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Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lithuanian Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštyste, old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje, Ruskaje, Zamojckaje, Latin Magnus Ducatus Lituaniae, Belarusian ??????? ??????? ?????????, Vialikaje Kniastva Litouskaje, Ukrainian ?????? ?????????? ?????????, Velyke Knyazivstvo Lytovske, Polish Wielkie Ksiestwo Litewskie, Latvian Lietuvas Lielkunigaitija/Lietuvas Lielknaziste, Russian ??????? ????????? ?????????, German Großfürstentum Litauen) was an Eastern and Central European state from the 12th^[1] /13th century until the 18th century. It was founded by Lithuanians, one of the pagan Baltic tribes, whose initial lands covered the eastern part of present day Lithuania, Aukštaitija.^[2][3][4] It later expanded its territory to include large parts of former Kievan Rus. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania covered the territory of present-day Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Transnistria and parts of Poland and Russia. At its greatest size, in the 15th century, it was the largest state in Europe.^[5]

Consolidation of Lithuanian lands started in the 12th century, as marked by extensive raids by Lithuanians of wealthy cities such as Novgorod and Pskov. The 13th century saw the beginning of the wars with the Teutonic Knights and the Livonian Order. It witnessed the rise of Mindaugas, who was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253. The title of "Grand Duchy" was consistently applied to Lithuania from the 14th century onward,^[6]. The multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state emerged only at the late reign of Gediminas.^[7] During the reign of his son Algirdas, the grand Duchy expanded more than under any other ruler.^[8]

Algirdas's successor Jogaila opened a new chapter in the history of Lithuania by signing the Kreva agreement in 1386. This treaty joined the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the Kingdom of Poland, and obligated Vytautas to accept Christianity on behalf of the Lithuanian people, who had been the last remaining pagans in Europe.^[9] to the Catholic faith.

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