Aukso Ordos monetų radiniai Vilniaus Žemutinės pilies teritorijoje - totorių ir karaimų karių palikimas
ENThe article is about the coins of the Golden Horde discovered in the Vilnius Lower Castle’s territory, namely, copper puls (4 coins), silver dirham copper counterfeits (4 coins), Crimean and Seleuklular coins. It was believed that Golden Horde coins could have appeared in Lithuania during the rule of Algirdas (Pol. Olgierd, Grand Duke of Lithuania, 1345-1377), however the latest coin findings have made it possible to determine a more precise date. Most of the Golden Horde coins were discovered in layers that also contained denarii from the times of Jogaila (Pol. Jagiełło, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, 1377-1381 and 1382-1434, King of Poland, 1386-1434, as Władysław II Jagiełło) coined in around 1388-1392, and Prague Gros. There were also coins that were discovered together with denarii from the times of Vytautas (Lat. Alexander Vitoldus, Pol. Witold, Rus. Vitovt, Grand Duke of Lithuania, 1392/1401-1430) that were coined in around 1394-1396. These Grand Duchy of Lithuania coins suggest that the layers containing Golden Horde coins date to the late 14th century and the turn of the 14th-15th century. An analysis of the discovered Golden Horde coins revealed that the coins most probably reached Vilnius from the southern lands of today’s Ukraine, as well as from Crimea.Historical sources tell us that in 1397 and 1398 Vytautas embarked on two major marches to the Black Sea and Crimea from where he brought back many Tatar and Karaim captives and refugees. The Tatars and Karaims were settled around Trakai, Vilnius and elsewhere. We know that the Karaims were entrusted with guarding the castles of the grand duke and Trakai Castle. No data exists that would suggest that the Tatars or Karaims would have protected the Vilnius castles however. Yet the discovery of Golden Horde coins in the Vilnius Lower Castle territory, as well as some pieces of military items and jewellery of Eastern origins leads to the conclusion that the Vilnius castles were also protected by Tatar and Karaim soldiers. The Golden Horde coins are a legacy of the Tatar and Karaim soldiers however these coins never entered circulation within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
