The article is a list of heads of state of Lithuania over historical Lithuanian state. The timeline includes all heads of state of

Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

as a sovereign entity, legitimately part of a greater sovereign entity, a

client state A client state, in international relations, is a state that is economically, politically, and/or militarily subordinate to another more powerful state (called the "controlling state"). A client state may variously be described as satellite state, ...

, or a

constituent republic Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...

subject to an outside authority. Currently, the head of state is the

President of Lithuania The President of the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidentas) is the head of state of Lithuania. The officeholder has been Gitanas Nausėda since 12 July 2019. Powers The president has somewhat more executive authority t ...

Kingdom of Lithuania (1251–1263)

Title: King of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos karalius). Dates are approximate because of scant written sources.

House of Mindaugas The House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered on Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later. His known fam ...
(1253–1263)

, King

1236
–
1253
''(as Grand Duke)''

1253
–
1263
''(as King)'', , Mendog 1578

, ,

Son of mythological Ringaudas , , NN, sister of Morta
2 children

Morta
2 children , , 1263

Aglona , nickname = , settlement_type = Village , motto = , image_skyline =Aglona Basilica.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Aglona Basilica , image_flag = , flag_siz ...

Assassinated by Treniota
and

Daumantas Daumantas ( Ruthenian: ''Dowmont'' or ''Domont''; be, Daǔmont; russian: Довмонт) is a given name and a surname. It is the name of two early dukes of Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Because they were contemporaries, they are often confused with ...

Aged about 60 , -

Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1263–1569)

Title:

Grand Duke Grand duke (feminine: grand duchess) is a European hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. In status, a grand duke traditionally ranks in order of precedence below an emperor, as an approxi ...

( lt, didysis kunigaikštis; be, vialiki kniaź; pl, wielki książę). Dates are approximate because of scant written sources.

House of Mindaugas The House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered on Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later. His known fam ...
(1263–1267)

, Grand Duke

1263
–
1264, , Treniota

, , ''Unknown''

Son of NN,
Mindaugas' sister
and

Vykintas 200 px, Monument to Duke Vykintas in Tverai Vykintas (died ) was Duke of Samogitia and a rival to the future King of Lithuania, Mindaugas. In 1236 he probably led the Samogitian forces in the Battle of Saule against the Livonian Order. The Orde ...

, , ''Unknown''
1 child , , 1264
Murdered by servants
loyal to Mindaugas' son Vaišvilkas , - , Grand Duke

1264
–
1267, , Vojshalk

, , ''Unknown''

Son of

Mindaugas Mindaugas (german: Myndowen, la, Mindowe, orv, Мендог, be, Міндоўг, pl, Mendog, c. 1203–1263) is the first known Grand Duke of Lithuania and the only crowned King of Lithuania. Little is known of his origins, early life, or ...

and Morta , , Unmarried and
childless, , 1268
Was murdered
by

Leo I of Galicia Leo I of Galicia ( ua, Лев Дани́лович, translit=Lev Danylovych) (c. 1228 – c. 1301) was a king of Ruthenia, prince ( Kniaz) of Belz (1245–1264), Peremyshl, Halych (1264–1269), and grand prince of Kiev (Kyiv, 1271–1301). ...

, -

House of Monomakh (1267–1269)

, Grand Duke

lt, Švarnas
1267
–
1269, , , ,

Halych Halych ( uk, Га́лич ; ro, Halici; pl, Halicz; russian: Га́лич, Galich; german: Halytsch, ''Halitsch'' or ''Galitsch''; yi, העליטש) is a historic city on the Dniester River in western Ukraine. The city gave its name to the ...

Son of

Daniel of Galicia Daniel of Galicia ( uk, Данило Романович (Галицький), Danylo Romanovych (Halytskyi); Old Ruthenian: Данило Романовичъ, ''Danylo Romanovyčъ''; pl, Daniel I Romanowicz Halicki; 1201 – 1264) was a King ...

, , NN, daughter of Mindaugas
No children , ,
Kholm
Aged about 39 , -

House of Mindaugas The House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered on Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later. His known fam ...
(1269–1285)

, Grand Duke

1270
–
1282, , Lithuanian Grand Duke Traidenis

, , 1220 , , Ona of Masovia
1 child, , 1282

Kernavė Kernavė was a medieval capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and today is a tourist attraction and an archeological site (population 272, 2011). It is located in the Širvintos district municipality located in southeast Lithuania. A Lithuan ...

Aged 62 , - , Grand Duke

1282
–
1285, , , , ''Unknown'' , , ''Unknown'' , , 3 March 1285
Died in a battle by

Tver Tver ( rus, Тверь, p=tvʲerʲ) is a city and the administrative centre of Tver Oblast, Russia. It is northwest of Moscow. Population: Tver was formerly the capital of a powerful medieval state and a model provincial town in the Russi ...

