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Traidenis (died 1282) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1269 or 1270 until 1282. He is the second most prominent grand duke of Lithuania in the 13th century after Mindaugas. His reign ended a seven-year unrest period after King Mindaugas was assassinated in 1263 and firmly established Lithuania as a pagan state for another hundred years.
Traidenis expanded the Grand Duchy into the territories of Sudovians and Semigalians and strengthened its presence in Black Ruthenia. Unlike Mindaugas, Traidenis did not concentrate on expansion into the east.
Traidenis, however, perceived the rule of a Lithuanian Orthodox monarch—particularly one reliant on Ruthenian Orthodox military support—as a threat to Lithuania's recently reasserted polytheistic traditions and launched his claim to the throne. In 1267, the Orthodox triumvirate governing Lithuania, comprising Vaišelga, Shvarn, and Vasilko, was dissolved. Facing the lack of direct heirs of the House of Mindaugas, Vaišelga abdicated the throne in favour of his brother-in-law Shvarn, and returned to monastic life. Concurrently, Vasilko, whose Lithuanian rights had previously shielded him from the emerging throne claimant Traidenis, saw these rights terminated following Vaišelga's abdication.
The precise circumstances surrounding Traidenis' removal of Shvarn from power and subsequent ascension remain undocumented. In late 1267, Volodymyr in Volhynia hosted a meeting between Vaišelga, Vasilko, and Leo—the brother of Shvarn—to deliberate on authority in Lithuania. Enraged by Vaišelga’s earlier transfer of Lithuanian rulership to Shvarn rather than himself (as recorded in the Halych-Volhynian Chronicle), Leo assassinated Vaišelga. Whether Traidenis conspired with Leo to assassinate Vaišelga remains uncertain, but their concurrent actions suggest that Leo consented to non-interference during Traidenis' campaign for the throne. Traidenis consolidated control and moved against Vaišelga’s loyalists in Lithuania. With Shvarn absent from the succession struggle and Vaišelga eliminated, Vasilko alone contested Traidenis’ rule. Throughout 1268, he waged a solitary campaign for power in Lithuania without Leo’s support. The war proved devastating: Traidenis lost three brothers—Barza, Liesis, and Svalkenis—in the fighting. Vasilko was ultimately defeated and died shortly thereafter, with his lands reverting to Lithuania.
Traidenis, known for his devotion to Lithuanian polytheism and Germanophobia attitude, was also successful in fighting against the Livonian Order. In 1270, he won the Battle of Karuse, fought on ice near Saaremaa, and killed Otto von Lutterberg, master of the Order. A new master, Andreas von Westfalen, sought quick revenge, but was also killed by Traidenis. However, by 1272 the Order retaliated, attacking Semigalia and building Dinaburga Castle Castle in 1273 on lands nominally controlled by Traidenis. Despite four siege engines used to throw boulders, he was unable to capture the new fortress and had to retreat in 1278. In 1279, the order attacked Lithuanian lands, reaching as far as Kernavė, but on their way back, they suffered a great defeat in the Battle of Aizkraukle. The Order's master, Ernst von Rassburg, became the third master to be killed by Traidenis. The defeat encouraged the conquered Semigallians to rebel against the Order. The Semigallians, led by Nameisis, were now willing to acknowledge Lithuania's superiority and asked Traidenis for assistance. Traidenis supported the revolt, ultimately incorporating segments of their lands into Lithuania. Though unable to provide timely support for the faltering Great Prussian Uprising, Traidenis launched military campaigns to aid the Yotvingians and Sudovians against Teutonic Order conquests, subsequently annexing portions of their territories to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He granted asylum to Old Prussians and Skalvian refugees fleeing to Lithuania.
In 1281, Traidenis conquered Jersika Castle in the present-day Preiļi district, and was able to exchange it for Dinaburg Castle. However, Traidenis died soon afterwards, and assistance to Semigalians, exhausted by constant warfare, diminished.
Traidenis’ consolidation of power in Lithuania simultaneously restored Leo’s dominant position within the Romanovych dynasty of Halych-Volhynia. However, it provoked fierce opposition from Leo’s cousin Prince Vladimir Vasilkovich and the Orthodox clergy, who viewed Lithuania’s shift as a deviation from its projected Orthodox future. Traidenis is the first known Lithuanian monarch to have died a natural death. All others before him were assassinated or killed in battle.
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