The fresco in the Vilnius Cathedral, dating to the Christianization of Lithuania

The Christianization of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos krikštas) was the event that took place in 1387, initiated by the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Jogaila with his cousin Vytautas, that signified the official adoption of Christianity by Lithuanians, the last pagan nation in Europe. This event ended one of the most complicated and lengthiest processes of Christianization in history. Events June 2 - John Holland, a maternal half-brother of Richard II of England, is created Earl of Huntingdon. ... The presumable banner of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the coat of arms, called Пагоня in Belarusian, Vytis in Lithuanian and Pogoń in Polish Another version of the Lithuanian banner The Grand Duchy of Lithuania ( Lithuanian: Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštyst... Poland was ruled by dukes (c. ... Jogaila, or WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw II JagieÅ‚Å‚o[1] (ca 1351–1434), was a Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland. ... Vytautas the Great - engraving of XVI ct. ... Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... Look up pagan, heathen in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... St Francis Xavier converting the Paravas: a 19th-century image of the docile heathen The historical phenomenon of Christianization, the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once, also includes the practice of converting pagan practices, pagan religious imagery, pagan sites and the pagan calendar...

History

Romuva sanctuary in Prussian lands

Old Prussia was the land extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lakes district, known as Prussia, was called Brus in the 8th century map of the Bavarian Geographer. ...

Early contacts with the Eastern Christianity

The Lithuanians' contacts with the Christian religion have been extensive since the early periods of the formation of their state. The first mention of Lithuania in 1009 is related to the Roman Catholic missionaries heading to Lithuania. However, Lithuanians had the most active contacts with the Kievan Rus' and subsequent Eastern Slavic states, which had the Eastern Christianity as their religion since the Christianization of Kievan Rus'. Duchy of Lithuania (Latin: ; Lithuanian: ) was a state-territorial formation of ethnic Lithuanians, that existed from the 11th century until 1413. ... The name of Lithuania (Lithuanian: ) was first recorded in written sources in 1009 in chronicles of Quedlinburg (Latin: ). The Quedlinburg Chronicle recorded a Latinized Slavic form of the name Lietuva – Litua,[1] pronounced [litvā]. While it is clear the name originated in a Baltic language, scholars still debate the meaning... Events February 14: First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Coat of arms Map of the Kievan Rus′, 11th century Capital Kiev Religion Orthodox Christianity Government Monarchy Historical era Middle Ages  - Established 9th century  - Disestablished 12th century Currency Hryvnia Kievan Rus′ was an early, mostly East Slavic[1] state dominated by the city of Kiev from about 880 to the... The East Slavs are a Slavic ethnic group, the speakers of East Slavic languages. ... Eastern Christianity refers collectively to the Christian traditions and churches which developed in Greece, Russia, Armenia, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, northeastern Africa and southern India over several centuries of religious antiquity. ... The ruins of Korsun: the place where the Russian and Ukrainian church was born. ...

The dukes of Lithuania, extending their dominion eastwards, experienced an influence of more culturally advanced Slavic states. Their subordinates and the people followed them and borrowed a major part of the East Slavic versions of Christian names in the 11th - 12th centuries, that became increasingly widespread among the pagan population in Aukštaitija, and much less in Samogitia. The influence of Eastern Christianity in the pagan Lithuanian culture is evidenced by the fact that about a one third of the present Lithuanian surnames, constructed from baptismal names, are Old Church Slavonic in origin.^[1] The Lithuanian words for "church", "baptism", "Christmas" or "fast" are classed as 'loanwords from Russian rather than Polish.'^[2] AukÅ¡taitija (litterally Highlands) is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. ... Etnographic regions of Lithuania. ... A saint’s name is the name of a saint given to individuals at their baptism within the Catholic Church. ... Old Church Slavonic (Old Bulgarian or Old Slavic) is the first literary Slavic language, developed from the Slavic dialect of Thessaloniki (Solun) by the 9th century Byzantine missionaries, Saints Cyril and Methodius. ... Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. ...

