Kraštovaizdis ir religijų kovos: Johanneso Voigto Geschichte preussens (1827-1839) ir Simono Daukanto Budą Senowęs-Lëtuwiû kalnienû ĩr Ƶámajtiû (1845)

LTŠio straipsnio tikslas – aptarti, kaip Simonas Daukantas, pasitelkdamas Johanneso Voigto GP, veikale Bd vaizduoja senovės baltų pagoniškosios religijos ženklais užpildytą kraštovaizdį ir jo naikinimą karų su kryžiuočiais laikotarpiu, kaip aprašo krikščioniškąją regiono mentalinę geografiją ir jos poveikį senovės lietuvių gyvensenai bei moralei. Straipsnyje remiamasi ir ankstesniu tyrimu, iš kurio pasitelkiamos patikslintos Daukanto nuorodos į Voigto GP, retai pakartojamos su kraštovaizdžiu ir gyvensena glaudžiai susijusios mintys. [p. 186].

ENThe article continues the study of the impact of Johannes Voigt’s (1786–1863) nine-volume Geschichte Preußens (1827–1837) on the historiography of Simonas Daukantas (1793–1864) (see: Roma Bončkutė, ‘Johanneso Voigto Geschichte Preußens (1827–1839) nuorodos Simono Daukanto veikale BUDĄ Senowęs-Lëtuwiû Kalnienû ĩr Ƶámajtiû (1845)’, Archivum Lithuanicum, 2021, vol. 23, 269–298). The focus is on the change of landscape in BUDĄ Senowęs-Lëtuwiû Kalnienû ĩr Ƶámajtiû (The Character of the Early Lithuanians, Samogitians, and Highlanders, 1845). The article analyses how Daukantas adopted and interpreted the transformation of the lands occupied by the Teutonic Knights, which were significant for the pagan religion, in Voigt’s history and how he created a sacralised landscape corresponding to the holy war. The article draws on Gregory Leighton’s study Ideology and Holy Landscape in the Baltic Crusades (2022), which also pays considerable attention to Voigt’s history. A conclusion is drawn that in their works, Voigt and Daukantas pay much attention to the landscape as the most important element shaping the spirit of the nation. Daukantas perceives the sanctity of ancient Lithuanians as all encompassing and considers the human as a sacred part of that totality. Daukantas shows that excellent knowledge and mastery of the living space and the application of its benefits in everyday life by the ancient Lithuanian reflected high intellectual capacity of the nation. Daukantas therefore adopts from Voigt and quotes twice the observation of the first Christians who visited the Balt lands that they were the most humane of all people and only lacked a Christian name.According to Daukantas, the high estimation of the pagans shows that the Crusades were morally unmotivated, that the ancient Lithuanians/Balts were forced to defend themselves, and that their cruelty towards the Christians was provoked by the Order’s predatory aims. Voigt shows Christianisation as a series of knightly campaigns in honour of God, which brought culture and education to lands that were late in terms of civilisation, but which had a very interesting and distinctive culture. Daukantas used Voigt’s words to describe the Balt religion and its shifts, the art of war, and trade. It is important to stress that Voigt does not agree with all the measures taken by the Teutonic Order and portrays the Prussians as those who legitimately fought for their freedom. Unlike Voigt, Daukantas shows that to defeat the resisting pagans, Christians mobilised large forces, imposed sanctions, confiscated lands, and transformed the pagan landscape and national identity. Daukantas points out that the change of identity was closely linked to the decline of culture and morality. It has been established that Daukantas adopted the memorable narratives – which moved from text to text – of the first contacts of pagans with Christians from Voigt and re-quoted from him all the manuscript sources, as well as the chronicles of Lucas David (20 times) and those of Peter of Duisburg (14 times out of 15).