Editing Casimir IV Jagiellon (section)

==Grand Duke of Lithuania==
[[File:Lithuanian Denar of Kazimieras Jogailaitis with the Columns of Gediminas and Lithuanian Vytis (Waykimas) 2.jpg|thumb|left|Lithuanian coin of Grand Duke Casimir IV Jagiellon with the [[Columns of the Gediminids]] and [[coat of arms of Lithuania|Vytis (Pogonia)]]]]

The sudden death of [[Sigismund Kęstutaitis]] left the office of the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]] empty. The [[Voivode of Trakai]], [[Jonas Goštautas]], and other magnates of Lithuania, supported Casimir as a candidate to the throne. However many Polish noblemen hoped that the thirteen-year-old boy would become a [[Vicegerent|Vice-regent]] for the Polish King in Lithuania.<ref name=Kiau>J. Kiaupienė Valdžios krizės pabaiga ir Kazimieras Jogailaitis. Gimtoji istorija 2: Nuo 7 iki 12 klasės (Lietuvos istorijos vadovėlis). CD. (2003). Elektroninės leidybos namai: Vilnius.</ref> Casimir was invited by the Lithuanian magnates to Lithuania, and when he arrived in [[Vilnius]] in 1440, he was proclaimed as the [[Grand Duke of Lithuania]] on 29 June 1440 by the [[Council of Lords]], contrary to the wishes of the Polish noble lords — an act supported and coordinated by Jonas Goštautas.<ref name=Kiau/> When the news arrived in the Kingdom of Poland concerning the proclamation of Casimir as the Grand Duke of Lithuania, it was met with hostility, even to the point of military threats against Lithuania.<ref name=Kiau/> Since the young Grand Duke was underage, the supreme control over the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was in the hands of the [[Lithuanian Council of Lords]], presided by [[Jonas Goštautas]]. Casimir was taught [[Lithuanian language]] and the customs of Lithuania by appointed court officials.<ref>[http://ualgiman.dtiltas.lt/vid..html#Hermanas_Vartbergietis_ Lietuvių kalba ir literatūros istorija<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026081117/http://ualgiman.dtiltas.lt/vid..html#Hermanas_Vartbergietis_ |date=26 October 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Stryjkowski |first1=Maciej |authorlink1=Maciej Stryjkowski |title=Kronika Polska, Litewska, Zmódzka i wszystkiéj Rusi. |date=1582 |publisher=Warszawa Nak. G.L. Glüsksverga |page=207 |url=https://archive.org/details/kronikapolskalit02stryuoft/page/206/mode/2up?view=theater |access-date=17 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kurie Lietuvos valdovai mokėjo protėvių kalbą, kurie – ne? / Laida "Lietuva – mūsų lūpose" |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_I9qGa1J44  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/o_I9qGa1J44| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|website=YouTube.com | date=22 February 2021 |publisher=Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania |access-date=3 October 2021 |language=lt}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

During Casimir's rule the rights of the Lithuanian nobility — dukes, magnates, and [[boyar]]s (lesser nobles), irrespective of their religion and ethnicity — were put on an equal footing to those of the Polish [[szlachta]]. Additionally, Casimir promised to protect the Grand Duchy's borders and not to appoint persons from the [[Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)|Polish Kingdom]] to the offices of the Grand Duchy. He accepted that decisions on matters concerning the Grand Duchy would not be made without the Council of Lords' consent. He also granted the subject region of [[Eldership of Samogitia|Samogitia]] the right to elect its own [[Elder of Samogitia|elder]]. Casimir was the first ruler of Lithuania baptized at birth, becoming the first native Roman Catholic Grand Duke.