Baptism of Mindaugas

The emergence of a monastic state of the Livonian Order around the Lithuanian borders made a choice of the state religion rather urgent. The first Lithuanian Grand Duke to adopt Western Christianity was Mindaugas, although his nephew and rival Tautvilas had done that earlier, in 1250. The first translations of Catholic prayers from German were made during his reign and have been known since. The Livonian Brothers of the Sword (Latin Fratres militiae Christi, literally the brothers of the army of Christ), also known as the Christ Knights, Sword Brethren or The Militia of Christ of Livonia, was a military order started in 1202 by Albert von Buxhövden, bishop of Riga (or Prince... Western Christianity is a form of Christianity that consists of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church and Protestantism. ... Mindaugas King of Lithuania Mindaugas monument in Vilnius Mindaugas (approximate English transcription [ˈmın. ... Tautvilas or Tautvila (died in 1263) was Duke of Polatsk and one of the sons of Dausprungas and nephews of King of Lithuania Mindaugas. ... // April 30 - King Louis IX of France released by his Egyptian captors after paying a ransom of one million dinars and turning over the city of Damietta. ... This article is about the many forms of prayer within Christianity. ...

The Pope Innocent IV bull regarding Lithuania's placement under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, Mindaugas' baptism and coronation

In 1250, the Livonian Order organized two major raids, one against Nalšia land and the other against Mindaugas. Attacked from the north and south and facing the possibility of unrest elsewhere, Mindaugas was placed in an extremely difficult position, but managed to use the conflicts between the Livonian Order and the Archbishop of Riga in his own interests. In 1251, Mindaugas agreed to receive baptism and relinquish control over some lands in the western Lithuania, for which he was to receive a crown in return. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Pope. ... The Archbishops of Riga (1202) 1255-1561 were the secular rulers of Riga, the capital of Livonia (now known as Latvia). ...

Mindaugas and his family were baptised in the Catholic rite in 1251. On July 17, 1251 Pope Innocent IV issued a papal bull proclaiming Lithuania as Kingdom and the state was placed under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome. Mindaugas and his wife Morta were crowned at some time during the summer of 1253, and the Kingdom of Lithuania, formally Christian state, was established. Even after becoming a Catholic, King Mindaugas did not cease sacrificing to his own gods.^[3] After Mindaugas' assassination, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania lost its status as a Western Christian state. Despite the ruling family's baptism, Lithuania had not become a truly Christian state, since there were no fruitful efforts to convert its population; Lithuanians and Samogitians stood firmly for their ancestral religion. July 17 is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events First Shepherds Crusade Births Deaths Monarchs/Presidents Aragon - James I King of Aragon and count of Barcelona (reigned from 1213 to 1276) Castile - Ferdinand III, the Saint King of Castile and Leon (reigned from 1217 to 1252) Categories: 1251 ... Pope Innocent IV (Manarola, 1180/90 – Naples, December 7, 1254), born Sinibaldo de Fieschi, Pope from 1243 to 1254, belonged to the feudal nobility of Liguria, the Fieschi, counts of Lavagna. ... Papal bull of Pope Urban VIII, 1637, sealed with a leaden bulla. ... The Kingdom of Lithuania was the Lithuanian Monarchy, which existed in the 13th century, and was temporarily re-established in the 20th century. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Pope. ... King Mindaugas, Mortas husband, as depicted in medieval chronicles Morta (baptized circa 1252 by the bishop of Chełmno, died ca. ... The Kingdom of Lithuania was the Lithuanian Monarchy, which existed in the 13th century, and was temporarily re-established in the 20th century. ... The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lithuanian: , Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje, Ruskaje, Żamojckaje, Belarusian: , Ukrainian: , Polish: , Latin: ) was an Eastern and Central European state of the 12th[1] /13th century until the 18th century. ... Note: this article is about the ethnographic region of Lithuania. ... Lithuanian mythology is an example of pagan mythology containing archaic elements. ...

Fresco from Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune in Strasbourg, portraying 15 European states' path towards Christianity. Lithuania presented as the last figure.

City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country Region Alsace Department Bas-Rhin (67) Intercommunality Urban Community of Strasbourg Mayor Fabienne Keller  (UMP) City Statistics Land area¹ 78. ...

