History of Lithuania briefly

Even the brief history of Lithuania is a fascinating and rich narrative. The Baltic country existed in many different ways. It was a confederation of pagan tribes, a powerful Grand Duchy that included a large part of the Russian lands, a member of the Union with Poland, a province of the Russian Empire and a union republic in the USSR. All this long and thorny path led to the emergence of a modern Lithuanian state.

Antiquity

The primitive history of Lithuania began in the tenth millennium BC. E. Approximately at this time, the earliest human settlements appeared on its territory. The inhabitants of the Neman valley were engaged in fishing and hunting.

In the second millennium BC. E. Between the Western Dvina and the Vistula began to form the culture of the ancestors of the Baltic tribes. They had their first bronze articles. Approximately in the VI century BC. E. Among the Balts, iron tools spread. Thanks to new tools (for example improved axes) deforestation accelerated and agriculture developed.

The direct predecessors of the Lithuanians were the Aukštajt and the Zhmud, who lived near the Prussians and Yatwags. These tribes had an outstanding feature. Both of them buried horses along with people, which indicated the fundamental role of these animals in the Baltic economy of that time.

On the eve of the appearance of the state

In addition to other Baltic tribes, the Lithuanians also shared with the Slavs, with whom they fought and traded. The inhabitants of the valleys of the Neman and Vilia traded not only with hunting, fishing and farming. They engaged in beekeeping and extracted wax. The goods of their territories were sold by pagans in exchange for metal and weapons that were scarce.

The history of Lithuania was then like the history of any other people with tribal relations. Gradually the power of princes (kunigas) was formed. There also existed the priests of the vaidelot. On holidays, Lithuanians brought their gods sacrifice animals (and sometimes people).

Association of Lithuania

Political self-organization was required for the Baltic tribes in the 12th century, when the first German crusaders began to appear on the border of their country. Christian orders began military expansion, setting as their goal the baptizing of the Gentiles. Because of the danger that has come from strangers, the history of Lithuania has moved to its new stage.

According to the charter signed by the Galician-Volhynian prince with his Baltic neighbors in the early 13th century, their lands were divided between 21 princes. Soon among them stood out Mindovg, who ruled in 1238-1263. He was the first to completely unite Lithuania under his sole authority.

Mindovg was surrounded by enemies. When the war between him and the Livonian Order began, the pagan prince decided to accept Christianity. In 1251 he was baptized. This allowed Mindovg to enlist the support of the pope in the war with another opponent - Daniel Galitsky. As a result, the Lithuanians defeated the Slavs. Shortly before his death, Mindovg abandoned Christianity, which he regarded as a diplomatic maneuver, and concluded an alliance with Alexander Nevsky, directed against the Germans. In 1263, Mindovg was assassinated by his fellow tribesmen Dovmont and Troynat.

Grand Duchy

The medieval history of Lithuania continued along the lines of orientations to the east. The princes of Balti concluded dynastic marriages with the Rurik people and were under Slavic influence. From the end of the 13th century Lithuania's territorial growth began. It was joined (often voluntarily) by the Russian appanage princes, who, not wanting to pay tribute to the Mongols, united with their neighbors.

In 1385, Lithuanian ruler Jagiello concluded a personal union with Poland and, thanks to this, was elected Polish king. Then he baptized his country on the Catholic rite, although the Russian majority continued to profess Orthodoxy. In 1392, Jagiello made his viceroy in Lithuania Vytautas. Despite his status, in fact this prince remained independent. When it ended the early history of Lithuania - the country reached the peak of its power.

In 1410 Vytautas, together with Jagiello, defeated the Teutonic Order in the Battle of Grunwald, after which the knights no longer threatened the independence of the Grand Duchy. In the east, Smolensk was added to Lithuania, and in the south its territory not only included Kiev, but also extended to the Black Sea.

Union with Poland

After the death of Vitovt in 1430, Lithuania gradually found itself under increasing Polish influence. Both countries were ruled by monarchs from the Jagiellonian dynasty. Strengthened the importance of Catholicism. Approximately at this time appeared the famous Mountain of Crosses in Lithuania. The history of the appearance of one of the most important sights of the country is for certain unknown. However, for many centuries Lithuanians have been visiting this place and setting up their own crosses there. According to popular belief, they bring good luck.

In 1569 between Poland and Lithuania was concluded the Lublin Union, which initiated the Commonwealth. It was different from the one that Jagiello adopted. Since then, the two countries have ruled one monarch, whom the aristocracy (szlachta) chose. At the same time, both Poland and Lithuania had their own armies and systems of law.

