the first Samogitian uprising. It was not rebuilt. Historiography and locations Bayernburg is a poorly researched subject and is subject to many errors, inaccuracies, and wide-ranging interpretations in works by various historians. Not all historians recognize and distinguish that there were three separate fortresses with the same name. Due to the supposed death of Gediminas during the attack on the first Bayernburg, debates over its location have received greater attention from historians. According to Johannes Voigt, the first Bayernburg stood on the Mastaičiai (Narkūnai) hillfort opposite of Skirsnemunė. In 1934, Kazys Paunksnis proposed that it stood in Pilaitės, located about west of Veliuona. This opinion was accepted by Zenonas Ivinskis and supported by Adolfas Tautavičius who conducted archaeological excavations in Pilaitės in 1965 and found many crusader artifacts. While this became the leading theory, other opinions exist. Edvardas Gudavičius and Alvydas Nikžentaitis identified it with Marienburg, built on the Romainiai island between Veliuona and Pieštvė and destroyed in 1336. Gintautas Zabiela strongly refuted the idea that Bayernburg stood in Pilaitės as it is too small for a large fortress that could house 200 soldiers and withstand 22 days of attack. Zabiela instead suggested Plokščiai (Vaiguviškiai) hillfort (). A long historiographic tradition places the second Bayernburg at or near Raudonė, but it lacks proof as archaeological research dates Raudonė only to the 16th century. Chronicler Wigand of Marburg mentioned that the second Bayernburg was located about one mile west of the first, but a mile is an ill-defined measure of distance that varied greatly over the ages and medieval period is known for its inaccurate measurements. According to Zabiela, the nearest hillfort that could have housed the second Bayernburg is Maštaičiai (Narkūnai) hillfort located about from Plokščiai hillfort (). The location of the third Bayernburg is more clear. It is the present-day Kalnėnai hillfort near Jurbarkas. It is located on the right bank of the Neman River a little below the mouth of Mituva. It is a typical motte-and-bailey castle which was frequently used by the crusaders and not common among the Lithuanians. References Castles of the Teutonic Knights Former castles in Lithuania 14th century in Lithuania 14th century in the State of the Teutonic Order