Vacillation between East and West

Mindaugas' successors expressed not enough interest in following on his footsteps. There were decades of vacillation between the Latin and the Orthodox options.^[4] "For Gediminas and Algirdas, retention of paganism provided a useful diplomatic tool and weapon... that allowed them to use promises of conversion as a means of preserving their power and independence".^[5] Grand Duke Algirdas had pursued an option of 'dynamic balance'. Throughout his reign he teased both Avignon and Constantinople with the prospects of a conversion;^[6] several unsuccessful attempts were made to negotiate the conversion of Lithuania.^[7] Gediminas, duke of Lithuania - engraving of XVII ct. ... Columns of Gediminas Algirdas (approximate English transcription [ˈaːl(ə).gır. ... The Papal palace in Avignon In the history of the Roman Catholic Church, the Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1377 during which seven popes, all French, resided in Avignon: Pope Clement V: 1305–1314 Pope John XXII: 1316–1334 Pope Benedict XII: 1334–1342 Pope Clement VI... Map of Constantinople. ...

In order to avoid the further clashes with the Teutonic Order, in 1349, Lithuanian co-ruler Kęstutis started the negotiations with Pope Clement VI for the conversion and had been promised royal crowns for him and his sons. Algirdas willingly remained aside of the business and was concerned with the order in the Ruthenian part of the state. The intermediary in the negotiations, Polish King Casimir III, made an unexpected assault on Volhynia and Brest in October 1349 that ruined the Kęstutis' plan. During the Polish-Lithuanian war for Volhynia, King Louis I of Hungary offered a peace agreement to Kęstutis on 15 August 1351, according to which Kęstutis obliged himself to accept Christianity and provide the Kingdom of Hungary with military aid, in exchange of the royal crown. Kęstutis confirmed the agreement by performing a pagan ritual in order to convince the other side. In fact, Kęstutis had no intentions to abide the agreement and ran away on their road to Buda.^[8] Teutonic Knights, charging into battle. ... // Events January 9 - The Jewish population of Basel, Switzerland is rounded up and incinerated, believed by the residents to be the cause of the ongoing bubonic plague. ... Pillars of Giedymin Castle of Trakai KÄ™stutis (approximate English transcription [kæs. ... Clement VI, né Pierre Roger (1291 - December 6, 1352), pope (1342-1352), the fourth of the France, and he further evinced his French sympathies by refusing a solemn invitation to return to Rome, and by purchasing the sovereignty of Avignon from Joanna, queen of Naples, for 80,000 crowns. ... Casimir the Great Casimir III or the Great (Kazimierz Wielki), (1310-1370), King of Poland , son of Władyslaw I Łokietek (Wladyslaw the Elbow High), 1305-1333 and Jadwiga. ... Volhynia (Ukrainian: , Polish: , Russian: ; also called Volynia) comprises the historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Western Bug -- to the north of Galicia and of Podolia. ... Brest (Belarusian: ; also known as Brest-Litovsk and in Polish as Brześć Litewski, Brześć nad Bugiem or Brześć BiaÅ‚oruski; Russian: , Lithuanian: Lietuvos Brasta (literally meaning shallows of Lithuania) is a city (population 290,000 in 2004) in Belarus close to the Polish border where the Western Bug and Mukhavets... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... // Events January 9 - The Jewish population of Basel, Switzerland is rounded up and incinerated, believed by the residents to be the cause of the ongoing bubonic plague. ... Louis the Great. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... Events End of the reign of Emperor Suko of Japan, third of the Northern Ashikaga Pretenders Start of the reign of Emperor Go-Kogon of Japan, fourth of the Northern Ashikaga Pretenders May 1 Zürich joins the Swiss Confederation. ... The Kingdom of Hungary (Hungarian: Magyar Királyság) is the name of a multiethnic kingdom that existed in Central Europe from 1000 to 1918. ... Buda (German: Ofen, Croatian: Budim, Slovak: Budín, Serbian: Будим or Budim, Turkish: Budin) is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the right bank of the Danube. ...

