Michalon Lituanus

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Michalon Lituanus (also known as Michalon Litwin, Michalon the Lithuanian, Michael the Lithuanian) was an author of the treatise (in Latin language) De moribus tartarorum, lituanorum et moscorum ("On the Customs of Tatars, Lithuanians and Muscovites"), known in fragments only. Neither the identity of the author nor even his name are known definitely (by the then traditions, the author's name was given in genitive: "Michalonis Lithuani De moribus tartarorum..."). The original date of the treatise is not known either. The first known piblication of the work was done in 1615 by the printer Konrad Waldkirch in Basel, Switzerland.^[1]

While the treatise contains historical information, it should be taken cum grano salis: it is neither a chronicle nor a travel book, but rather a political essay which criticizes the Motherland of the author (Grand Duchy of Lithuania) and overly praises both Muscovy and the Crimean Khanate.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Introduction to the Russian translation: Михалон Литвин. О нравах татар, литовцев и москвитян. Moscow 1994