Knyga, kaip vertinga dovana ir karo grobis, didžiojo kunigaikščio Vytauto ir jo amžininkų kasdienybės momentų kontekste

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Dovana; Karo grobis; Kasdienybė; Knyga; Vokiečių Ordinas (Teutonic Order; Kryžiuočių ordinas); Kunigaikštienė Ona; Ldk Vytautas; Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė (LDK; Grand Duchy of Lithuania; GDL); Skaitymo kultūra; Vokiečių Ordinas (Teutonic Order; Kryžiuočių ordinas); Vytautas; Vėlyvieji viduriniai amžiai; Šv. Dorotėja; Anna; Book; Booty of war; Donation; Duchess Ona; Everyday life; Gift; Grand duke Vytautas; Late Middle Ages; Reading culture; Saint Dorothea; Vytautas.

ENThis article presents several episodes of the existence of books (as valuable gifts and war booty) in the activities of Grand Duke Vytautas and his court in the context of political events of the times. These were books in Latin and German. The article’s chronology spans the years 1387 to 1413, and raises the following questions: when did books start to appear in various spheres of life in the times of Vytautas and his court? What was the political context behind the pilgrimage made by Duchess Anna to the grave of Saint Dorothea and the books she received as gifts (if they were indeed gifts) about the life of Saint Dorothea? Is there any correlation between Vytautas’ promise made to the grand master of the Teutonic Order to return several books that were taken as war booty and his cousin Jagiello’s, the Polish king’s request (petition) to John XXIII , asking for permission to keep the treasures taken from Prussia in Poland’s churches. Judging by the fact that answering the question of the significance of a valuable book in the context of those times is rather difficult, the author of this article refers to the accounts book of the Order’s treasurer to attain an albeit episodic comparison of the price of books and related items (e.g., paper, parchment) and labour (binding, correction). These prices are compared to other items and everyday life needs meant to satisfy the day’s elites. As the amount of sources is quite small, many things are discussed with certain provisions, and the claims that are made are hypothetical in the belief that they might inspire future research in one or another topic. [From the publication]