By the 14th century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania had emerged as a successor to Kievan Rus in the western part of its dominions.^[9] Although its sovereign was pagan, the majority of population was Slavic and Orthodox. To legitimize their rule in these areas, the Lithuanian royalty frequently married into the Orthodox Rurikid aristocracy of Eastern Europe. As a result, some Lithuanian rulers were baptised into Eastern Orthodoxy either as children (Švitrigaila) or adults. One of the first was Vaišelga, son and heir of Mindaugas, who took monastic vows at an Orthodox monastery in Lavrashev^[10] near Novgorodok and later established a convent there.^[11] This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ... The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lithuanian: , Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje, Ruskaje, Å»amojckaje, Belarusian: , Ukrainian: , Polish: , Latin: ) was an Eastern and Central European state of the 12th[1] /13th century until the 18th century. ... Kievan Rus′ (Ки́евская Ру́сь, Kievskaya Rus in Russian; Київська Русь, Kyivs’ka Rus’ in Ukrainian) was the early, mostly East Slavic¹ state dominated by the... Rurik Dynasty ... Pillars of Giedymin (Gedimino stulpai) Å vitrigaila (alternative spellings: ÅšwidrygieÅ‚Å‚o, Svitrigaylo, Svidryhajla, Svidrigailo, Swidrigailo; BolesÅ‚aw; ca 1370 – 10 February 1452 Łuck) was the Grand Prince of Lithuania during 1430 - 1432, Prince of Witebsk 1392 – 1393, 1430 – 1436, Podolia 1400 – 1402, Novhorod-Siversky 1404 – 1408, 1420 – 1438, Czernichow 1419 – 1430... VaiÅ¡vilkas (WoyszwiÅ‚k, Vojszalak, VojÅ¡alk, VaiÅ¡elga, VaiÅ¡algas; killed on 9 December 1268 in Volodymyr-Volynskyi) was the Prince of Black Ruthenia (1255 – 1267), and the Grand Duke of Lithuania (1264 – 1267). ... Mindaugas King of Lithuania Mindaugas monument in Vilnius Mindaugas (approximate English transcription [ˈmın. ...

Christianization by Jogaila and Vytautas

The final attempt to Christianize Lithuania was made by Jogaila. Jogaila's Russian mother urged him to marry Sofia, daughter of Prince Dmitri of Moscow, who required him first to convert to Orthodoxy.^[12] That option, however, was unlikely to halt the crusades against Lithuania by the Teutonic Order. Jogaila chose therefore to accept a Polish proposal to become a Catholic and marry the Queen Jadwiga of Poland. On these and other terms, on 14 August 1385 at the castle of Krėva, Jogaila agreed to adopt Christianity signing the Act of Krėva. Statue of Dmitri Donskoi (1862). ... This article is about the 14th-century queen and saint. ... August 14 is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events August 14 - Battle of Aljubarrota between the Portuguese under John I of Portugal and the Castilians, under John I of Castile. ... The Union of Krewo (or Union of Krevo) was a a political and dynastic agreement between Queen Jadwiga of Poland and Grand Prince Jagiello of Lithuania and the begining of the Polish-Lithuanian Union. ...

Jogaila was duly baptised at the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków on 15 February 1386 and became king of Poland. The royal baptism was followed by the conversion of most of Jogaila’s court and knights.^[13] Jogaila sent Dobrogost, Bishop of Poznań, as ambassador to the Pope Urban VI with a petition for the erection of an episcopal see at Vilnius and the appointment of Andrzej Wasilko to fill it. Wawel Cathedral Wawel Cathedral Wawel Cathedral – in full, the Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Wenceslaus – is Polands national sanctuary. ... Wawel Hill, Old Town, Kraków. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Battle of Sempach: Swiss safeguard independence from Habsburg rule End of reign of Poland by Capet-Anjou family. ... Poland was ruled by dukes (c. ... PoznaÅ„ ( ; full official name: The Capital City of PoznaÅ„, Polish: StoÅ‚eczne Miasto PoznaÅ„ (Latin: , German: , Yiddish: פּױזן Poyzn) is a city in west-central Poland with over 578,900 inhabitants (2002). ... Urban VI, née Bartolomeo Prignano ( 1318 – October 15, 1389), pope (1378 to 1389), was a native of Naples. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

