Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a state in Scandinavia and the Baltic (Europe) that lasted from c. 1236 to 1795 CE, about 559 years. Its people spoke Baltic languages (Lithuanian, Latvian, Old Prussian).

Mindaugas united the Lithuanian tribes, and Gediminas and Vytautas expanded east to the Black Sea, making it the largest state in Europe. It converted in 1387 and joined Poland in the Commonwealth in 1569.

See Grand Duchy of Lithuania on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

c. 1236 to 1795 CE

Duration

559 years

Type

State

Region

Scandinavia and the Baltic, Europe

Language family

Baltic

Capital

Vilnius

Came from

• Baltic tribes c. 1000 BCE to 1290 CE

Became

• Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 1569 to 1795 CE

Events in Europe during its time

• 1240 Mongols sack Kiev
• 1347 Black Death reaches Europe
• 1450 Gutenberg's printing press
• 1453 Fall of Constantinople
• 1492 Fall of Granada and Columbus's voyage
• 1517 Luther's Ninety-five Theses
• 1648 Peace of Westphalia
• 1683 Siege of Vienna

Neighbours in Europe

• Republic of Venice c. 697 to 1797 CE
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE
• Holy Roman Empire 962 to 1806 CE
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE
• Portuguese Empire 1415 to 1999 CE
• Kievan Rus 882 to 1240 CE
• Habsburg Monarchy 1526 to 1804 CE
• Dutch Republic 1581 to 1795 CE
• Kingdom of France (Bourbon) 1589 to 1792 CE
• Russian Empire 1721 to 1917 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Middle East
• Swahili city-states c. 800 to 1700 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Srivijaya c. 650 to 1377 CE, Southeast Asia
• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Khmer Empire 802 to 1431 CE, Southeast Asia
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Middle East
• Kingdom of Kongo c. 1390 to 1914 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Abbasid Caliphate 750 to 1258 CE, Middle East
• Mali Empire c. 1235 to 1670 CE, North and West Africa
• Chola Empire 848 to 1279 CE, South Asia

Questions