Belaisviai Lietuvoje ir Vokiečių ordino valstybėje (1283-1409)

LTLDK kovos su Vokiečių ordinu truko daugiau nei šimtmetį. Per tą laikotarpį karinės abiejų pusių operacijos skaičiuojamos šimtais. Daugelis šių žygių strateginių uždavinių užimti konkrečią pilį ar tam tikrą teritoriją neturėjo. Jų tikslas buvo paprasčiausias atskirų teritorijų apiplėšimas. Dėl tokių žygių pobūdžio lietuvių istoriografijoje imta kalbėti apie Vokiečių ordino taktikos kare su Lietuva pasikeitimą, turėjusį strateginį motyvą: nualintą šalį lengviau užkariauti. Toks apibūdinimas iš esmės yra teisingas, tačiau visiškai nepakankamas, norint suprasti šių žygių fenomeną. To supratimo problematiškumą gerai atskleidžia „Preussenreisen” charakteristika Vokietijos istoriografijoje. Neretai Vokiečių ordino karinės operacijos prieš lietuvius yra apibūdinamos kaip viduramžių riterių sporto rūšis. Iš tikrųjų toks teiginys nėra visai nepagrįstas, kaip parodė kad ir paskutiniai Wernerio Paravicini darbai. Tačiau aiškinti šiuos žygius vien tik kaip Europos diduomenės pramogos rūšį nelabai logiška. Jis visiškai išleidžia iš akių Lietuvos pusės, kurios kariauninkams, kaip ir vokiečių riteriams, tokie tikslai irgi nebuvo svetimi, interesus. Šiandien atrodo, jau galima teigti, kad ikikrikščioniškoje visuomenėje Lietuvos elitas pamažu pradėjo perimti europinės riterijos elgesio kodeksą, tačiau galutinis jos papročių įsigalėjimas Lietuvoje geriausiu atveju tesietinas su XV šimtmečiu. Toks aiškinimas nenusako strateginių tiek Lietuvos valstybės, tiek Vokiečių ordino tikslų, ar tai būtų tvirtos sienos tarp kovojančių pusių nustatymas, ar Lietuvos nukariavimas su po to turėjusia eiti jos christianizacija [p. 507].

ENLatest research, especially the work of Sven Ekdahl and Marian Pelech, has highlighted the important role played by prisoners in the relations between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Order. Captives were an important commodity and persons taken prisoner during periods of conflict were settled later in deserted areas as colonists. Such exploitation of prisoners of war was typical on both sides. However, the value of prisoners for commercial or settlement purposes was not appreciated at the beginning of the conflict. Until the mid-fourteenth century only noble captives were valued, whilst most or, occasionally, all prisoners of lower rank were slain. Only from the second half of the fourteenth century did the exchange or ransom of prisoners become regular practice. It is possible that maintaining prisoners alive as potential sources of income changed military tactics. Unlike the battles which took place at the beginning of the fourteenth century, those fought from c.1350 were smaller in scale, and predatory raids became more frequent. At this time definite territories or modest forts became the object of most raids. From mid-century the seizure of prisoners was a common phenomenon. To that end, larger armies were often split into smaller divisions in order to maximise efficiency in rounding up captives. These mores prutenorum, as chronicles term such skirmishing tactics, typify the Teutonic Order as much as the Lithuanian side. We should stress that certain chivalric practices still existed in this materialist motivation. As far as we know from the sources, knights did not take direct part in such roundups, but a knight's word of honour was considered binding in parleys concerning captives.The change in outlook concerning prisoners of war also had an effect on the conditions surrounding captivity. During the second half of the fourteenth century most captives were taken prisoner during military skirmishes. However, unlike cases earlier in the century, later it became possible to surrender freely and expect to be ransomed from captivity later. For this reason such fights to the bitter end, as occurred during the defence of the fort at Pilėnai in 1336, took place more rarely. Prisoners were divided among their captors without regard to who actually deprived them of their liberty. It is no coincidence that most of them were settled on land around Vilnius and Trakai, that is, in the territory directly controlled by the grand dukes. In the second half of the fourteenth century there was even a special duty in Trakai Castle: the supervision of prisoners.Although there was a tradition of ransoming captives, it was not easy to redeem prisoners, for prices were high. It seems that when someone wished to redeem his servants or members of his family, he had to provide not only their names, but also information as to where they were being held. Also, despite the „new” policy towards captives, it remained quite possible that a prisoner could be killed. Prisoners were slain if difficulties arose during their captors' march home, or for religious reasons (especially when Lithuanians refused to abandon pagan beliefs) or personal hatred. The main sales area for captives was the Baltic Region. Prisoners were put to work, as we see from Grand Duke Vytautas's claim for the return of captives in 1412 - those on the Grand Duke's list were working in mead houses, inns etc., but most were held on farms. At the end of the fourteenth century the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Order's domains in Prussia became agricultural exporters. This trade depended on many factors, of which the exploitation of prisoners of war may have been one. The conditions of captives have not been discussed widely by Lithuanian and Prussian historians. Nevertheless, the subject remains an important aspect of the material conditions of the Lithuano-Teutonic wars.