, -

House of Gediminas The family of Gediminas is a group of family members of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania (ca. 1275–1341), who interacted in the 14th century. The family included the siblings, children, and grandchildren of the Grand Duke and played the pivot ...
(1285–1440)

, Grand Duke

1285
–
1291, , , , ''None known'' , , ''Unknown''

Son of

Skalmantas Skalmantas or Skolomend is the name of a possible ancestor of the Gediminid dynasty. In 1975 historian Jerzy Ochmański noted that '' Zadonshchina'', a poem from the end of the 14th century, contains lines in which two sons of Algirdas name their ...

(?) , , ''Unknown'' , , 1291 , - , Grand Duke

1291
–
1295, , , , ''None known'' , , ''Unknown''

Son of

(?) , , ''Unknown'' , , , - , Grand Duke

1295
–
1316, , Witenes

, , ''None known'' , , 1260

Son of

Butvydas Butvydas or Pukuveras ( be, Будзівід (Budzivid); also known as Боудивидъ, ''Liutauras'', Пукувер (Pukuvier) ''Pukuwer'' or ''Pucuwerus'') (died 1295) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1292 to 1295. His influence was stro ...

, , Vikinda
1 child, , 1316
Aged 56 , - , Grand Duke

1316
–
1341, , Giedymin

, , ''None known'' , ,

Son of

, , Jaunė
13 children , ,
Raudonė
Aged about 66 , - , Grand Duke

1341
–
1345, , Jaŭnut

, , ''None known'' , ,

Son of

Gediminas Gediminas ( la, Gedeminne, ; – December 1341) was the king or Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1315 or 1316 until his death. He is credited with founding this political entity and expanding its territory which later spanned the area ranging from ...

and Jaunė, , ''Unknown''
3 children , ,
Aged 57−60 , - , Grand Duke
''(

Diarchy Diarchy (from Greek , ''di-'', "double", and , ''-arkhía'', "ruled"),Occasionally misspelled ''dyarchy'', as in the ''Encyclopaedia Britannica'' article on the colonial British institution duarchy, or duumvirate (from Latin ', "the office o ...

with Kęstutis)''

1345
–
1377 , , Algirdas kunigaikštis

, ,

, ,

Son of

and Jaunė, ,

Maria of Vitebsk Maria of Vitebsk (died before 1349) was the first wife of Algirdas, future Grand Duke of Lithuania (marriage took place around 1318). Very little is known about her life. The only child of a Russian prince Yaroslav, Maria was the only heir to the P ...

6 children

Uliana of Tver Uliana Alexandrovna of Tver (russian: Юлиания Александровна Тверская; – 17 March 1391) was a daughter of Prince Alexander of Tver and Anastasia of Halych (daughter of Yuri I of Galicia). She was the second wif ...

8 children, ,
Maišiagala
Aged about 81 , - , Grand Duke
''(

with Kęstutis)''

May 1377
–
August 1381, , , , , ,

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional u ...

Son of

Algirdas Algirdas ( be, Альгерд, Alhierd, uk, Ольгерд, Ольґерд, Olherd, Olgerd, pl, Olgierd; – May 1377) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania. He ruled the Lithuanians and Ruthenians from 1345 to 1377. With the help of his b ...

and

, ,

Jadwiga of Poland Jadwiga (; 1373 or 137417 July 1399), also known as Hedwig ( hu, Hedvig), was the first woman to be crowned as monarch of the Kingdom of Poland. She reigned from 16 October 1384 until her death. She was the youngest daughter of Louis the Great ...

No children

Anna of Cilli
1 child

Elizabeth Granowska
No children

Sophia of Halshany Sophia (Sonka) of Halshany or Sophia Holshanska ( be, Соф'я Гальшанская, translit=Sofja Halšanskaja; lt, Sofija Alšėniškė; pl, Zofia Holszańska; – September 21, 1461 in Kraków) was a princess of Halshany and was Quee ...

2 children , , 1 June 1434
Gródek Jagielloński
Aged 72−82 , - , Grand Duke

1381
–
1382 , , Kiejstut

, ,

, ,
Senieji Trakai

Son of

and Jaunė, ,

Birutė Birutė (died 1382) was the second wife of Kęstutis, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and mother of Vytautas the Great. There is very little known about Birutė's life, but after her death a strong cult developed among Lithuanians, especially in Samog ...

3 children, , 1382
Kreva
Murdered by the order of
Jogaila while imprisoned
Aged 84–85 , - , Grand Duke

3 August 1382
–
1 June 1434
''()'', , , , , ,

Son of

and

, ,

No children

Anna of Cilli
1 child

Elizabeth Granowska
No children

2 children , , 1 June 1434
Gródek Jagielloński
Aged 72−82 , - , - ! colspan="6" , Act of Kreva signed in 1385

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

and

''de jure'' are ruled by one monarch but remain to be separate states. , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

3 August 1382
–
1 June 1434
''()'', , , , , ,

Son of

and

, ,

No children

Anna of Cilli
1 child

Elizabeth Granowska
No children

2 children , , 1 June 1434
Gródek Jagielloński
Aged 72−82 , - , - , Grand Duke

1386
–
1392 , , , , , ,

Son of

and

, , Unmarried
and childless , , 11 January 1397

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Kyi ...

