Nzvimbo dzakakura dzenyika dzeRus, kubatanidza Dnieper River basin nenharaunda dzinotambanukira kumaodzanyemba kusvikira kuGungwa Dema, panguva iyoyo dzakanga dziri pasi pokutonga kweLithuania. Kuti vatonge nzvimbo huru idzi, vaLithuania nevaRuthenian vakarwa Hondo yeBlue Waters
muna 1362 kana kuti 1363 vachirwisana nevaMongol vaipinda uye vakanga vatora mukana wesimba rakanga risisina simba kumaodzanyemba nokumabvazuva rakanga ravapo nemhaka yokuparadzwa kweKievan Rus' nevaMongol. Vagari vomunharaunda yakawedzerwa yeGrand Duchy nokudaro vakanga vari zvikurukuru veRuthenian neEastern Orthodox. Kuwedzera kwemiganhu kwakatungamirira kukakavadzana pakati peLithuania neGrand Duchy yeMoscow, iyo yakazviwana ichibudiswa kubva muhurumende yeTatar uye iyo pachayo iri mukuwedzera. Chaizvoizvo muEurope, mubatanidzwa wacho wakabatanidza nyika mbiri dzaiva pamativi akapesana emusiyano mukuru wetsika pakati pechiKristu chokuMadokero kana kuti nyika yechiLatin, uye chiKristu chokuMabvazuva kana kuti nyika yeByzantium.