Spadkobiercy wojewody wileńskiego Dowgirda

ENJan Dowgird (Jonas Daugirdas) held for at least ten years (1433–1443) the offi ce of Palatine of Vilnius, the highest secu lar one in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, active member of the Grand Duke’s council. Only a part of his possessions was inherited by his descendants. Firstly, by his son Andruszko Dowgirdowicz and his heirs: the widow Światochna and their daughter Elżbieta Andruszkówna. As there were no more male heirs, large inheritance was bestowed on two daughters of Dowgird: Anna (Anuszka) and Olena (Oluszka). The fate of the estates given to these daughters is a perfect example of depreciation or establishing of the importance of the respective families of their husbands. Olena was the wife of kniaź Pietko Świrski, Anna – frst of Juszko Gojcewicz, then of Iwan Ilinicz. Both women were granted large dowries. The necessity of endowments from maternal property for Olena’s ten children (among them six daughters) resulted in the pauperisation of this branch of the Świrski family, despite of the ducal descent of the husband. Radically diff erent was the situation of Anna. The lack of children in the fi rst marriage and an additional marriage portion given to her by Juszko, as well as only two sons and a daughter resulting from the second marriage contributed to an excellent material base of the Ilinicz family.