Possibly poisoned
by the order of the

Russian Orthodox Russian Orthodoxy (russian: Русское православие) is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, whose liturgy is or was traditionally conducted in Church Slavonic language. Most C ...

priests
Aged 43−44 , - , - ! colspan="6" , Astrava Agreement signed in 1392
Following the Lithuanian Civil War, Skirgaila is replaced by Vytautas. The latter and his successors ''de jure'' act as regents of the King of Poland until 1440. , - , Grand Duke
King-elect of Lithuania

Vytautas the Great
4 August 1392
–
27 October 1430
''()'', , , , , ,
Senieji Trakai

Son of

Kęstutis Kęstutis ( la, Kinstut, ; – 3 or 15 August 1382) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania. He was the Duke of Trakai and governed the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, 1342–1382, together with his brother Algirdas (until 1377), and with his nephew Jogail ...

and

, , Anna
1 child

Uliana Olshanska
No children , , 27 October 1430

Trakai Trakai (; see names section for alternative and historic names) is a historic town and lake resort in Lithuania. It lies west of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Because of its proximity to Vilnius, Trakai is a popular tourist destination. T ...

Aged about 80 , - , Grand Duke

October 1430
–
1 August 1432, , Lithuanian Grand Duke Švitrigaila

, ,

, , Before 1370

Son of

and

, , Anna of Tver
1 child , , 10 February 1452

Lutsk Lutsk ( uk, Луцьк, translit=Lutsk}, ; pl, Łuck ; yi, לוצק, Lutzk) is a city on the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast (province) and the administrative center of the surrounding Luts ...

Aged about 82 , - , Grand Duke

lt, Žygimantas Kęstutaitis
1432
–
1440 , , , , , , 1365

Son of

and

, , ''Unknown''
1 child, , 20 March 1440

Murdered by supporters
of Švitrigaila
Aged 75 , -

House of Jagiellon The Jagiellonian dynasty (, pl, dynastia jagiellońska), otherwise the Jagiellon dynasty ( pl, dynastia Jagiellonów), the House of Jagiellon ( pl, Dom Jagiellonów), or simply the Jagiellons ( pl, Jagiellonowie), was the name assumed by a cad ...
(1440–1569)

The act of personal union with Poland was signed as early as 1385; however, the continuous line of common rulers of the two countries started only with Casimir IV (even then, Polish and Lithuanians twice selected different rulers following the death of an earlier common monarch, but the Lithuanian one always eventually assumed the Polish throne). The monarchs retained separate titles for both parts of the state, and their numbering was kept separate. The Jagiellon dynasty was a direct continuation of the

Gediminids The House of Gediminid or simply the Gediminids ( lt, Gediminaičiai, sgs, Gedėmėnātē, be, Гедзімінавічы, pl, Giedyminowicze, uk, Гедиміновичі;) were a dynasty of monarchs in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that re ...

. , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

lt, Kazimieras Jogailaitis
29 June 1440
–
7 June 1492
''()'', , Kazimier Jagajłavič

, ,

, , 30 November 1427

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...

Son of Jogaila Algirdaitis
and

, , Elisabeth of Austria
12 children , , 7 June 1492
Old Grodno Castle
Aged 64 , - 1263 – 1265, , , , , , , , , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

lt, Aleksandras Jogailaitis
30 July 1492
–
19 August 1506
''()'', , Aleksander Jagiellonczyk

, ,

, , 5 August 1461

Son of Kazimieras Jogailaitis and
Elisabeth of Austria , , Helena of Moscow
No children, , 19 August 1506

Aged 45 , - 1263 – 1265, , , , , , , , , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

Sigismund I the Old
lt, Žygimantas Senasis
8 December 1506
–
1 April 1548
''()'', , Kulmbach Sigismund I the Old

, ,

, , 1 January 1467

Kozienice Kozienice (; yi, קאזשניץ ''Kozhnits''; german: Koschnitz) is a town in eastern Poland with 21,500 inhabitants (1995). Located four miles from the Vistula, it is the capital of Kozienice County. Even though Kozienice is part of Lesser Po ...

Son of Kazimieras Jogailaitis and
Elisabeth of Austria , , Barbara Zápolya
2 children

Bona Sforza Bona Sforza d'Aragona (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, and Duchess of Bari and Rossano by her own right. She was a surviving member of ...