"Baptism of Lithuania" by Jan Matejko

Jogaila returned to Lithuania on February of 1387. The baptism of nobles and their peasants was at first carried out in the capital Vilnius and its environs. The nobility and some peasants in Aukštaitija were baptized in spring, followed by the rest of the Lithuanian nobility. The parishes were established in ethnic Lithuania and the new Vilnius Cathedral was built in 1387 in the site of a demolished pagan temple. The first parochial churches were built in Lithuanian pagan towns Vilkmergė, Maišiagala, Lyda, Nemenčinė, Medininkai, Krėva, Haina and Abolcy, all belonging to the Jogaila's patrimony. Image File history File links Christianization of Lithuania in 1387 by Matejko File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Christianization of Lithuania in 1387 by Matejko File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Jan Matejko , self-portrait. ... Location Ethnographic region AukÅ¡taitija County Vilnius County Municipality Vilnius city municipality Coordinates Number of elderates 20 General Information Capital of Lithuania Vilnius County Vilnius city municipality Vilnius district municipality Population About 600,000 in 2006 (1st) First mentioned 1323 Granted city rights 1387 Not to be confused with Vilnius... AukÅ¡taitija (litterally Highlands) is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. ... Cathedral of Vilnius Vilnius Cathedral is the main Roman Catholic Cathedral of Lithuania. ... Pagan may refer to: A believer in Paganism or Neopaganism Bagan, a city in Myanmar also known as Pagan Pagan (album), the 6th album by Celtic metal band Cruachan Pagan Island, of the Northern Mariana Islands Pagan Lorn, a metal band from Luxembourg, Europe (1994-1998) Pagans Mind, is... Dalian (Simplified Chinese: 大连; Traditional Chinese: 大連; pinyin: Dàlián; Wade-Giles: Ta-lien), formerly Lüda or Luta, is an ice-free seaport and a sub-provincial city in eastern Liaoning Province of the Northeastern Peoples Republic of China (Manchuria). ... Location Ethnographic region AukÅ¡taitija County Vilnius County Municipality Vilnius district municipality Elderate NemenčinÄ— elderate Coordinates General Information Capital of NemenčinÄ— elderate Population 5,885 in 2005 (55th) First mentioned 14th century Granted city rights 1955 NemenčinÄ— ( (help·info)) is a city in Vilnius district municipality, Lithuania. ... Castle walls and tower drawn in the 19th century by Napoleon Orda Medininkai Castle is a medieval castle in Vilnius district, Lithuania built in the late 13th century or the first quarter of the 14th century. ...

Samogitia was the last ethnic region of Lithuania to become Christianized in 1413, following the defeat of the Teutonic Order in the Battle of Grunwald and the Peace of Thorn and its subsequent return to the Lithuanian control. In November of 1413, Vytautas himself sailed Neman River and Dubysa, reached the environs of Betygala, where he baptised first groups of Samogitians.^[14] In 1416, the construction of parochial churches was started. The Diocese of Samogitia was established on 23 October 1417 and the cathedral was built in Medininkai around 1464. Etnographic regions of Lithuania. ... Teutonic Knights, charging into battle. ... Combatants Kingdom of Poland Grand Duchy of Lithuania Kingdom of Moldavia Teutonic Order and Mercenaries and Various Knights from the rest of Europe Commanders Władysław II Jagiełło, Vytautas the Great, Alexandru cel Bun Ulrich von Jungingen† Strength 39,000 (2/3 was Polish Knights) 27,000 Casualties... Peace of Toruń The Peace of Toruń of 1411 or the First Peace of Toruń or of Thorn was a peace treaty signed on 1 February 1411 in Toruń (German: ) between Poland-Lithuania and the Teutonic Order ending the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War (1409-1411) (see the Battle of Grunwald). ... The Neman (Belarusian: ; Lithuanian: ; Russian: ; Polish: ; German: ) is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Baltic Sea near Klaipėda. ... Dubysa, at 131 km, is the 15th longest river in Lithuania. ... Note: this article is about the ethnographic region of Lithuania. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Antipope Benedict XIII is deposed, and Pope Martin V is elected. ... Location Ethnographic region Samogitia County Telšiai County Municipality Telšiai district municipality Elderate Number of elderates Coordinates General information Capital of Varniai rural elderate Population (rank) 1,310 in 2005 (90th) First mentioned 1314 Granted city rights 1950 Varniai is a city in western Lithuania, Telšiai County. ...

