Duchy of Lithuania (Latin: Ducatus Lithuaniae; Lithuanian: Lietuvos kunigaikštystė) was a state-territorial formation of ethnic Lithuanians, that existed from the 11th century until 1413. Most of the time it was a constituent part and a nucleus of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Other alternative namesof the territorial formation, used in different periods, were Aukštaitija or Land of Lithuania (11th - 13th ct.), Duchy of Vilnius (14th - early 15th ct.)^[1], Lithuania Propria or simply Lithuania (in a narrow sense). Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... 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. ... AukÅ¡taitija (litterally Highlands) is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. ... 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... Map showing changes in the territory of Lithuania from the 13th century to the present day Lithuania proper (Lithuanian: Didžioji Lietuva) is a term used to contrast the main Lithuanian territory with the Lithuania Minor (Lithuanian: Mažoji Lietuva). ...

History

Modern reconstruction of the Duchy of Vilnius' coat of arms

The formation emerged in the central and eastern part of the present-day Lithuania, known as Aukštaitija, as the Lietuva Land (Lithuanian: Lietuvos žemė). It is supposed to have formed in the central Lithuania and swiftly expanded eastwards. It is supposed that this very land was mentioned in 1009 as Litua (see Name of Lithuania). The territory was ruled by senior dukes of an ethnic Lithuanian tribe, Aukštaitijans. AukÅ¡taitija (litterally Highlands) is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. ... 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... AukÅ¡taitija (litterally Highlands) is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. ...

After the expansion of the Lithuanian state under Duke of Lithuania Mindaugas, when it became known as the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Lithuania in the 13th century, the Duchy of Lithuania became an administrative unit, governed by dukes and inherited by dynastic links. It is not much known about the existence and location of an administrative center of the Duchy until 1323 when it was eventually transferred to Vilnius by Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas; Voruta, Kernavė and Trakai are possible earlier locations. Mindaugas King of Lithuania Mindaugas monument in Vilnius Mindaugas (approximate English transcription [ˈmın. ... The Kingdom of Lithuania was the Lithuanian Monarchy, which existed in the 13th century, and was temporarily re-established in the 20th century. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... 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... Gediminas, duke of Lithuania - engraving of XVII ct. ... Voruta may have been a capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania established in the time of king Mindaugas in the 13th century. ... Birds eye view of KernavÄ— KernavÄ— is a tourist and archeological resort in southeast Lithuania, and was once the medieval capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. ... Senieji Trakai (literally: Old Trakai, Polish: ) is a historic Lithuanian town located 3 km east of Trakai. ...

The last Duke of Lithuania (Latin: Dux Lithuaniae) was Vytautas the Great, who received it from Jogaila, who in turn has inherited it from his father Algirdas. Since 1397, the Duchy had the status of an Eldership, comparable to that of the Eldership of Samogitia. After the administrative reform of 1413 by Vytautas, based on the Union of Horodlo, the Duchy ceased to exist, becoming a part of the newly established Vilnius Voivodeship. Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Jogaila, or WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw II JagieÅ‚Å‚o[1] (ca 1351–1434), was a Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland. ... Columns of Gediminas Algirdas (approximate English transcription [ˈaːl(É™).gır. ... The Eldership of Samogitia (Lithuanian: Žemaičių seniūnija) was the western part of Lithuania Artistic picture of Žemaičių Seniūnija in 18th century. ... // March 21 - Henry V becomes King of England. ... Vytautas the Great - engraving of XVI ct. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... Wilno Voivodeship The Wilno Voivodeship (Polish: , Lithuanian: , Belarusian: ) (or Vilnius Voivodeship) was the capital voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 15th century and later the capital Voivodeship of Lithuanian part in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until the partitions of Poland in 1795. ...

See also

• History of Lithuania (1219–1295)
• History of Vilnius
• History of Lithuania
• Lithuania proper

Map of Vilnius in 1576 // Middle ages The earliest settlements in the area of present Vilnius appear to be of mesolithic origin. ... This article discusses the history of Lithuania and of the Lithuanians. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Lithuania. ...

References