6 children, , 1 April 1548

Aged 81 , - 1263 – 1265, , , , , , , , , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

lt, Žygimantas Augustas
1 April 1548
–
7 July 1572
''()'' , , Cranach the Younger Sigismund II Augustus

, ,

, , 1 August 1520

Son of Žygimantas the Old
and

, , Elisabeth of Austria
No children

Barbara Radziwiłł
No children

Catherine of Austria
No children, , 7 July 1572
Knyszyn
Aged 51 , - ! colspan="6" ,

Union of Lublin The Union of Lublin ( pl, Unia lubelska; lt, Liublino unija) was signed on 1 July 1569 in Lublin, Poland, and created a single state, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest countries in Europe at the time. It replaced the ...

signed in 1569

and

are united into a single

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with " republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from th ...

. , - 1263 – 1265, , , , , , , ,

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795)

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was established by the

in 1569. The elected King of Poland was automatically a Grand Duke of Lithuania (until then the Lithuanian dukedom was hereditary). The first common ruler of both countries was Sigismund II Augustus. During the Deluge of the

Second Northern War The Second Northern War (1655–60), (also First or Little Northern War) was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1655–60), the Tsardom of Russia ( 1656–58), Brandenburg-Prussia (1657–60), the H ...

, Lithuania signed the Union of Kėdainiai with the

Swedish Empire The Swedish Empire was a European great power that exercised territorial control over much of the Baltic region during the 17th and early 18th centuries ( sv, Stormaktstiden, "the Era of Great Power"). The beginning of the empire is usually t ...

in 1655, thus ''de jure'' ending its union with Poland. However, due to Sweden's losses, the agreement soon fell out of favor and was not properly enforced, leading to the further continuation of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Following the partitions in 1772, 1793, and 1795, the commonwealth ceased to exist and Lithuania proper became part of the Russian Empire for 123 years. There are some gaps in the timeline as it took a while to elect a new king. The first Grand Duke elected after the Gediminid line became extinct and after the Valois fled back to France was

Stephen Báthory Stephen Báthory ( hu, Báthory István; pl, Stefan Batory; ; 27 September 1533 – 12 December 1586) was Voivode of Transylvania (1571–1576), Prince of Transylvania (1576–1586), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1576–158 ...

, who had made an effort to be recognized as Grand Duke of Lithuania by establishing

Vilnius University Vilnius University ( lt, Vilniaus universitetas) is a public research university, oldest in the Baltic states and in Northern Europe outside the United Kingdom (or 6th overall following foundations of Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, Glasgow ...

. Title: King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania lt, Lenkijos karalius ir Lietuvos didysis kunigaikštis pl, Król Polski, wielki książę litewski la, Rex Poloniae et Magnus Dux Lituaniae , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

Sigismund II Augustus Sigismund II Augustus ( pl, Zygmunt II August, lt, Žygimantas Augustas; 1 August 1520 – 7 July 1572) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548. He was the first rule ...

lt, Žygimantas Augustas

1 July 1569

7 July 1572
''()'' , Cranach the Younger Sigismund II Augustus

, 1 August 1520

Son of Žygimantas the Old
and

, Elisabeth of Austria
Barbara Radziwiłł
Catherine of Austria , 7 July 1572
Knyszyn
Aged 51 , Heredetary

First monarch to
introduce elective
monarchy ,

Jagiellon The Jagiellonian dynasty (, pl, dynastia jagiellońska), otherwise the Jagiellon dynasty ( pl, dynastia Jagiellonów), the House of Jagiellon ( pl, Dom Jagiellonów), or simply the Jagiellons ( pl, Jagiellonowie), was the name assumed by a cad ...

, - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke
Henry
lt, Henrikas Valua
16 May 1573

12 May 1575
''()'' , Henri III - portrait after Jean Decourt - Musée Condé

Coat of Arms of Henri de Valois as lifelong king of Poland

, 19 September 1551

Fontainebleau Fontainebleau (; ) is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the ''arrondissement' ...

Son of Henry II and

Catherine de' Medici Catherine de' Medici ( it, Caterina de' Medici, ; french: Catherine de Médicis, ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Florentine noblewoman born into the Medici family. She was Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King ...

, Louise of Lorraine, no children , 2 August 1589

Saint-Cloud Saint-Cloud () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France, from the centre of Paris. Like other communes of Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine and Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of France's wealthiest town ...

Aged 37 , Elected

Left Poland in June 1574 to succeed his

brother A brother is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-famili ...

in France

Interregnum until 1575 , Valois , - , Queen of Poland
and Grand Dutchess
Anna
lt, Ona Jogailaitė
15 December 1575

19 August 1587
''(de facto)''
''()''

9 September 1596
''(de jure)''
''()'' , Kober Anna Jagiellon as a widow

, 18 October 1523

Daughter of Sigismund I and

, no children , 9 September 1596

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is official ...

