The Aquatic resources of the royal lands in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in times of the last Jagiellonians (in view of legal norms)

ENIn the 13th and the 14th century, grand dukes had the exclusive right to dispose of aquatic resources of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and they kept it up to the 15th century despite the distribution of rights to royal aquatic resources which lasted since the reign of Vytautas. Aquatic resources of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania could be used not only by their heritable owners and lessees, but also by local people who were allowed to fish ducal lakes and rivers by virtue of the customary law. Since the second decade of the 16th century, grand dukes became more and more interested in the economic productivity of royal land of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and in particular in the exploitation of the aquatic resources. It was mainly caused by the increasing financial needs of the Lithuanian treasury connected with the Muscovite- Lithuanian wars and the economic activities of Queen Bona and Sigismund II Augustus. The monarchs signed legal regulations, which concerned their royal land in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. These regulations provided better management of the royal land and protected fish from excessive catch.