Lietuvos didysis kunigaikštis Vytautas. Valdovo įvaizdis

LTStraipsnyje nagrinėdama viduramžių ir naujųjų laikų rašytinius ir ikonografinius šaltinius, stengsiuosi parodyti, kaip dvi opozicinės valdžios sampratos skleidėsi istorinėje sąmonėje. Vadovaudamasi viduramžių valdžios supratimu, aptarsiu Vytauto kilmės, sosto užėmimo, valdymo būdo, karo žygių, teisingumo vykdymo ir bažnytinės politikos temas. Straipsnį užbaigsiu Vytauto atvaizdų aptarimu, kuriame stengsiuosi įvardyti, kurie didžiojo kunigaikščio bruožai tapo jo ikonografijos dalimi, o kurie nugrimzdo užmarštin. [Iš straipsnio, p. 100]

ENHow do rulers become ‘Great’? Is the authority they have, or does the image they create, determine their greatness? The answers to these questions are sought in the biography and historical memory of the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Vytautas. There is a theory that Vytautas was the main creator of his own image as a ruler, whilst his contemporaries and succeeding generations only complemented and adapted this image for their own needs and understanding of power. The article analyses the creation and redesigning of Vytautas’ image, its functions and ways of expression in historical sources starting from the second half of the 14th century until the beginning of the 18th century, thus covering almost the entire period of existence of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Analysis of the ruler's propaganda reveals that there were two images of Vytautas - that of a good ruler and that of a tyrant. It is paradoxical, but the two opposite images were based on the same facts of his life and features of his character. The judgement upon the grand duke depends on the origin of the assessor. Whilst Lithuania was in favour of a powerful ruler, such a ruler was considered a tyrant in Western Europe. The article draws comparisons between the image of Vytautas with the concepts of power in the Middle Ages and modern times, reveals parallels and shows gaps in the image. The longevity of the grand duke’s image can be explained by its ability to adapt to the changing needs of society and to transfer aspiration into reality in the past. 109. [From the publication]