20:
28:
85:. Leičiai made up the majority of the military-economic staff of the state: they enforced state authority in the periphery, protected state borders, and performed various other war-related functions, such as breeding riding horses. By the 15th and 16th centuries, leičiai were in decline, already losing some of their functions and prestige, and they disappeared as a social class after the implementation of the
417:(and came an envoy Totui and handed Karijotas and his retinue Lithuania over to Grand Duke Semyon Ivanovich). Karaliūnas accepts the synonymy of the words leičiai and Lietuva as proven and supposes that the word leitis, leičiai (< *leitiai) derives from the form *leitā, a synonym of *lietuvā, *leitavā, which, as it is shown above, had the meaning of armed retinue.
786:
his grace gave with people from town-dwellers and with all people of this estate of ours: roadmen (путъными) and tributary, and corvée doers, and from leičiai (лейти), and with horse-feeders, and with trackers, and with smiths, and woodworkers, and stablemen, and with all other people of this estate.
781:
estate for a temporary use: двор нашъ Ошъмену в тых пятисом копахъ грошей его милости дали з мешчаны и со всими людми того двора нашого путъными и данными, и тягълыми, и зъ лейти, и с конокормъцы, и с осочники, и с ковали, и дойлиды, и конюхи, и со всими иными людми того двора – the estate of ours
152:
Leičiai were war-like servants of a ruler, the staff enforcing his authority. Their duties were likely war-related, among which possibly were breeding riding horses, providing roadmen, protecting state borders. They were a possession of the monarch, that is, subordinates to the state and not to
305:
395:. It seems that the presence of such forms with -ei- in Latvian (more known in a western part), German and Samogitian dialect itself has a high possibility that the forms could derive from Western Balts, but it is unclear why they have no suffix -uva / -ava.
453:, and it is thought that leičiai could have lived in an estate now known as Perelozai located by Lietava. Among place-names considered to be derived from the word leičiai are, for example, Leičiai / Laičiai, Leitiškės(/-iai), Laiteliai villages in
189:
on leičiai. Their name was rendered in various forms: leythey, leyty, leytten, litten, лейти, лейци, лейтеве, лойти, людей лейтъскихъ, etc. These forms are considered to be the same as in у Лейтахъ – in Leičiai (administrative area).
257:(1597); войтовъстве Летувъском (1595, 1597; derived from Lietuva or Lētuva). Lithuanian -i.e.- was rendered as -и- or -е- in writing, or as -е- if it was -ē- instead of -i.e.-. A case of rendering
205:). From other sources of the first half of the 16th century, it is known that new people could not become leičiai although they could be accepted to perform the same services. Leičiai, unlike
253:: у Лейтахъ (1532; an example of Leičiai (as a place name) in writing); у войтовъстве Левътевскомъ (< Лейтевском; 1569), до Лейтовского рубежа (1545; possibly derived from Leituva);
398:
Simas Karaliūnas claims that the word
Lietuva had a meaning of bodyguard, retinue, attendant soldiery, troops. Such use is recorded, for example, in Russian sources:
209:, owned their patrimonial plots, had the right to relocate and return, and were accountable for performing their duties as brethren and not as households. After the
286:
623:
940:
655:
489:(place name) could not possibly be derived from *leičiai. Dubonis' counterargument is that the use of such form is present in historical sources.
1023:
258:
371:, are constantly found in the historical sources from the 14th and 15th centuries. For example, Lithuania is rendered as in writing as
933:
591:
898:
465:, etc. There are also surnames possibly derived from the word: Leita, Leitis, Leitanis, Leitanas, Leitonas, Leitėnas, Leičiūnas.
201:, in a 1514 litigation against a minor landowner over his patrimonial plot, said that he was an "eternal leitis" (лейти звечный,
854:
578:
343:(to speak in the Samogitian dialect). In historical written sources, an important example is known from one participant of the
599:
498:
501:, the Leitis appears as the unique unit of the Lithuanian civilization as a cavalry unit whose attack ignores melee armor.
177:
used to transfer royal estates to nobles for a temporary administration in exchange for cash, which was needed to finance
926:
82:
311:- a historic horse breed from Lithuania. Known from the 6–7th centuries, it was used as a warhorse by the Lithuanians.
554:
49:
339:(person speaking in another dialect than Samogitian, has an accent). Compare, for example, with modern Lithuanian
531:
517:
367:
The word forms, which have meanings
Lithuanian, Lithuanians, Lithuania and are most likely derived from the word
837:
809:
758:
534:. Lithuanian Student Association, Secretariate for External Relations. March 9, 2009 – via Google Books.