Aftermath

Though ethnic Lithuanian nobility were the main converts to Catholicism, paganism remained strong among the peasantry. Pagan customs prevailed for a long time among Lithuanians and was covertly practicised, meanwhile the Catholic church was seen as uncogenial. Since the 17th century, the Roman Catholic faith started to gain a dominant position.

The conversion and its political implications had lasting repercussions for the history of Lithuania. As the majority of the population of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania outside Lithuania proper was Orthodox and the elite gradually converted to Roman Catholicism, religious tensions increased. Some of the Orthodox Gediminids left Lithuania for Muscovy, where they gave rise to such families as the Galitzine and the Troubetzkoy. The Orthodox population of present-day Ukraine and eastern Belarus often sympathized with the rulers of Muscovy, who portrayed themselves as the champions of Orthodoxy. These feelings contributed to such reverses as the Battle of Vedrosha, which crippled the Grand Duchy and undermined its position as a dominant power in the Eastern Europe. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Lithuania. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Columns of Gediminas, symbol of the Gediminids. ... Muscovy (Moscow principality (княжество Московское) to Grand Duchy of Moscow (Великое Княжество Московское) to Russian Tsardom (Царство Русское)) is a traditional Western name for the Russian state that existed from the 14th century to the late 17th century. ... Peter I permitted the Galitzines to take an emblem of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as their coat of arms The Galitzines, more correctly the Golitsyns (Russian: Голицын), are one of the largest and noblest princely houses of Russia. ... Pogoń Litewska Coat of Arms Troubetzkoy, or Trubetskoy, or Trubetsky, or Trubecki, is a typical Ruthenian Gedyminid gentry family of Black Ruthenian stock, like other princely houses of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, later prominent in Russian history, science, and arts. ... Battle of Vedrosha was one of the greatest battles in the medieval history of Russia. ... Map of Eastern Europe Pre-1989 division between the West (grey) and Eastern Bloc (orange) superimposed on current national boundaries: Russia (dark orange), other countries of the former USSR (medium orange),members of the Warsaw pact (light orange), and other former Communist regimes not aligned with Moscow (lightest orange). ...

On the other hand, the conversion to the Roman Catholicism facilitated Lithuania's integration into the cultural sphere of the Western Europe and paved the way to the political alliance of Lithuania and Poland, finalized as the Union of Lublin in 1569. The borders of Western Europe were largely defined by the Cold War. ... The Union of Lublin, painted by Jan Matejko The Union of Lublin (Lithuanian: Liublino unija; Belarusian: Лю́блінская ву́нія; Polish: Unia lubelska) - signed on July 1, 1569 in Lublin, united the Kingdom of Poland and the...

See also

• Baltic Crusades
• History of Lithuania

The Northern Crusades, or Baltic Crusades, were crusades undertaken by the Catholic kings of Denmark and Sweden, the German Livonian and Teutonic military orders, and their allies against the pagan peoples of Northern Europe around the southern and eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. ... This article discusses the history of Lithuania and of the Lithuanians. ...

References

Professor Zigmas Zinkevičius Zigmas Zinkevičius (January 4, 1925 in Juodausiai, Ukmergė district) is the leading Lithuanian linguist-historian, and a professor at Vilnius University. ... Edvardas Gudavičius (born on September 6, 1929 in Kaunas) is one of the best known historians in modern Lithuania specializing in history of Grand Duchy of Lithuania. ...

External links

• The Conversion of Lithuania 1387