Aged 72 , Elected co-monarch with

Sole ruler until Báthory's arrival and coronation in May 1576

Ruled after husband's death until her nephew was elected ,

, - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

lt, Steponas Batoras
1 May 1576

12 December 1586
''()'' , Riehl Portrait of Stephen Bathory

, 27 September 1533
Szilágysomlyó (Șimleu Silvaniei)

Son of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó and

Catherine Telegdi Catherine Telegdi ( Hungarian: Katalin Telegdi) (1492–1547) was a Hungarian noble lady, the daughter of royal treasurer Stephen Telegdi and his wife Margit Bebek de Pelsőcz. Family Telegdi married the deputy voivode of Transylvania Step ...

Anna Jagiellon Anna Jagiellon ( pl, Anna Jagiellonka, lt, Ona Jogailaitė; 18 October 1523 – 9 September 1596) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania from 1575 to 1587. Daughter of Polish King Sigismund I the Old and Italian duchess Bo ...

, no children , 12 December 1586

Grodno Grodno (russian: Гродно, pl, Grodno; lt, Gardinas) or Hrodna ( be, Гродна ), is a city in western Belarus. The city is located on the Neman River, 300 km (186 mi) from Minsk, about 15 km (9 mi) from the Polish b ...

Aged 53 , Elected as co-monarch with

Previously Prince of

Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the ...

, Báthory , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke
Sigismund III
lt, Zigmantas Vaza
19 August 1587

30 April 1632
''()'' , Rubens Sigismund III Vasa

, 20 June 1566
Gripsholm

Son of

John III of Sweden John III ( sv , Johan III, fi, Juhana III; 20 December 1537 – 17 November 1592) was King of Sweden from 1569 until his death. He was the son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife Margaret Leijonhufvud. He was also, quite autonomou ...

and

Catherine Jagiellon Catherine Jagiellon ( pl, Katarzyna Jagiellonka; sv, Katarina Jagellonica, Lithuanian: ''Kotryna Jogailatė''; 1 November 1526 – 16 September 1583) was a Polish princess and Queen of Sweden as the first wife of King John III. As such, she ...

Anne of Austria Anne of Austria (french: Anne d'Autriche, italic=no, es, Ana María Mauricia, italic=no; 22 September 1601 – 20 January 1666) was an infanta of Spain who became Queen of France as the wife of King Louis XIII from their marriage in 1615 un ...

Constance of Austria Constance of Austria (german: Konstanza; pl, Konstancja; 24 December 1588 – 10 July 1631) was Queen of Poland as the second wife of King Sigismund III Vasa and the mother of King John II Casimir. Biography Constance was a daughter of Charle ...

, 30 April 1632

Aged 65 , Elected, nephew of Anna Jagiellon

Transferred capital from

to Warsaw

Hereditary King of

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

until deposition in 1599 , Vasa , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

Władysław IV Władysław is a Polish given male name, cognate with Vladislav. The feminine form is Władysława, archaic forms are Włodzisław (male) and Włodzisława (female), and Wladislaw is a variation. These names may refer to: Famous people Mononym * ...

also Ladislaus IV
lt, Vladislovas Vaza
8 November 1632

20 May 1648
''()'' , Rubens Władysław Vasa

, 9 June 1595
Łobzów

Son of Sigismund III and

, Cecilia Renata of Austria

Marie Louise Gonzaga Marie Louise Gonzaga ( pl, Ludwika Maria; 18 August 1611 – 10 May 1667) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania by marriage to two kings of Poland and grand dukes of Lithuania, brothers Władysław IV and John II Casimir. Togethe ...

, 20 May 1648

Merkinė Merkinė is a town in the Dzūkija National Park in Lithuania, located at the confluence of the Merkys, Stangė, and Nemunas rivers. Merkinė is one of the oldest settlements in Lithuania. The first settlers inhabited the confluence of Merkys an ...

Aged 52 , Elective succession

Also titular King of Sweden and elected Tsar of Russia (1610–1613) when the Polish army captured

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

, Vasa , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

John II Casimir John II Casimir ( pl, Jan II Kazimierz Waza; lt, Jonas Kazimieras Vaza; 22 March 1609 – 16 December 1672) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1648 until his abdication in 1668 as well as titular King of Sweden from 1648 ...

lt, Jonas Kazimieras Vaza
20 November 1648

16 September 1668
''()'' , Schultz John II Casimir Vasa

, 22 March 1609

Son of Sigismund III and

Claudine Françoise Mignot (

morganatic marriage Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spou ...

) , 16 December 1672

Nevers Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France. It was the principal city of the former province of Nivernais. It is s ...

Aged 63 , Elective succession, succeeded half-brother

Previously a

cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

Titular King of Sweden

Abdicated Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...

