DBMM New Zealand : Three Lithuanian generals - posted by Vince Cholewa, 31 January 2025

Three Lithuanian generals, 1500 AD: mixing my cultural references, it’s a whānau thing! Didysis Kunigas is Grand Duke. Jogailaičiai is the family of Grand Duke Aleksandras Jogailaitis. Gediminaičiai is the clan to which the family belonged.

In the DBMM list, the Grand Duke is Irr Cv(O) and I will use him as that. However, I have used knight figures from the Perry Miniatures Wars of the Roses range to depict him and his retinue.

My army is from the beginning of the 16th century but the only Lithuanian figures I have seen are 14th century (likely based on pics in wargaming and popular history books). Portraits I have seen from around the time of my army show the Grand Duke and other Lithuanian senior nobles dressed and armoured as other central European rulers. If you said the portrait was Polish, Hungarian etc., you wouldn’t argue. By 1500 there had been more than a century of Lithuanian and Polish Royal and noble families inter-marrying and increasing cultural and political connection, westwards. Also, did you know, at this time Lithuania was the biggest country in Europe and the Grand Duke was seriously wealthy? If you’ve got it, flaunt it!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/824840264342234/posts/2812384545587786/

ussell Briant

Top contributor

Fantastic story line.

Vincent Cholewa

Author

Admin

Russell Briant thank you

The Grand Dukes banner had been used since the mid-14th century. The translation of its name is either "the chase" or "the knight". Interestingly, the horseman on it is equipped like a western or central European knight. I have no idea if Lithuanian boyars were possibly what we would call Kn(F) but I do wander if the wealthiest wore the best armour they could afford and get

Ben Fouche

Are these 15mm?

Vincent Cholewa

Author

Admin

Ben Fouche no, they are 25mm.

Mark Darling

Ben Fouche No

Kelly Gay

I always enjoy your posts Vincent Cholewa!

Vincent Cholewa

Author

Admin

Kelly Gay thank you so much, I really appreciate your comment

Thane Maxwell

Fascinating, know nothing about clans in Lithuania/Poland as it was. Can you recommend a good read? Fab painting too

Vincent Cholewa

Author

Admin

Thane Maxwell thank you

I don’t have one book to recommend, I picked up bits and pieces of information in different places, mostly about Polish history and then followed a few of the references. I would like to someday read a translation of a good, recently-published Lithuanian-sourced history but I don’t know a title.

Aaron Jackson

Beautiful miniatures