Part of the Russian Empire

Like any other country in Europe, Lithuania's history is rich in both ups and downs. In the 17th century, after a period of stability in Rzeczpospolita, the process of gradual decline began. From the country all new areas fell away. A significant part of Ukraine was lost. The dual monarchy was under the pressure of two neighboring powers - Sweden and Russia. At the beginning of the XVIII century, Rzeczpospolita concluded an alliance with Peter I against the northern Scandinavian kingdom, which saved her from imminent territorial losses.

Since then, both Poland and Lithuania have been in the sphere of influence of Russia. At the end of the XVIII century, Rzeczpospolita was divided between large neighbors. Her lands went to Prussia, Austria and Russia (the latter including Lithuania). The loss of independence of the residents of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth did not suit. In the XIX century there were several national Polish-Lithuanian uprisings. One of them fell on the Patriotic War of 1812. Nevertheless, Russia retained its western acquisitions, which included Lithuania. The history of the country for many years was strongly associated with the Romanov empire.

Restoration of independence

With the onset of the First World War, Lithuania was at the forefront of Germany and Russia. German troops occupied the Baltic country in 1915. In 1918, when two revolutions had already taken place in Russia, a provisional national government, Tariba, was established in Lithuania. For several months it declared the country a monarchy. The king was proclaimed Wilhelm von Urach. However, soon the country nevertheless became a republic.

The history of Lithuania in the 20th century has changed greatly due to Soviet Russia. The Red Army occupied the territory of the Baltic state in November 1918. The Bolsheviks seized Vilnius. The Lithuanian Soviet Republic was created, which was united with the Byelorussian one. But because of the difficult situation on other fronts of the civil war, the Red Army did not manage to stay in the Baltics. Lithuania was liberated by supporters of national independence. In 1920 the country concluded a peace treaty with the RSFSR.

Interbellum

Now that there is a new independent Lithuania, the history of the state could go in a variety of ways. The country was in a quandary. Vilnius remained under the control of neighboring Poland. Because of this, Kaunas was declared the capital (and temporary). The international community recognized the independence of Lithuania under the Versailles Treaty.

In 1926, the Baltic country was shaken by a military coup. The nationalist Antanas Smyoton, who established an authoritarian regime, came to power. For the strengthening of external security, Lithuania and its neighbors (Latvia and Estonia) formed the alliance of the Baltic Entente. These measures did not protect small states from aggression. In 1939, Nazi Germany presented Lithuania with an ultimatum, according to which she gave the Third Reich a controversial Klaipeda.

The Second World War

On the eve of World War II, the USSR and Hitlerite Germany signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, according to which the Baltic states fell into the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union. While the Germans were conquering Western Europe, the accession of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania was organized in the Kremlin. In 1940, all three countries were presented with a tough ultimatum: letting Soviet troops into their territory and accepting communist power.

Thus, the history of Lithuania, whose summary is extremely dramatic, once again proved to be connected with Russia. Smetona emigrated, and in the country were banned any political organization. In the summer of 1940 the formation of the Lithuanian SSR was completed and it was included in the USSR. Opponents of Soviet power were subjected to repression and deportations to Siberia. In 1941-1944 years. Lithuania, as well as during the First World War, was under German occupation.

Lithuanian SSR

After the Second World War, the status quo was never restored. Lithuania remained part of the USSR. This republic was the only one in the Soviet Union with a predominantly Catholic population. Russification and pressure on the church did not appeal to many Lithuanians. The outbreak of discontent took place in 1972, when dissident Romas Kalant carried out an act of self-immolation in Kaunas.

Nevertheless, Lithuania was able to restore its sovereignty only after Gorbachev's restructuring began. In 1990, the Supreme Council of the Republic adopted an act on the independence of the country. In response, supporters of Soviet power created the Committee of National Salvation. At his request, Soviet troops entered Lithuania. During the clashes in Vilnius in January 1991, 15 people died. Today, the victims of that confrontation are considered Lithuanian national heroes.

Modernity

Moscow recognized the independence of Lithuania after the August coup. The Baltic state immediately reoriented to the West. In 2004, Lithuania became a member of the European Union and NATO, and in 2015 it began using Eurocurrency.

The modern Baltic state is a republic. The head of the executive branch, the president, is elected for a term of five years. Today this position is occupied by Dalia Grybauskaite. The Parliament of Lithuania is called the Seimas. There are 141 deputies in it. Parliamentarians are elected by a mixed system.