Zvelgaitis

Žvelgaitis (Svelgates) (literally, looker-about) was a Lithuanian knight.

In 1205, Žvelgaitis takes several thousand horsemen northward, from Lithuania through Riga, on the way to attack and plunder Estonia. Returning from Estonia mid-winter, with booty and Estonian slaves, his troops are caught unawares and attacked while crossing through waist-high snow-drifts. He is attacked by the Latvian and German citizens of Riga, under the leadership of Vester, coordinating the attack from a sleigh. Žvelgaitis is killed by a javelin thrown by German Theodore Schilling. 1200 Lithuanian knights perish; the Estonian slaves are slaughtered as well, in retribution for past crimes against the Latvians. In Lithuania, the return of Žvelgaitis is missed, and it is said that as many as fifty wives of the Lithuanian soldiers kill themselves in greif, hoping to all the sooner be at the sides of thier slain husbands.

The above episode is given by Henrik the Latvian, a 13th century German chronicler of Latvian history, spanning the years 1200-1227.

Žvelgaitis was not a Lithuanian ruler per-se but a notable leader in Lithuanian history.

References

• V. Daugirdaite Srougiene, Lietuvos Istorija (Sestoji Laida), (Sixth Edition, no date, circa 1965, no card catalogue info) Knygu Leidykla TERRA (publisher TERRA) Chicago Illinois, printed at M. Morkunas printing, 2000 copies.