Nobility in Lithuania

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Early Lithuanian rulers held the title of didysis kunigaikštis (did-ee-sis kunigaik-sh-tis) (literally "great duke"), which was equivalent to either "grand duke" or "king". High nobles held the title of kunigaikštis (duke). Since Mindaugas the word karalius was used to specifically denote a king. "Karalius" is not direct Lithuanian derivative from "Carolus Magnus", Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, but possibly came from Slavic languages (Polish: Król, Belarusian: Karol', Russian: Korol'). Also there exists the now almost unused word ciesorius for emperor, derivative from Caesar; in Lithuania Minor it was used for a ruler of Prussia.

After the Union of Lublin in 1569 Lithuanian nobility became increasingly polonized and merged with szlachta, although its representatives - like Radziwiłłs - continued to represent the interests of Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Szlachta mostly disappeared in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Contents 1 Influential Lithuanian families 1.1 Families from ethnic Lithuania 1.2 Families from Ruthenia 1.3 Families from Livonia 2 See also

[edit] Influential Lithuanian families

[edit] Families from ethnic Lithuania

• Alelkaičiai
• Alšėniškiai
• Astikai

• Giedraičiai
• Goštautai
• Kęsgailos
• Radvilos

[edit] Families from Ruthenia

• Chodkiewicz (Chodkevičiai)
• Ogiński (Oginskiai)
• Ostrogski (Ostrogiškiai)
• Pac (Pacai)
• Sapieha (Sapiegos)
• Tyszkiewicz (Tiškevičiai)
• Wiśniowiecki (Višnioveckiai)

[edit] Families from Livonia

• Plater (Pliateriai)
• Tyzenhaus (Tyzenhauzai)

[edit] See also

• Germanic monarchy for references to Germanic origins of kuningaz (Modern German: König, English: king).