▁the ▁Ruth en ian ▁lands ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Duch y ▁consisted ▁of ▁ 5 3 7 2 . ▁ ▁E volution ▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 4 th ▁century ▁Grand ▁D uk es ▁J og ail a ▁and ▁Sk ir g ail a ▁began ▁forming ▁professional ▁forces . ▁Instead ▁of ▁calling ▁all ▁men ▁to ▁war , ▁a ▁class ▁of ▁professional ▁war riors ▁– ▁b aj or ai ▁( f uture ▁nobles ) ▁– ▁was ▁formed . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 5 th ▁century , ▁V y ta ut as ▁the ▁Great ▁reform ed ▁the ▁army ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Duch y ▁of ▁Lith u ania ▁further : ▁as ▁there ▁were ▁not ▁enough ▁war riors , ▁V y ta ut as ▁rel ieved ▁soldiers ▁from ▁tax es ▁and ▁labour ▁on ▁the ▁land ▁by ▁grant ing ▁them ▁v eld am ai ▁status , ▁a ▁class ▁of ▁dependent ▁pe as ants . ▁At ▁first ▁the ▁land ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁serving ▁men ▁until ▁death ▁( ben ef ice ), ▁but ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁and ▁ 1 5 th ▁centuries ▁most ▁of ▁it ▁became ▁pat rim ony , ▁granted ▁by ▁grace ▁of ▁the ▁monarch . ▁Wh ilst ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁century ▁the ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁possessed ▁ownership ▁of ▁about ▁ <0xE2> <0x85> <0x94> ▁of ▁the ▁Duch y ' s ▁land , ▁the ▁exp anse ▁of ▁his ▁direct ▁ownership ▁decre ased ▁to ▁ ⅓ ▁by ▁ 1 5 6 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁century , ▁the ▁noble