History of Lithuania

, The Baltic , populations of Indo-European origin , are installed on part of the current territory of the Lithuania.

Origin - Legend

One of the oldest tradition of the Lithuanian people is freedom. Liethua, goddess of freedom transmitted her name to Lithuania. (Source Adam Mickiewicz poetic works). The symbol of this goddess was the cat.

Orthography - Terminology

Lithuania: historical area of the Union of Poland-Lithuania

Lithuania is the term used to indicate the Grand-duché of Lithuania (source V. bibliography Ihar Lalkoŭ). Lithuania was a State made up of several Nations. History common to several contemporary States, in particular the Poland, the Bielorussia and the Lithuania. State which will begin in XIIIe and which finished at the 18th century: the Republic of the Two Nations. The grounds which belonged to the Republic were distributed between several Central European countries and East: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Bielorussia and Russia, with some small territories in Estonia, Slovakia, Romania and Moldavie. This historical area will undergo 3 successive divisions at the XVIIIe century (1772, 1793, 1795) named Partitions of Poland.

1569 : Union of Lublin. Creation of the Republic of the two people. The treaty polono-Lithuanian will create a federate State polono-Lithuanian. Union of Lithuania and the Ruthénie with the Poland. Creation of only one Country - a common republic. The Union of Lublin created the vastest State in the History of Europe.
1772 : first division, the Belorusse part is integrated into the Russian Empire
1795, third division, Catherine II, announces the annexation of Lithuania to the Russian empire.

Lithuania

Lithuania is the synonym used, according to the " standards of French contemporain" , to speak about the Lithuanian Republic. State which exists since 1918. Contemporary Lithuania corresponds to part of historical Lithuania.

Chronology

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania - union with Poland (1385/1569-1795)

the February 14th 1009, the name is mentioned for the first time in annals of a monastery of Quedlinburg.
In 1236, Mindaugas becomes large-duke of Lithuania.
In 1253, Mindaugas, convert with Christianity receives the title of king of the pope Innocent IV. He does not manage to impose Christianity on his subjects and turns over finally itself to paganism. There will remain the only king of the history of Lithuania.

In 1316, Gediminas becomes large-duke of Lithuania. He seeks the support of the pope and to be made recognize king but refuses conversion with Christianity. Trakai is the capital of the country.
A little front 1323, foundation of Vilnius which became capital towards the end of the reign of Gediminas.
In 1341, died of Gediminas. Its country is divided between its seven sons.
In 1345, Algirdas, wire of Gediminas gathers the pieces of Lithuania and becomes large-duke about it.
In 1377, With died of Algirdas, his/her son Jogaila becomes large-duke of Lithuania. Ransack of Lithuania by the teutonic Chevaliers.
In 1381, Kęstutis, brother of Algirdas détrône his nephew and becomes large-duke of Lithuania. He is killed one year later by Jogaila which takes again the throne. The Grand Duchy includes/understands then theWhite one (Bielorussia), most of Small-Russia (Ukraine) as well as part of Large the Russia current and is mainly populated Russians. Number of the downward Lithuanian dukes of Gediminas adopt orthodoxe Christianity their new subjects. As of the end of XIVe century, the official language of the Grand Duchy becomes Russian.

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In 1385, Lithuania and Poland sign the treated of Kreva: the large-duke of Jogaila Lithuania converts with catholic Christianity and wife the heiress of the throne of Poland, Hedwige; he becomes thus king of Poland under the name of Ladislas II Jagellon. He founds the dynasty of Jagellon. He leaves with his cousin Vytautas (baptized under the name of Alexandre), wire of Kęstutis, the governorship of Lithuania. The lituano-Polish Community then forms the largest country of Europe by its surface.
In 1401, Vytautas '' Large the '' formally becomes large-duke of Lithuania. He was on the point of being crowned king, but its crown did not arrive as far as Lithuania before its death.
In 1413, Parliament of Horodlo. The Lithuanian lords took for the first time the weapons of the Polish Noblesse.
In 1430, died of Vytautas, Švitrigaila (baptized under the name of Boleslas), brother of Ladislas II Jagellon, becomes large-duke of Lithuania.
In 1432, Sigismond Korybut (Žygimantas), brother of Vytautas, drives out Švitrigaila and becomes large-duke of Lithuania.
In 1434, died of Ladislas II Jagellon, his/her oldest son Ladislas III Jagellon succeeds to him on the throne of Poland.
In 1440, died of Sigismond Korybut, Casimir (Kazimiras), younger brother of Ladislas III Jagellon becomes large-duke of Lithuania.
In 1447, two years after the death of his/her older brother, the Casimir large-duke becomes also king de Pologne under the name of Casimir IV Jagellon. Consequently, Poland and Lithuania remain directed in personal union by only one sovereign.

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In 1569, treated of Lublin (Union of Lublin), Poland and Lithuania are linked in only one country,

the Rzeczpospolita (Res Publica) or Republic of the Two Nations. Polish is the official language. Disappearance of Bielorussia as a State.

In 1578 Creation of the University of Vilnius
In 1764, crowning of Stanislas II of Poland (born Stanisław August Poniatowski) which was the last king independent of the union of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Partitions of Poland

In 1772, first division, the Belorusse part is integrated into the Russian Empire
In 1793 second division, burst the insurrection of Wilno (Vilnius)
In 1795, third division, Catherine II, announces the annexation of Lithuania to the Russian empire. After the division of Poland, Lithuania is invaded by Russia. Russianization is intense.

