Kristinas Astikas

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Kristinas Astikas (d. 1442 or 1444) was a Lithuanian noble and statesman. He was the precursor of the Astikai family and a first known ancestor of Radvilos family. Kristinas was and a companion of Vytautas the Great, his brother Sigismund Kestutaitis, and nephew Casimir Jagiellon^[1], he became a Castellan of Vilnius in 1419.^[2]

Kristinas is mentioned first time in 1389 in the Treaty of Salynas between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Order; he also participated in signing of many treaties, including Peace of Toruń in 1411, Treaty of Melno in 1422, and Union of Grodno in 1432. After Union of Horodlo he received the Coat of Arms of Trąby. Astikas was his pagan Lithuanian name, while Kristinas (Christian) was his Christian name, later turned into a surname of his heirs.

He was presumed to be an ancestor of the legendary Duke of Kernavė Sirputis, sibling of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Traidenis. Kristinas had fours sons: Stanislovas (sometimes also called Stankus), Mikalojus, Baltramiejus and Radvila Astikas, a Voivod of Trakai, the founder of Radvila (later Radziwill) family. Kristinas was the first known owner of Upninkai and Musninkai with their lands, inherited by his son Radvila, also the owner of Alanta and Užpaliai in Lithuania. Some of the lands, including Alanta, were granted to him for his service to Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund Kęstutaitis.

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