Polish–Lithuanian Union

A political alliance between the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, formalized in 1385 and reshaped by later agreements into a closer union.

Union of Krewo: A 1385 agreement in which Grand Duke Jogaila pledged to marry Queen Jadwiga, convert Lithuania to Christianity, and unite his lands with Poland. Its dynastic and political commitments established the first formal basis for cooperation.
Union of Vilnius and Radom: A 1401 agreement confirming Vytautas as grand duke of Lithuania while preserving the alliance with Poland and defining mutual obligations. It clarified how Lithuanian rule could remain distinct under the shared dynastic arrangement.
Battle of Grunwald: A 1410 battle in which Polish and Lithuanian forces defeated the Teutonic Order near Grunwald in present-day Poland. The victory demonstrated the military strength of cooperation between the two states.
Personal union: A relationship in which two or more states share a monarch while retaining separate governments and laws. For much of its history, the Polish–Lithuanian relationship functioned through a shared dynasty.
Jogaila: Grand Duke of Lithuania who became King of Poland as Władysław II Jagiełło after marrying Queen Jadwiga. His marriage and conversion fulfilled the central terms of the 1385 agreement.
Union of Horodło: A 1413 agreement that strengthened Polish–Lithuanian cooperation and extended the privileges of Polish nobility to selected Lithuanian Catholic nobles. It formalized elite cooperation while linking political privilege to religious status.
Polonization: The spread of Polish language and culture among non-Polish populations, often through education, administration, and elite social life. Polish influence grew among parts of the Lithuanian nobility within the union.
Real union: A union of states that share a monarch and some institutions while retaining distinct legal or governmental structures. This model helps distinguish shared institutions from complete political absorption.
Jadwiga of Poland: Queen of Poland from 1384 until her death in 1399, whose marriage to Jogaila helped establish the Polish–Lithuanian alliance. Her marriage to Jogaila made the union’s dynastic settlement possible.
Union of Lublin: The 1569 agreement that joined the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in a federal state called the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It transformed the earlier dynastic union into a common political entity.

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