Rituals of pagan Lithuanians related to military campaigns in the 13th - 14th cc
ENThe article deals with the key aspects of the issue of the rituals of pagan rulers and the nobility of Lithuania in the 13th–14th centuries. First of all, rituals related to the military campaigns of the Lithuanians are emphasized. It can be explained by the specific nature of the Lithuanian state in the specified period. Analysis of Latin and Russian narrative sources allows to reconstruct a wide range of rituals related to the military activities of Lithuanian rulers and army leaders. The following groups can be distinguished among them: rituals, connected with the beginning of military campaigns (decision on the possibility of attack or defence, choosing the date of a battle, prognosis and prediction, actions aimed at receiving the favour of deities in upcoming military actions); rituals, conducted during the military campaigns (choice of the place of a battle, start of the battle); ritual actions, providing the ending of military campaigns as well as conducting negotiations (gratitude to the deities for help – sacrifice, conclusion of treaties, burial of dead soldiers, rulers). The preserved material of narrative sources allows consider pagan rituals of oath, drawing the lots and sacrifice to be the most significant and influential ones among Lithuanian rulers and nobility in the 13th–14th centuries. Keywords: Lithuania, ruler, rituals, military campaign, paganism, oath, lot, sacrifice.
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