asked to make a copy, nail it to the church doors and pass the original along to the others. The only surviving copy is the one made in Riga. It remains unclear how far and wide it actually spread, but Germans did become the third largest ethnic group for a while and Vilnius has [this quarter to show for it](https://www.google.com/maps/@54.6794976,25.2834738,3a,27.5y,199.93h,102.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s02wCBEiP-T8A-_NgPYGp1A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192).
It’s both the first mention of the city and of the fact that it’s the capital. Obviously the city is otherwise much older than that – even the letter informs the believers that a church was build there in 1321 where everyone is welcome to pray. [Here’s a cool thread](https://twitter.com/DrFrancisYoung/status/1617844381612150785) about the mythology surrounding the founding of Vilnius as a state capital.
In the letter, Gediminas refers to himself as the king of the Lithuanians and the Rus, and his country as a kingdom. It is known that Gediminas was illiterate and the letters were written in Latin by the Franciscan scribes Henrik and Bertold. He claims that the country is actually tolerant of all faiths and the Crusades are the only hindrance between their peoples. Promises land and no taxes.
It wasn’t the only such letter, another one was addressed to the Pope, listing his grievances regarding the crimes of the crusaders and (falsely) promising to accept Christianity. Another one was addressed to Greifswald, Rostock, Stettin and Gotland asking for craftsmen, farmers and soldiers same as before. Others yet were sent to the Dominican and Franciscan orders, inviting them to establish themselves in Lithuania.
These total of eight sent letters are said to be the first the first Lithuanian attempt at diplomacy, the first Lithuanian viral marketing and country image campaign, the first establishment of a FEZ and the first attempt to attract foreign investment, etc. Whenever we talk of attracting investment or migrants to Lithuania, someone inevitably invokes the spirit of Gediminas and references these letters that promised a free and tolerant life here for all.