Polity Kingdom of Lithuania

This article is about the specific polity Kingdom of Lithuania and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.

If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here: All Statistics

Was a polity created by the Lithuanians in the 13th century. Initially a Duchy, it became Kingdom in 1251 when Duke Mindaugas converted to Christianity. However the rulers immediately after Mindaugas remained pagans and created the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Lithuania grew to be a regional power, being able to defeat the Mongols and inglobate many of the small principalities that had succeeded the Kievan Rus'. Lithuania ceased to exist as a separate polity in 1385 when it entered into a Personal Union wit Poland.

Establishment

  • July 1251: Indaugas succeeded in convincing the Livonian Order not only to provide military assistance but also to secure for him the royal crown of Lithuania in exchange for his conversion to Catholicism and some lands in western Lithuania. The status of a kingdom was granted on 17 July 1251, when the Bishop of Chełmno was ordered to crown Mindaugas by Pope Innocent IV.

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

1. Mongol invasions and conquests

Were a series of military campaigny by the Mongols that created the largest contiguous Empire in history, the Mongol Empire, which controlled most of Eurasia.

1.1. Mongol Invasions of Lithuania

Was a Mongol raid in Lithuania.

  • January 1259: The Mongol invasion of Lithuania in 1258-1259 was led by the Mongol Empire under the command of Batu Khan. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, ruled by Mindaugas at the time, suffered significant devastation during the invasion.
  • February 1259: The Mongols leave Lithuania after a devastating raid.

2. Further events (Unrelated to Any War)

  • January 1254: The consolidation of the Lithuanian lands began in the late 12th century. Mindaugas, the first ruler of the Grand Duchy, was crowned as Catholic King of Lithuania in 1253.
  • January 1255: The Livonian Order partly subdued the Semigallians in 1254.
  • December 1263: Mindaugas and two of his sons were assassinated in 1263. The country reverted to paganism and its status as a kingdom was lost. The state survived as the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Disestablishment

  • December 1263: Mindaugas and two of his sons were assassinated in 1263. The country reverted to paganism and its status as a kingdom was lost. The state survived as the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.