Mindaugo raštai Romos popiežiams: skaičius, forma, turinys, likimas

LTMindaugo privilegijos Rygos miestiečiams, Lietuvos vyskupui Kristijonui ir Livonijos ordinui istoriografijoje yra gerai žinomos ir jau daug kartų nagrinėtos. Paskutinis svariausią žodį dėl jų autentiškumo tarė lenkų mokslininkas K. Maleczyńskis1. Taip pat gerai žinomos ir seniai paskelbtos Inocento IV, Aleksandro IV bulės Mindaugui. Tarp K. Maleczyńskio analizuotų privilegijų vienas aktas sensu formali nėra privilegija. Tai 1255 m. spalio mėnesio Mindaugo raštas popiežiui Aleksandrui IV dėl tuo pat metu Mindaugo Livonijos ordinui duotos privilegijos patvirtinimo. Kyla klausimas, ar tai vienintelis tokio pobūdžio Mindaugo dokumentas Romos popiežiams, ar jų buvo ir yra daugiau? Peržiūrėjus Mindaugo krikšto ir karaliavimo laikotarpio (1251-1263) dokumentus, į šį klausimą galima atsakyti teigiamai - šaltiniuose esama užuominų apie tokius Lietuvos karaliaus raštus. Reikia pasakyti, kad aptakių nuorodų įjuos galima rasti ir ankstesniuose, ir pastarojo meto tiek lietuvių, tiek užsienio tyrinėtojų Mindaugui skirtuose darbuose, bet specialiai šis klausimas nebuvo nagrinėjamas. Mūsų tikslas yra aptarti šių raštų skaičių, formą, turinį ir likimą [p. 109].

ENScholars have often researched the privileges granted by Mindaugas to the townspeople of Riga and to the bishop of Lithuania, Christian. One of these documents-the sensu formali-is not a privilege but a written affirmation by Mindaugas to Pope Alexander IV, dated October 1255, of the privilege granted by Mindaugas to the Livonian Order. Historical sources hint at other such documents of Mindaugas. This article describes the number, format, content, and fate of these documents. Chronologically, the first letter of Mindaugas to the Pope is related to his conversion sometime in late 1250 or early 1251. Based on an analysis of the narrative and dispositional parts of the bulls of Pope Innocent IV from July 15 to 26, 1251, scholars concluded that Mindaugas had sent a letter through emissaries by which he had informed the Pope about the baptism of himself and of his family and friends. Mindaugas also asked for the Holy See’s legal protection for his domains and for his family and close friends. The sources do not make it clear whether the other parts of Mindaugas’s message were provided orally or were presented as supplicia. Mindaugas’s second letter to Pope Innocent IV should be dated about late 1252 or early 1253. Pope Innocent’s bulls of June 24, 1253, and August 21, 1253, to the archbishop of Prussia and Livonia, Albert, confirm their existence. In his second letter, Mindaugas again asked the Pope to appoint a bishop for Lithuania and reported that he was ready to meet the Pope’s demand that he build a cathedral.Mindaugas’s third letter to Pope Innocent IV should be dated late June or early July 1253. The papal bull of August 21, 1253, to Bishop Albert of Prussia and Livonia briefly mentions its content. In his third letter Mindaugas of Lithuania. Mindaugas’s fourth letter to Pope Innocent IV should be dated about 1254. Several papal bulls from September 3 to September 20, 1254, refer briefly to its contents. In his fourth letter Mindaugas requested Innocent IV to arrange a direct oath of Christian to the Holy See. Mindaugas’s fifth letter to the Pope should be dated January 1255. The papal bull of March 6, 1255, briefly mentioned its content. In this fifth letter, Mindaugas asked Alexander IV to appoint a bishop who would then crown one of Mindaugas’s sons king and would affirm Lithuanian rule over Russian lands that the Lithuanians intended to take over. The Pope responded to Mindaugas’s requests (which were unrelated) with two bulls; this would indicated that in January 1255 Mindaugas sent Pope Alexander IV two letters. Mindaugas’s sixth letter to the Vatican was a request dated October 1255 to affirm the transfer of Selian territory to the Livonian Order. This is the only letter from Mindaugas to the Pope that has survived fully intact.The author concludes that the survival of Mindaugas’s letters to Innocent IV and Alexander IV depended on the chancery; none of Mindaugas’s letters were mentioned in documents other than papal bulls. Furthermore, with the exception of the letter of October 1255, none of Mindaugas’s letters to the Pope have survived. They were, after all, not very important in a legal or practical sense, especially after Mindaugas’s murder in 1263. Finally, all of Mindaugas’s letters to the Pope were written not in the official supplicium format approved, but in a less formal manner, allowed only for persons of high social status.