Tale of Švitrigaila

Nicholas Zharkikh

Immediately after "Praise of Vytautas" in Vit4L places "Tale of Švitrigaila", did not separated, however, with heading (there are no headings in Vit4L at all).

Conclusions

1. "Tale of Švitrigaila" as a standalone product is selected by us for the first time, previous researchers have not isolated it and did not pay attention to variant reading in copies.

2. It is safe to assert that the "Tale" was written by the same author who wrote "Tale of Podillja land" and "Praise of Vytautas" (2nd edition), that is, the person close to the ruling circles of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

3. Its original edition preserved in Vit4L list, from which it was borrowed in the "Belarusian" chronicles (there it was unsuccessfully moved).

4. Written "Tale" after the fight, in 1436 or soon afterwards, during the lifetime of Prince Sigismund Keistutaitis. During the war, the author of the tale stayed among Švitrigaila supporters in the northern part of Belarus (Polotsk, Vitebsk). There is no reason to link it with the writing of Smolensk.

5. The sources the value of the product is high enough; one should use Vit4L copy for research.