, Vasa , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

Michael I Michael I may refer to: * Pope Michael I of Alexandria, Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark in 743–767 * Michael I Rhangabes, Byzantine Emperor (died in 844) * Michael I Cerularius, Patriarch Michael I of Constantin ...

lt, Mykolas Kaributas Višnioveckis
19 June 1669

10 November 1673
''()'' , King Michael Korybut Wisniowiecki

Coat of Arms of Michal Korybut Wisniowiecki as king of Poland

, 31 May 1640
Biały Kamień

Son of

Jeremi Wiśniowiecki Prince Jeremi Wiśniowiecki ( uk, Ярема Вишневецький – Yarema Vyshnevetsky; 1612 – 20 August 1651) nicknamed ''Hammer on the Cossacks'' ( pl, Młot na Kozaków), was a notable member of the aristocracy of the Polish–Lith ...

and Gryzelda Konstancja Zamoyska , Eleonora Maria of Austria, no children , 10 November 1673

Lwów Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukrain ...

Aged 33 , Elected

Born into nobility of mixed heritage, the son of a military commander and governor , Wiśniowiecki , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

John III Sobieski John III Sobieski ( pl, Jan III Sobieski; lt, Jonas III Sobieskis; la, Ioannes III Sobiscius; 17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696. Born into Polish nobility, Sobi ...

lt, Jonas Sobieskis
19 May 1674

17 June 1696
''()'' , Schultz John III Sobieski

Coat of Arms of Jan Sobieski as king of Poland

, 17 August 1629
Olesko

Son of Jakub Sobieski and Teofila Zofia , Marie Casimire d'Arquien, 13 children , 17 June 1696
Wilanów
Aged 66 , Elected

Born into nobility

A successful military commander , Sobieski , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

Augustus II Augustus II; german: August der Starke; lt, Augustas II; in Saxony also known as Frederick Augustus I – Friedrich August I (12 May 16701 February 1733), most commonly known as Augustus the Strong, was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as Ki ...

lt, Augustas II Stiprusis
15 September 1697

1706
''(1st reign, 9 years)'' , August II the Strong

, 12 May 1670

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth l ...

Son of John George III and Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark ,

Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (19 December 1671 – 4 September 1727) was Electress of Saxony from 1694 to 1727 (her death) and Queen Consort of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1697 to 1727 by marriage to Augustus I ...

, 1 son by wife , 1 February 1733

Aged 62 , Elected

Previously Elector and ruler of

Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state o ...

Dethroned by

Stanislaus I Stanislav and variants may refer to: People *Stanislav (given name), a Slavic given name with many spelling variations (Stanislaus, Stanislas, Stanisław, etc.) Places * Stanislav, a coastal village in Kherson, Ukraine * Stanislaus County, Cal ...

in 1706 during the

Great Northern War The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swed ...

, Wettin , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

lt, Stanislovas I Leščinskis
12 July 1704

8 July 1709
''(1st reign, )'' , Mányoki Stanislaus Leszczyński

Coat of Arms of Stanislaus Leszczynski as king of Poland

, 20 October 1677

Son of Rafał Leszczyński and Anna Jabłonowska ,

Catherine Opalińska Countess Catherine Opalińska ( pl, Katarzyna Opalińska; 13 October 1680 – 19 March 1747), was by birth member of House of Opaliński, Queen consort of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth twice and Duchess consort of Lorraine through her mar ...

, 2 children , 23 February 1766

Lunéville Lunéville ( ; German, obsolete: ''Lünstadt'' ) is a commune in the northeastern French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle. It is a subprefecture of the department and lies on the river Meurthe at its confluence with the Vezouze. History L ...

Aged 88 , Usurped

Nominated as ruler in 1704, crowned in 1705 and deposed predecessor in 1706

Exiled in 1709 , Leszczyński , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

lt, Augustas II Stiprusis
8 July 1709

1 February 1733
''(2nd reign, )'' , August II (1670-1733)

, 12 May 1670

Son of John George III and Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark ,

, 1 son by wife , 1 February 1733

Aged 62 , Restored , Wettin , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

lt, Stanislovas I Leščinskis
12 September 1733

26 January 1736
''(2nd reign, )'' , Portrait of Stanisław I Leszczyński

, 20 October 1677

Son of Rafał Leszczyński and Anna Jabłonowska ,

, 2 children , 23 February 1766

Aged 88 , Elected

His election sparked the

War of the Polish Succession The War of the Polish Succession ( pl, Wojna o sukcesję polską; 1733–35) was a major European conflict sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II of Poland, which the other European powers widened in pursuit of their ...

Deposed by

Augustus III Augustus III ( pl, August III Sas, lt, Augustas III; 17 October 1696 5 October 1763) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1733 until 1763, as well as Elector of Saxony in the Holy Roman Empire where he was known as Frederick Au ...

in 1736 , Leszczyński , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke

lt, Augustas III Saksas
5 October 1733

5 October 1763
''(30 years)'' , , , 17 October 1696

Son of

Augustus II the Strong Augustus II; german: August der Starke; lt, Augustas II; in Saxony also known as Frederick Augustus I – Friedrich August I (12 May 16701 February 1733), most commonly known as Augustus the Strong, was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as Ki ...

and Christiane Eberhardine ,

Maria Josepha of Austria Maria Josepha of Austria (Maria Josepha Benedikta Antonia Theresia Xaveria Philippine, pl, Maria Józefa; 8 December 1699 – 17 November 1757) was the Queen of Poland and Electress of Saxony by marriage to Augustus III. From 1711 to 1717, sh ...

