Šiauduva XIV a. – XV a. pradžioje
Šiauduva in the 14th and Beginning of the 15th Century

Summary/Abstract: This article explores the early history of Šiauduva, a small settlement, which is one of the oldest in the ethnic region of Samogitia. A small rural district (valsčius) of Samogitian eldership (seniūnija) of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was also named after it. The circumstances under which Šiauduva arose near Laukuva, the older center of the area, are analysed. At the same time, the article addresses another important task – to determine the date of the first mention of Šiauduva in written sources. The settlement’s status in the 14th century and in the beginning of the 15th century and the formation of Šiauduva rural district are discussed as well. The research employed analysis and synthesis, comparative, geographical and retrogressive chronological methods. It showed that Šiauduva took over the role of the centre of the local area from Laukuva in the 14th century. Šiauduva was a centre of a small self-government unit in the end of the 14th century and in the beginning of the 15th century. It can be stated with very high probability that the act issued by the German Order in 1339 to a fugitive, Rusteika, includes Šiauduva’s first known mention in written historical sources.

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