352:
178:
918:
323:", is known from several sources. This word is used by Latvians to name Lithuanians: leiši, sg. leitis. In
193:
By the 15th century, this social group and their services were in decline. For example, one leitis from
684:"Lietuvos didžiojo kunigaikščio leičiai XIII–XVI a.: Lietuvių ankstyvojo feodalizmo visuomenės tyrimas"
651:
277:
was also old, for example, the form of the name of the same place from the end of the 14th century:
950:
238:
141:
70:
32:
285:
up to the castle, of a name
Lithuania). The location of this castle has been determined to be the
233:
The synonymy of the words leičiai and
Lietuva is shown by the historical naming of one place near
830:
Lietuvos didžiojo kunigaikščio leičiai: iš Lietuvos ankstyvųjų valstybinių struktūrų praeities
802:
Lietuvos didžiojo kunigaikščio leičiai: iš Lietuvos ankstyvųjų valstybinių struktūrų praeities
751:
Lietuvos didžiojo kunigaikščio leičiai: iš Lietuvos ankstyvųjų valstybinių struktūrų praeities
332:
19:
182:
74:
474:
425:
According to the hypothesis proposing the relation between leičiai and
Lietuva, the name of
8:
997:
774:
344:
217:
174:
170:
153:
nobles. The first mention of them in written sources is known from 1407, when Grand Duke
44:
384:
297:; 1377–1386), the word 'castle' had maybe a meaning of the whole administrative area or
27:
717:
461:, Leitkapiai (modern Mataitiškė, Nosaičiai), Laitikai (modern Laitekiai) placenames in
392:
324:
78:
545:
93:
971:
833:
805:
754:
595:
478:
438:
360:
213:, leičiai became equal to other villeins and this distinct social group disappeared.
97:
434:
289:
hill fort. The word Lettow means
Lithuania (compare, for example, an inscription of
282:
413:
265:(16th century) shows that Левътевскомъ (< Лейтевском) could be reconstructed as
206:
117:
880:
198:
124:
in the same sense. Opponents to the hypothesis which attempts to relate the words
81:
and formed the core of the
Lithuanian society in the pre-state era and during the
832:(in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Lietuvos istorijos instituto leidykla. pp. 10–13.
458:
234:
210:
186:
86:
709:
454:
380:
1017:
948:
804:(in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Lietuvos istorijos instituto leidykla. p. 15.
753:(in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Lietuvos istorijos instituto leidykla. p. 98.
787:
Taken from: Dubonis, A., Lietuvos didžiojo kunigaikščio leičiai, 1998, p. 27
308:
1002:
624:"LDK istorija: didžiojo kunigaikščio leičiai – etninė ar socialinė grupė?"
473:
The hypothesis deriving
Lietuva from leičiai was not accepted by linguist
966:
549:
320:
66:
683:
778:
348:
660:
462:
450:
409:
92:
According to the hypothesis brought forward by
Lithuanian historian
976:
961:
783:
628:
426:
403:
356:
316:
162:
154:
109:
105:
587:
442:
290:
166:
121:
298:
242:
194:
400:
krestil knjazja
Litovskago imenem Evnutija i ego družinu Litvu
351:(Breslau), wrote in a letter addressed to his home town, that
446:
430:
304:
881:"Lietuvos vardo ir valstybingumo ištakos. Voruta, Vartiklis"
347:
in 1429. John Steinkeller, who was a member of a council of
437:
and which is the leading explanation for the origin of the
365:
her wolde machen herczog Wytolten eynen konyng der Leytten.
445:
which was derived from leičiai. In the same area there is
140:
with a diphthong -ei- instead of -ie-, is likely to be of
656:"Lietuva, Lieta, Leitis, arba ką reiškia žodis "Lietuva""
449:
town, maybe relating with the name Ruklys, son of King
223:
50:
331:(to speak in other than Samogitian, or to speak in
520:. Mokslas. March 9, 1995 – via Google Books.
383:in a narrative of a participant or witness of the
23:Lithuanian soldiers (14–15th century, reenactment)
1015:
855:"Vytautas Didysis ir bajoriškoji LDK kariuomenė"
77:or the state itself. Leičiai were native to the
777:to Jan Zaberezinski, by which he transfers the
457:, Leičiai, Lietuva / Lētuva, Leitava area near
576:
934:
477:, who claims that the diphthong -ei- shows a
16:Social group in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
701:
420:
387:. The ruler of Lithuanians was rendered as
157:granted an estate and its staff, including
941:
927:
279:a Hilgebeke usque Borchwal, nomine Lettow
263:w Korszewie, Korszewska, Korszewski powiat
104:) derived from leičiai. Leičiai is an old
744:
742:
740:
738:
736:
734:
592:Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania
379:with a further clarification that it was
823:
821:
795:
793:
577:Čeponis, Tomas; Sakalauskas, Mindaugas.