, 16 children , 5 October 1763

Aged 66 , Usurped

Proclaimed King of Poland in 1733, crowned in 1734

Dethroned elected predecessor in 1736 , Wettin , - , King of Poland
and Grand Duke
Stanislaus II Augustus
lt, Stanislovas Augustas II Poniatovskis
7 September 1764

25 November 1795
''()'' , Vigee Stanislaw Augustus

Coat of Arms of Stanislaus Augustus as king of Poland

, 17 January 1732
Wołczyn

Son of Stanisław Poniatowski and Konstancja Czartoryska , Unmarried , 1 February 1798

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

Aged 66 , Elected

Born into nobility

Last King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, his reign ended in the

Partitions of Poland The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania fo ...

, Poniatowski

Kingdom of Lithuania (1918)

The Council of Lithuania declared independence on 16 February 1918 and invited Wilhelm of Urach to become king of Lithuania. The name of the state was the Kingdom of Lithuania. On 9 July 1918, Duke Wilhelm accepted the offer and took the name Mindaugas II. However, on 2 November the council revoked this decision as it was likely Germany would lose the war.

House of Urach A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air con ...
(1918)

, King

Mindaugas II Prince Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, 2nd Duke of Urach (''Wilhelm Karl Florestan Gero Crescentius''; German: ''Fürst Wilhelm von Urach, Graf von Württemberg, 2. Herzog von Urach''; 30 May 1864 – 24 March 1928), was a German prince ...

–

''()'', , , , , , 30 May 1864

Son of

Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach Count Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander Ferdinand of Württemberg, 1st Duke of Urach (6 July 1810 – 17 July 1869), was the son of William Frederick Philip, Duke of Württemberg, Duke Wilhelm of Württemberg (1761–1830), younger brother of Frederick ...

and

Princess Florestine of Monaco Princess Florestine Gabrielle Antoinette of Monaco (22 October 1833 – 4 April 1897) was the youngest child and only daughter of Florestan I, Prince of Monaco, and his wife, Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz. Florestine was a member of the Hou ...

, ,

Duchess Amalie in Bavaria , title = Duchess of Urach , image = AmalieinBayern.jpg , caption = , reign = , coronation = , predecessor = , successor = , succession = , spouse = Wilhelm, 2nd Duke of Urach , is ...

Princess Wiltrud of Bavaria , , 24 March 1928 , -

Republic of Lithuania (1918–1940)

Presidents of the Presidium of the Council of Lithuania

The state of Lithuania was ruled by the Presidium of the State Council of Lithuania, its chairman was de facto Head of State. The institution of President was established on 4 April 1919. Chairman of the Presidium

Antanas Smetona Antanas Smetona (; 10 August 1874 – 9 January 1944) was a Lithuanian intellectual and journalist and the first President of Lithuania from 1919 to 1920 and again from 1926 to 1940, before its occupation by the Soviet Union. He was one of the m ...

was elected as First President of the State of Lithuania by the State Council of Lithuania and was the only one in under whose rule this position has been considered the office of the head of state.

Presidents of the Republic of Lithuania

The institution of President ( lt, Prezidentas) was created on 4 April 1919. Antanas Smetona was elected as the first President of Lithuania.

Posthumously recognized acting Presidents

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1940–1941)

The Soviet Union occupied Lithuania and established the Lithuanian SSR in July 1940.

First Secretaries of the
Central Committee Central committee is the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, of both ruling and nonruling parties of former and existing socialist states. In such party organizations, the c ...
of the
Communist Party of Lithuania The Communist Party of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos komunistų partija; russian: Коммунистическая партия Литвы) is a banned communist party in Lithuania. The party was established in early October 1918 and operated cla ...

; .

Generalbezirk Litauen (1941–1944)

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

attacked the Soviet Union in

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named afte ...

, Lithuania liberated itself with the anti-Soviet June Uprising and re-declared Lithuanian Independence. Lithuania was ruled for some time by the

Provisional Government of Lithuania The Provisional Government of Lithuania ( lt, Laikinoji Vyriausybė) was a temporary government aiming for independent Lithuania during June Uprising in Lithuania, the last days of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states (1940), first Soviet o ...