In 1792 Activity of the Confederation of Targowica.
In 1794 Insurrection under Tadeusz Kościuszko
In 1798, death of last King de Pologne, Stanislas II of Poland
In 1812, first attempt of the restoration of the Grand-Duchy with the assistance of Napoleon i, Emperor of the French
In 1815, to the Congress of Vienna, the title of large-duke of Lithuania is allotted to the tsar.
In, 1823, repression with the University of Vilnius, the students are stopped, into 1824 of the professors of the University are relieved, in particular the historian Joachim Lelewel.
In 1830 - 1831, national Rising: Insurection with Vilnius stronghold of Polish and Lithuanian nationalism, (for the history of Poland V. Insurrection of November). - Strong Russian repression. Immigration - Deportations in Siberia and confiscations of grounds by the Tsar of Russia.
In 1832, closing of the University of Vilnius
In 1840, the use of the Latin alphabet to write the Lithuanian language prohibited and was replaced by the use of the Cyrillic alphabet. Period of Russianization.
In 1855:

July 19th, died of Tomasz Zan, child of the historical area of the Union of Poland-Lithuania, poet.
November 26th, died of Adam Mickiewicz in Constantinople, born in the historical area from the Union from Poland-Lithuania east one from the largest European romantic poets.

In 1863, insurrection with Vilnius
In 1889, Ignacy Domeyko dies in Santiago on January 23rd, born on the territory of the Grand-Duchy of Lithuania, it is regarded as the founder of the Modern University education to the Chile.

In 1915, second attempt at restoration, creation of the Confederation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Bibliography Lithuania

"Political history of Lithuania since the meeting of Poland, in 1386, until its insurrection in 1831" ; Paris, 1831 per Léonard Chodzko
Tables and drafts of manners of Lithuania - Wilna, 1840-1854 per Ignace Chodzko
Dangers to Europe origin, progress and actual position of the Russian power; question of the East with… Per Charles-Hippolyte Barault-Roullon (1854)
Seen political history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by Ihar Lalkoŭ - Foreword of Bruno Drweski - editions-harmattan 2000
Lietuva historical legends of Lithuania told and illustrated by Genevieve Carion-Mahwitz - Fédérop - 1988

The Republic of Lithuania (1918-1940)

the February 16th 1918, proclamation of independence by the Lithuanian National council, under German occupation.
the July 9th 1918, German prince Guillaume d' Urach is proclaimed king de Lituanie under the name of Mindaugas II. It never came to Lithuania.
the November 2nd 1918, demolished imminent of the Germany. Lithuania proclaims its independence freely and becomes a republic.
In 1919, the Traité of Versailles gives independence to Lithuania, but the Poland wishes to restore the State polono-Lithuanian, the République of the Two Nations which had existed of 1569 with 1795, succeeding in a first common State since 1386.
In 1920 is elected the first Seimas (Parliament) of independent Lithuania.
In October 1920, of the Polish troops directed by the general Zeligowski occupy Vilnius and declare there the independence of a Republic of central Lithuania, annexed by the Poland in March 1922. It should be noticed that in 1920 Vilnius (in Polish, Wilno) was populated mainly Polish (approximately 30%) and of Belorusse (approximately 10%), the Lithuanians (in addition Catholiques) constituting only one minority (there was also a community Juive accounting for 30% of the population).
In 1923, the area of Memel (German name) (Klaipėda in Lithuanian), including/understanding a strong German or germanized minority (being defined as " Memelliens" at the time of the censuses), managed by the France under mandate of SDN since 1920, is integrated into Lithuania in the form of Autonomous region.
In December 1926, a military coup d'etat reverses the first left government set up in June, and gives the capacity to old the President Antanas Smetona, which names like Prime Minister Augustinas Voldemaras, the chief of the party Fasciste " iron wolves " , and a year later the Parlement east dissolves.
In September 1929, Smetona dislocates its Voldemaras functions and becomes then absolute Dictateur until the Soviet occupation in 1940.
the March 22nd 1939 the town of Memel is annexed by the Germany.
the October 10th 1939 following the Pacte Molotov-Ribbentrop the Soviet Union reassigns the area of Vilnius in Lithuania which annexes the area of Suwalki taken with the Poland.

The Soviet socialist republic of Lithuania 1940-1941, then 1945-1990

Between 1940 and 1949, because of persecutions, of the deportations, expulsions and the undergone massacres, Lithuania lost 30% of its population for this period.

In 1940, Lithuania is annexed by the Soviet Union.
In the night from June 13rd to 14th 1941, 35.000 Lithuanians are off-set in Siberia.
In 1941, the Nazi Germany invades Lithuania and exterminates its Jewish population. Part of nationalist resistance collaborates with the Nazis.
In 1945, the Red Army takes again Lithuania, the population Germanic or germanized is expelled.
Of 1941 to 1952,29 923 Lithuanian families is exiled in Siberia by the Soviet mode.
According to the official statistics of state, 120.000 people were off-set of Lithuania during this period. Other sources estimate that the number of off-set political prisoners was of 300.000.

The second republic 1990-

on March 11th, 1990 Lithuania proclaims its independence which will be recognized on September 6th, 1991 by the USSR.
on March 29th, 2004 Lithuania joined NATO.
the Lithuania on May 1st, 2004 joined the union europénne.

Lithuania bibliography

Suzanne Champonnois, François de Labriolle, historical Dictionary of Lithuania , Crozon, Editions Ermine, 2001. ISBN 2-910878-17-1
Suzanne Champonnois, François de Labriolle, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian. History and destinies , Crozon, Editions Ermine, 2004. ISBN 2-910878-26-0
Yves Plasseraud, the States the Baltic. Multi-stage companies. Dialectical the between majorities and minorities , 2nd ED., Brest, Editions Ermine, 2006. ISBN 2-910878-23-6

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