303:
26:
18:
827:
799:
748:
707:
1016:
731:
228:
65:) were a distinct social group of the
922:
818:
790:
499:Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
492:
412:i ego družinu Litvu knjazju velikomu
43:
852:
650:
429:, a small river which flows between
120:) and was historically known to the
681:
621:
544:
96:and linguist Simas Karaliūnas, the
13:
708:Dubonis, Artūras (30 April 2020).
224:Hypothesis on etymology of Lietuva
147:
14:
1035:
949:Classes of peasants in the early
899:"Lithuanians - Forgotten Empires"
555:Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia
1024:History of Lithuania (1219–1569)
402:(baptized the duke of Lithuania
185:. These contracts are the major
891:
873:
846:
782:for пятисом kopas / sixties of
767:
295:Yagal, Dey gracia rex in Lettow
675:
644:
615:
570:
538:
524:
510:
1:
504:
408:I pšišed posol Totui i vydal
373:czwicshen Lythen und Prewssen
353:Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
468:
441:, should be an example of a
406:and his retinue Lithuania);
255:we … wojtowstwie Liejtowskim
241:. Ten villages in Anykščiai
7:
710:"Leičiai | Orbis Lituaniae"
112:to denote the Lithuanians (
35:in the 13th–15th centuries.
10:
1040:
319:meaning of leičiai, e.g. "
83:establishment of the state
985:
957:
828:Dubonis, Artūras (1998).
800:Dubonis, Artūras (1998).
749:Dubonis, Artūras (1998).
216:Leičiai were replaced by
951:Grand Duchy of Lithuania
421:Place names and surnames
239:Grand Duchy of Lithuania
71:Grand Duchy of Lithuania
33:Grand Duchy of Lithuania
161:, to Manvydas, then an
312:
136:, claim that the form
36:
24:
355:, was going to grant
307:
183:Grand Duchy of Moscow
69:society in the early
30:
22:
903:Forgottenempires.net
391:in the chronicle of
389:die Litischen konige
337:leičiukas, leičiūkas
237:in the times of the
169:. Later Grand Dukes
45:[lɛɪˈt͡ɕɪɐɪ]
998:Lithuanian nobility
853:Praleika, Aidanas.
775:Sigismund I the Old
481:origin of the word
361:King of Lithuanians
345:Conference of Lutsk
333:Aukštaitian dialect
229:Leičiai and Lietuva
175:Sigismund I the Old
171:Alexander Jagiellon
73:subordinate to the
718:Vilnius University
682:Dubonis, Artūras.
652:Patackas, Algirdas
622:Dubonis, Artūras.
497:In the video game
493:In popular culture
485:and that the word
475:Zigmas Zinkevičius
393:Wigand von Marburg
325:Samogitian dialect
313:
37:
25:
1011:
1010:
716:(in Lithuanian).
601:978-609-412-143-2
439:name of Lithuania
414:Semenu Ivanovičiu
359:the title of the
327:there were words
98:name of Lithuania
1031:
943:
936:
929:
920:
919:
914:
913:
911:
909:
895:
889:
888:
877:
871:
870:
868:
866:
850:
844:
843:
825:
816:
815:
797:
788:
771:
765:
764:
746:
729:
728:
726:
724:
705:
699:
698:
696:
694:
679:
673:
672:
670:
668:
648:
642:
641:
639:
637:
619:
613:
612:
610:
608:
585:
574:
568:
567:
565:
563:
546:Dubonis, Artūras
542:
536:
535:
528:
522:
521:
514:
385:Battle of Strėva
249:, also possibly
247:Leičiai, Lietuva
138:leičiai, leitis,
75:Lithuanian ruler
54:
47:
1039:
1038:
1034:
1033:
1032:
1030:
1029:
1028:
1014:
1013:
1012:
1007:
981:
953:
947:
917:
907:
905:
897:
896:
892:
879:
878:
874:
864:
862:
861:(in Lithuanian)
851:
847:
840:
826:
819:
812:
798:
791:
773:A privilege of
772:
768:
761:
747:
732:
722:
720:
706:
702:
692:
690:
680:
676:
666:
664:
649:
645:
635:
633:
632:(in Lithuanian)
620:
616:
606:
604:
602:
583:
575:
571:
561:
559:
558:(in Lithuanian)
543:
539:
530:
529:
525:
516:
515:
511:
507:
495:
471:
423:
377:das land Litten
231:
226:
179:continuous wars
150:
148:Leičiai service
94:Artūras Dubonis
61:, also spelled
52:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1037:
1027:
1026:
1009:
1008:
1006:
1005:
1000:
995:
990:
986:
983:
982:
980:
979:
974:
969:
964:
958:
955:
954:
946:
945:
938:
931:
923:
916:
915:
890:
872:
845:
838:
817:
810:
789:
766:
759:
730:
714:LDKistorija.lt
700:
674:
643:
614:
600:
569:
537:
523:
518:"Lituanistica"
508:
506:
503:
494:
491:
470:
467:
422:
419:
287:Šeimyniškėliai
283:Šventoji River
269:. The variant
261:place name as
230:
227:
225:
222:
211:Wallach Reform
203:leity zvechniy
187:primary source
149:
146:
142:Western Baltic
87:Wallach Reform
31:Extent of the
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1036:
1025:
1022:
1021:
1019:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
988:
987:
984:
978:
975:
973:
970:
968:
965:
963:
960:
959:
956:
952:
944:
939:
937:
932:
930:
925:
924:
921:
904:
900:
894:
886:
885:www.spauda.lt
882:
876:
860:
856:
849:
841:
835:
831:
824:
822:
813:
807:
803:
796:
794:
785:
780:
776:
770:
762:
756:
752:
745:
743:
741:
739:
737:
735:
719:
715:
711:
704:
689:
685:
678:
663:
662:
657:
653:
647:
631:
630:
625:
618:
603:
597:
593:
589:
582:
581:
573:
557:
556:
551:
547:
541:
533:
527:
519:
513:
509:
502:
500:
490:
488:
484:
480:
476:
466:
464:
460:
456:
452:
448:
444:
440:
436:
432:
428:
418:
416:
415:
411:
405:
401:
396:
394:
390:
386:
382:
378:
374:
370:
366:
362:
358:
354:
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
310:
306:
302:
300:
296:
292:
288:
284:
280:
276:
272:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
221:
219:
214:
212:
208:
204:
200:
196:
191:
188:
184:
180:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
145:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
99:
95:
90:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
56:
55:
46:
41:
34:
29:
21:
1003:Volok Reform
992:
972:Šeimynykštis
906:. Retrieved
902:
893:
884:
875:
863:. Retrieved
858:
848:
829:
801:
769:
750:
721:. Retrieved
713:
703:
691:. Retrieved
688:Leitgiris.lt
687:
677:
665:. Retrieved
659:
646:
634:. Retrieved
627:
617:
605:. Retrieved
579:
572:
560:. Retrieved
553:
540:
526:
512:
496:
486:
482:
472:
424:
407:
399:
397:
388:
376:
372:
368:
364:
340:
336:
328:
314:
294:
278:
274:
270:
266:
262:
254:
250:
246:
232:
215:
202:
192:
158:
151:
137:
133:
129:
125:
113:
101:
91:
79:Lietuva Land
62:
58:
57:; singular:
39:
38:
967:Laukininkas
455:Aukštaitija
381:Aukštaitija
375:(1415); as
341:žemaičiuoti
321:Lithuanians
245:was called
839:9986780160
811:9986780160
760:9986780160
532:"Lituanus"
505:References
317:ethnonymic
309:Žemaitukas
67:Lithuanian
908:29 August
865:29 August
661:lrytas.lt
550:"Leičiai"
469:Criticism
463:Samogitia
459:Anykščiai
451:Mindaugas
329:leičiuoti
293:'s seal:
235:Anykščiai
181:with the
1018:Category
989:See also
977:Veldamas
962:Kaimynas
784:groschen
629:15min.lt
479:Curonian
435:Šventoji
404:Jaunutis
357:Vytautas
207:villeins
199:Eišiškės
155:Vytautas
144:origin.
110:Latvians
108:used by
106:ethnonym
993:Leičiai
859:Alfa.lt
779:Ašmiany
723:13 July
693:13 July
667:13 July
636:13 July
607:13 July
588:Vilnius
580:Leičiai
562:13 July
487:laičiai
483:leičiai
443:toponym
427:Lietava
410:Korjadą
349:Wrocław
291:Jogaila
271:Lietuva
267:Leituva
259:Karšuva
251:Leituva
167:Vilnius
134:Lietuva
130:leičiai
122:Germans
118:Latvian
102:Lietuva
63:laičiai
40:Leičiai
836:
808:
757:
598:
369:leitis
335:) and
299:volost
281:(from
275:Lētuva
243:volost
218:boyars
195:volost
159:leytey
126:leitis
59:leitis
584:(PDF)
447:Rukla
431:Neris
163:elder
114:leiši
910:2021
867:2021
834:ISBN
806:ISBN
755:ISBN
725:2021
695:2021
669:2021
638:2021
609:2021
596:ISBN
564:2021
433:and
315:The
173:and
132:and
53:CHAI
51:lay-
273:or
197:of
165:of
116:in
1020::
901:.
883:.
857:.
820:^
792:^
733:^
712:.
686:.
658:.
654:.
626:.
594:.
590::
586:.
552:.
548:.
363::
301:.
220:.
128:,
89:.
48:,
942:e
935:t
928:v
912:.
887:.
869:.
842:.
814:.
763:.
727:.
697:.
671:.
640:.
611:.
566:.
100:(
42:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)
