“Sovereign routs” in the 15th–16th century Grand Duchy of Lithuania territorial structure

Abstract

The article offers an attempt to answer the questions: what was the importance of land roads as the means of communication in the governance of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (further – GDL) and how did it participate in the political space structure maturity. The spread of settlements was one of the reasons to develop the land road system. Some other reasons affected this process as well. As the state was building up, an enfolded entire settlement system territorial organization was forming. A sovereign reigned by travelling over the country or leaned upon a similar officer administration form. Constant routes – “sovereign routes” to the distant territories – appeared. Some of them had special names: “The Kęstutis passing,” “The road of Vytautas,” “King’s road,” or even “the Eternal road.” Such roads were solitary instances. Most often, roads of state importance took names after the territorial centers they united. It is obvious that being named after the sovereigns means the development of the political territorial system. The formed road maintenance obligation system also confirms this principle. A sovereign obligated local officers to take care of local roads. The success of the administration communication function was based on special duties – to organize a substation and to supply sovereign officers or sometimes even foreign diplomats with dwelling, food, and horses.