Published: 20250314
March is recognized as International Women’s History Month, a time to remember and honor women who have left a significant mark on Lithuania’s history. To celebrate, the website and social media pages of the Palace of the Grand Dukes Museum will highlight several remarkable women who played important, intriguing, and influential roles in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
The first notable Lithuanian woman worth remembering is Ona Vytautienė, Grand Duchess of Lithuania and the first wife of Vytautas the Great.
The first historical mention of Ona is believed to be in connection with a life-threatening situation involving her husband. When she learned that Vytautas was in danger, she orchestrated his escape from captivity in Kreva Castle, where he was held by Jogaila. It is likely that, with the help of a servant, Vytautas disguised himself in Ona’s clothing and successfully fled.
Beyond her role as Vytautas’ wife, Ona was also a powerful political figure. She maintained diplomatic relations with the Teutonic Order and Jogaila, both of whom sought her favor—going so far as to send her expensive gifts, including precious rings! She was also involved in signing important agreements. Her seal appears on the 1392 Astrava Treaty, in which she pledged guarantees on behalf of her husband.
As Grand Duchess of Lithuania, Ona took an active interest in political affairs, established her own court, and promoted her Christian royal status. To demonstrate her religious devotion, she visited holy sites, advocated for the establishment of a women’s monastery in Trakai, and supported other Christian causes.
Ona also enjoyed traveling alongside Vytautas and, if she were alive today, she would likely lead tours of the places she visited. Historical records from the Teutonic Order’s treasurer indicate that in 1400, Ona—accompanied by Vytautas’ brother, Grand Duke Žygimantas Kęstutaitis (1432–1440), and an escort of 400 horsemen—visited Brandenburg, Aldenburg, and Marienwerder. Wherever she stopped, she was received with grand ceremonies and presented with lavish gifts.
As a devout Catholic, Ona was buried in Vilnius Cathedral, a fact confirmed by the many generous donations she left to the church.
The Palace of the Grand Dukes Museum houses a portrait of Vytautas the Great and his wife, Ona, which has been granted protection under the UNESCO Memory of the World Program.
In 2021, a miniature painting depicting Vytautas and Ona was recognized by the UNESCO Commission in Lithuania as a nationally significant document and was added to Lithuania’s national "Memory of the World" register.
This miniature, created between the late 15th and early 16th century, is unique due to the extreme rarity of surviving early portraits of Lithuanian rulers. Vytautas is depicted alongside his first wife, Ona, who was the daughter of Sudimantas, Duke of Eišiškės. Interestingly, the artist elevated her status in the painting by incorrectly labeling her as “Heir to the Kingdom of Poland”. Next to Ona’s portrait, there is a Latin inscription: "Anna Heres / regni Polonia a / Venceslao patre relicta" ("Ona, heir of the Kingdom of Poland, left behind by her father Wenceslaus [Vaclovas]").
This suggests that the miniature was not created within the Teutonic Order, where Ona was well known, but rather in another state of the Holy Roman Empire. The portrait depicts the Lithuanian rulers in full length, dressed in Western European attire typical of the late 15th–early 16th century.
According to Dr. Rūta Čapaitė, who conducted a paleographic analysis, the artist may have copied the portraits from an earlier mid-15th-century drawing. This is supported by the crown shape and hairstyle of the duchess (a shaved forehead, which was fashionable at the time).
This miniature portrait of Ona Vytautienė is the oldest known depiction of a female ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
