Vytauto Didžiojo 1388 m. privilegija Brastos žydams. Nauji atsakymai į atsakytus klausimus

A new interpretation of Vytautas the Great's 1388 privilege to the Jews of Brest challenges established historiography by proposing that it was adapted from a privilege granted to Lviv Jews by his cousin, Jogaila (Władysław Jagiełło), in 1387. This adaptation, rather than being based on earlier privileges like those of Bolesław the Pious or Kazimierz the Great, suggests a localized legal pattern where Vytautas extended similar rights to Brest as had been done for Lviv. The study also reveals that the 'double reward as for a nobleman'—a hallmark of Jewish legal status in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL)—was likely introduced later, around 1507, during Žygimantas the Old's reign, rather than being part of Vytautas' original privilege. This finding reshapes our understanding of the privilege's evolution and its role in the GDL's legal system.

Šiaučiūnaitė-Verbickienė, J. (2021). Vytauto Didžiojo 1388 m. privilegija Brastos žydams. Nauji atsakymai į atsakytus klausimus. Lietuvos Istorijos Metraštis, 2021(2), 5–28. https://doi.org/10.33918/25386549-202102001