| Abstract [eng] |
This work focuses on how a person came to be captured, time spent in captivity and the conditions under which a prisoner of war was held in captivity, and, lastly, how he was able to regain his freedom. Separate chapters analyse the treaties and practices that regulated and limited the rights of combatants over captives and booty; revealing the ‘portrait’ of the captive or the social group to which he belonged. In addition to the capture, the situation of prisoners of war in captivity is also important – where he was held, how he was provided for, and cared for. Finally, the last part of the thesis examines a range of practices, from ransoms to exchanges and parole on bails. Negotiations over prisoners of war and their exploitation for one purpose or another are also extensively discussed. The study therefore focuses on practices which, whether they concern prisoners of war of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Teutonic Order or the Kingdom of Poland, are essentially the same and reflect the rules that had been established between the contracting parties even before they were recorded in a written source. Not only did the norms between the belligerents become similar, but they also evolved at a similar pace and were adapted to specific situations. |
