Krewo

Krewo, also spelled Krevo, is a historic locality associated with the late medieval history of the Polish–Lithuanian region. The site is traditionally identified with the Krewo estate in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and it is most notable for hosting the negotiations that produced the Union of Krewo in 1385.

In 1385, Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania, agreed to marry Queen Jadwiga of Poland, to convert Lithuania to Christianity, and to accept the Polish crown. This personal union between Poland and Lithuania strengthened both realms and established the dynastic line that would become the Jagiellon dynasty. The Union of Krewo is considered a foundational moment in the history of the Polish–Lithuanian state, which eventually formed the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in later centuries.

The toponym Krewo appears in Polish, Lithuanian, and Belarusian historiography, and the precise modern location associated with the event lies in the borderlands of present-day Lithuania and Belarus. While the exact site features various scholarly identifications over time, the term Krewo today remains chiefly as a historical reference to the 1385 agreement and to the broader cross-border heritage of the region.

See also: Union of Krewo; Jogaila; Jadwiga; Jagiellonian dynasty.