Lublin of Jagiello 1385–1434 ENGLISH VERSION
The appearance of a new dynasty on the Polish throne has singnificantly influenced the history and development of Lublin. It was during the Jagiellonian reigns that the city begin to flourish and grow.
The union between Poland and Lithuania signed in 1385 was a great chance for Lublin; it was the first time that the city witnessed an event of international significance.
Index
[Collapse]Important dates
1386 – prenuptial agrement between Jadwiga and Jagiello
1389 – erection of the town hall
1392 – the staple right and the privilege to organise 16-day-long fairs granted to the city of Lublin
1401 – the municipal seal "Sigillum Civitatis Lubliniensis"
1405 – abolition of customs tariffs for merchants of Lublin
1421 – reception of Czech deputies at the Lublin castle
Important subjects
Erection of the church of Virgin Mary, the Triumphant, as a votive offering for the Grünwald victory
Frescos at the Holy Trinity Chapel – Lublin's most valuable relic
Prenuptial agreement
Lublin played a significant part in the negotiations over the marriage of Jadwiga of Anjou to the Lithuanian pagan ruler Jagiello (Lithuanian Jogaila). In April 1383 Jagiello and Skirgiello – still Lithuanian dukes at that time – granted a favorable privilege of trading with Lithuania to our beloved inhabitants of Lublin.
On 14th August 1385 the union of Krewo was signed. It is wrongly considered the proper union act – the agreement was decisive, but only preliminary. On 11th January 1386 in Vawkavysk, Polish deputies signed a document announcing Jagiełło the king and lord of the Crown. It also confirmed his future marriage to Jadwiga.
On 2nd February 1386 Polish nobility and knights gathered in Lublin and proclaimed Jagiello, at the time on his way to Cracow, the guardian of the Kingdom of Poland.
The Lublin region, being a boarderland territory till the union, had been a subject to continious raids of Yotvingians, Ruthenians and Lithuanians. When Jagiello became the king, Lublin's geographical situation changed – it was now situated in the centre of a huge Polish-Lithuanian state. Due to its location, Lublin quickly rised to the position of one of the most economically prominent cities of the newly created state and also a place where Polish, Lithuanian and Ruthenian merchants could meet. Apart from all the possibilities of discovering new grounds for trade, the other major advantage was the peaceful atmosphere the region gained, which had been previously hard to achieve for a boarderland town. This in turn resulted with intensified settlement and rise of trade. The beneficial geographical location between three economically and culturally different regions of Poland, Lithuania and Ruthenia was noticeable already in 14th century, but it was not until 15th and 16th centuries that the city sprang into full economic swing. Lublin was gradually turning into one of the first in Poland and famous in Europe mercantile centres.
Lublin of "Jogajlo"
Undoubtedly, bearing in mind that it was Lublin were he was first recognised and welcomed as a Polish king, Wladyslaw Jagiello lavished numerous favours upon the city. In 1392 Lublin was granted the staple right, which required the merchants to stay in Lublin for eight days to unload their goods and display them for sale. Only after that they were allowed to continue their journey. In reality this served the merchants of Lublin as a perfect chance to purchase as many goods as they wished for retail; merchants from Turkey and Wallachia also used the storage days in Lublin for their adavantage, as it was from here and not Lviv that they preffered to head West; it was also of use for those of Silesian, Moravian and Czech origin. Due to the staple right, Lublin experienced a considerable influx of Italians, Germans, Hungarians, the French, Swedes and Armenians. For both foreign and Polish merchants "Lublin was situated in the halfway and thus provided a more convenient place to meet than Lviv".
The staple right was complemented by other privileges granted the same year: Lublin could organise 16-day-long fairs; these were to start eight days before and finish eight days after Pentecost.
The votive offering
The town hall
The frescoes at the Holy Trinity Chapel
The relatively small and modest in its architectural form building of the castle chapel was decorated with the Russo-Bizantine frescoes in 1418 by the order of Jagiello. The murals, of incredibly high artistic value and rich iconography are unique to this part of Europe and remain one of Lublin's most treasured possessions.