Jan Janowicz Zabrzeziński, Rymowid’s descendant

The object of this article is the biography of Jonas Jonaitis Zaberezinskis (~1473-1538), by the end of his life – the palatine of Trakai and grand marshal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. His relations with other most influential high-rank noblemen of the period are considered, especially the meaning of marriages contracted by him and those fixed by him for his descendants. His itinerary and other relevant documents are analysed as well. Collected data shows that Jonas Jonaitis Zaberezinskis was perfectly integrated with the Lithuanian ruling elite, which included the capitaneus of Samogitia, Stanislovas Jonaitis Kęsgaila, the palatine of Vilnius and chancellor, duke Mikalojus Mikalojaitis Radvila, as well as Albertas Goštautas – the palatine of Vilnius and chancellor after Radvila. Less evidence is left of his connection with the castellan of Vilnius, Jurgis Radvila or the palatine of Trakai (until 1530), duke Kon- stantin of Ostrog. Despite claims on the contrary, present in literature, Jonas Jonaitis Zaberezinskis was not the supporter of the Polish-Lithuanian union. Rather, he kept a view similar to that of Albertas Goštautas, as a defender of political independence and different regime of the Grand Duchy. Formu- lations included in the letters of Jokūbas Zaberezinskis (who claimed to be a son of the Lithuanian marshal Jonas) to Jan Dantyszek, where he speaks of his patria, meaning Poland, should be explained most probably by his youth spent in Mazowsze next to his mother Itamiła Laszewska-Krupska, whose marriage with Jonas Jonaitis Zaberezinskis was pronounced invalid at the ecclesiastical court provided by the bishop of Płock, Erazm CiołekIstorijos katedraVytauto Didžiojo universiteta