Švitrigaila remained imprisoned for nine years until his escape was organized by Dashko Feodorovich Ostrogski, Aleksander Nos, and Alexander of Smolensk. During the night of 24 March 1418 the conspirators, with 500 men, invaded the Kremenets Castle (the gate was opened by two of their men who infiltrated castle security), freed Švitrigaila, and marched to Lutsk. The city was captured and Švitrigaila received support from local nobility, but instead of waging a war, he retreated to Wallachia. For a while, he lived with Ernest, Duke of Austria and Sigismund, King of Hungary.