The valley of the Dubysa and its tributaries between the upland and the Nevėžis: the lands of Raseiniai, Betygala and Ariogala, the Samogitian side of the Neman crossing below Kaunas.
They face Lithuania proper and Upytė across the Nevėžis.
Who holds it
- Title
- elders and dukes of Raseiniai, Betygala and Ariogala
- Since
- not pinned
- Confidence
- low
These three lands are named in Mindaugas's grants of 1253-1259; their 1200 leaders are unknown.
How things stand that morning
Self-governing; no overlord.
Wealth
Grain and cattle on the Dubysa plain; the Neman river traffic.
Military
Hillforts on the Dubysa (Ariogala, Betygala); levies.
Customs and assemblies
Elders and dukes of the land with the free farmers decide its affairs; the hillfort is the refuge and meeting place in war. No written law; pagan cult at groves and hills.
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Named in the 1250s.
On the map: Baltic lands were clusters of settlement round hillforts divided by forest and bog; the outline is a convention traced along rivers and later boundaries.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.