, whose prime minister was Juozas Ambrazevičius. The Provisional Government was formed on 23 June 1941, but was dissolved on 5 August of the same year. Lithuania was occupied by the Germans, who formed '' Generalbezirk Litauen'' on 25 July 1941, which was governed by the administration of general commissioner Adrian von Renteln and was a part of ''

Reichskommissariat Ostland The Reichskommissariat Ostland (RKO) was established by Nazi Germany in 1941 during World War II. It became the civilian occupation regime in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the western part of Byelorussian SSR. German planning documents initia ...

''.

General Commissioners of Generalbezirk Litauen

; .

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1944–1990)

As Nazi Germany retreated, the Soviet Union reoccupied the country and reestablished the Lithuanian SSR in 1944. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet ''de jure'' acted as a collective head of state from 25 August 1940 to 11 March 1990. However, the Supreme Soviet ''de facto'' was controlled by the Communist Party of Lithuania led by the First Secretary.

First Secretaries of the
Central Committee Central committee is the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, of both ruling and nonruling parties of former and existing socialist states. In such party organizations, the c ...
of the
Communist Party of Lithuania The Communist Party of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos komunistų partija; russian: Коммунистическая партия Литвы) is a banned communist party in Lithuania. The party was established in early October 1918 and operated cla ...

Republic of Lithuania (1990–present)

The leader of the Supreme Council was the official head of state from the declaration of independence on 11 March 1990 until the new Constitution came into effect in 1992 establishing the office of President and the institution of

Seimas The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas), or simply the Seimas (), is the unicameral parliament of Lithuania. The Seimas constitutes the legislative branch of government in Lithuania, enacting laws and amendm ...

. The state and its leadership were not recognized internationally until September 1991 Aukščiausiosios Tarybos pirmininkas). Title from 1992 onwards: President ( lt, prezidentas).

References

History
''Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania''. Retrieved 26 August 2006. * Vytautas Spečiūnas (ed.), Lietuvos valdovai (XIII-XVIII a.) (Rulers of Lithuania (13–18th centuries)), ''Mokslo ir enicklopedijų leidybos institutas'', Vilnius 2004.

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:List of Rulers of Lithuania

Rulers A ruler, sometimes called a rule, line gauge, or scale, is a device used in geometry and technical drawing, as well as the engineering and construction industries, to measure distances or draw straight lines. Variants Rulers have lon ...

Lithuanian Lithuanian may refer to: * Lithuanians * Lithuanian language * The country of Lithuania * Grand Duchy of Lithuania * Culture of Lithuania * Lithuanian cuisine * Lithuanian Jews as often called "Lithuanians" (''Lita'im'' or ''Litvaks'') by other Jew ...

People of medieval Lithuania Middle Ages-related lists

Kingdom of Lithuania (1251–1263)

House of Mindaugas The House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered on Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later. His known fam ... (1253–1263)

Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1263–1569)

House of Mindaugas The House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered on Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later. His known fam ... (1263–1267)

House of Monomakh (1267–1269)

House of Mindaugas The House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered on Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later. His known fam ... (1269–1285)

House of Gediminas The family of Gediminas is a group of family members of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania (ca. 1275–1341), who interacted in the 14th century. The family included the siblings, children, and grandchildren of the Grand Duke and played the pivot ... (1285–1440)

House of Jagiellon The Jagiellonian dynasty (, pl, dynastia jagiellońska), otherwise the Jagiellon dynasty ( pl, dynastia Jagiellonów), the House of Jagiellon ( pl, Dom Jagiellonów), or simply the Jagiellons ( pl, Jagiellonowie), was the name assumed by a cad ... (1440–1569)

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795)

Kingdom of Lithuania (1918)

House of Urach A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air con ... (1918)

Republic of Lithuania (1918–1940)

Presidents of the Presidium of the Council of Lithuania

Presidents of the Republic of Lithuania

Posthumously recognized acting Presidents

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1940–1941)

Generalbezirk Litauen (1941–1944)

General Commissioners of Generalbezirk Litauen

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1944–1990)

Republic of Lithuania (1990–present)

See also

References

External links

House of Mindaugas The House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered on Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later. His known fam ...
(1253–1263)

House of Mindaugas The House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered on Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later. His known fam ...
(1263–1267)

House of Mindaugas The House of Mindaugas was the first royal family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, centered on Mindaugas, the first known and undoubted sovereign of Lithuania. He was crowned as King of Lithuania in 1253 and assassinated ten years later. His known fam ...
(1269–1285)

House of Gediminas The family of Gediminas is a group of family members of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania (ca. 1275–1341), who interacted in the 14th century. The family included the siblings, children, and grandchildren of the Grand Duke and played the pivot ...
(1285–1440)

House of Jagiellon The Jagiellonian dynasty (, pl, dynastia jagiellońska), otherwise the Jagiellon dynasty ( pl, dynastia Jagiellonów), the House of Jagiellon ( pl, Dom Jagiellonów), or simply the Jagiellons ( pl, Jagiellonowie), was the name assumed by a cad ...
(1440–1569)

House of Urach A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air con ...
(1918)