Achievement

History

The first traces of large nobility meetings can be found in the Treaty of Salynas of 1398 and the Union of Horodło of 1413. It is considered that the first Seimas met in Hrodna in 1445 during talks between Casimir IV Jagiellon and the Council of Lords. Soon influence of the nobility grew as Casimir's privileges released veldamas, dependent peasants, from their taxes to the state. That meant a significant increase in nobility's revenue. As the Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars raged the country almost continuously between 1492 and 1582, the Grand Duke needed more tax revenues to finance the army and had to call the Seimas more frequently. In exchange for cooperation, the nobility demanded various privileges, including strengthening of the Seimas.

At first the Seimas did not have the legislative power. It would debate on foreign and domestic affairs, taxes, wars, state budget. At the beginning of the 16th century, the Seimas acquired some legislative powers. The Seimas could petition the Grand Duke to pass certain laws. The Duke usually granted the request as he needed nobility's support and cooperation. At first members of the Seimas were members of the Council of Lords and high state officials. Only gradually all interested nobles could attend the meetings. No invitation was necessary to attend. As the importance of Seimas grew, nobles from more distant regions started electing representatives from their districts and sending them to the meeting. However, the Seimas was dominated by the magnates as they were much more politically active and lesser nobles were more passive observers. However, gradually the lesser nobles understood that the Seimas gave them power to block new taxes and by mid-16th century they started to demand more privileges for themselves. Thus the Seimas shifted from magnate-controlled political tool to a representation of all nobles. This shift was influenced by a similar movement in Poland.

Major reforms were carried out between 1564 and 1566, just before the Union of Lublin. According to the Second Statute of Lithuania, the Seimas acquired full legislative powers. It was composed of two houses: the upper house, called Senate, was the equivalent to the former Council of Lords and the lower house was made up of representatives of each district of the state. No longer any member of the nobility could participate: each of the 28 powiats could send only two delegates. It started a tradition of local Seimas (called seimelis) to elect the representatives.

When the separate Seimas for Lithuania was officially abolished in 1569, it adopted the name of Lithuanian Convocations and continued to meet until the partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795. It debated matters concerning the Grand Duchy of Lithuania or tried to establish a common position among Lithuanian delegates before departing for the Sejm of the Commonwealth. The convocations retained basic structures (upper and lower houses) and procedures of the Seimas: each powiat could send only two representatives. Convocations were called by the Grand Duke, who also ratified its decisions and included them in official law books.

An early achievement of Lithuania appeared in the beginning of the 15th century for the government of king Jogaila and grand duke Vytautas and initially the arms of their personal possessions were a quarterly of the emblems of the respective parts of their realms supported by a single angel. At the end of the  rule of King-Grand duke Kasimir such a quarterly was supported by two angels. In addition to this an achievement is known dated 1484 which consists of the arms of Lithuania with a crest an supported by two angels. After the realization of the personal union between Lithuania and Poland an achievement of a quarterly of Poland and Lituania appeared supported by two angels. An achievement of Lithuania only with two supporters  reappeared during the rule of Sigismund III Wasa  

Kasimir          

1440-1492

King of Poland 1446-1492

Detail of a triptych dedicated to the Virgin, 1484

Alexander

1492-1506

King of Poland 1501-1506

Great seal of Alexander

From the privileges granted by Alexander  to the Church of Vitebsk. Vilnius, 1503.08.17

Lithuanian Academy of Sciences

Achievement:

Arms: Lithuania

Supporters: Dexter: An angel supporting the arms of  and sinister an angel supporting tyen arms of Wolhynia

In base the arms of Rus

Legend: ALEXANDER DEI GRACIA MAGNVS  DVX LITWANIE RUSSIE SAMAGITHIE Q SC DNS EPHES

From 1501, with the accession of Casimir's son, Alexander I, Lithuania and Poland had one ruler, and in 1569 they agreed to have a common legislature and an elective king.

From this time an achievement was used symbolizing the personal union between Poland and Lithuania, the shield quarterly of Poland and Lithuania, the supporters angels or female allegories. In this quarterly the arms of Poland occupied the place of honour in the first and fourth quarters because Poland was a kingdom and, although much larger, Lithuania but a Grand duchy. An achievement representing Lithuania only appeared some time after the realization of  the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569 and the Third Statutes of the Grand duchy of Lithuania in 1588.

Personal Union with Poland

1506-1569

Sigismund II Augustus

1548-1572

Polish-Lituanian Commonwealth

1569-1795

Sigismund III Wasa

1587-1632

Great seal, 1598

Æ 78 mm. . (Gum. 146)

Arms: Lithuania

Crown: A Grand ducal crown

Supporters: Angels.

Surrounded by the arms of Poland, Wilna, Gedymin, Samogitia, Severia, Kiev, Podolia, Lublin, Smolensk, Troki, Volinsk en Wasa.

Legend: SIGISMUNDUS III DEI GRACIA REX POLONIÆ MAGNUS DUX LITHUANIÆ RUSSIÆ PRUS MAS SAMO LIVONIA ZC // NEC NON REGNI SVECIÆ PROXIMUS HERES ET FUTURUS REX

The achievement of Lithuania with the Vytis (Pogon/Pahonia) on the Statutes of Warsaw, 1614. The figure on the right is called Kalumny (arms of Troki)

The arms are (clockwise)

 1. Poland

 2. Lithuania

 3. Kestutis

 4. Samogitia

 5. NN

 6. NN

 7. Dobrzyn

 8. Lublin

 9. Znin

10. Troki

11. Wolhynia

12. Wasa

Wladyslaw IV Wasa

1632-1648

Lesser seal of Wladislaw IV, 1639, 1645

in a tin box Æ 75 mm

LVIA F. 1135 AP. 1, c. 43rd (Gum. 152)

Achievement

Arms:  Lithuania

Crown: A grand ducal crown

Supporters: Belluno and Fortuna.

Legend: VLADISL IIII DG REX POLO M D LIT RUS PRUS MAS SAM LIV SMOL SEVER CZERN ETC NEC NON SVE GO VAN HÆR REX. [1]

Great Seal of  Wladyslaw IV Wasa, 1645

Achievement

Arms:  Lithuania

Crown: A grand ducal crown

Supporters: Two angels the dexter supporting the arms of Wasa and the sinister supporting the arms of Austria.

Legend: VLADISLA9 Ÿ IIII Ÿ DG : REX POLONIÆ MAGN DUX LITWANIÆ RVSSIÆ PRVSSIÆ MASOVIÆ PODLACHIÆ RVSSIÆ VOLHYNIÆ KIOVIÆ PODOLIÆ SAMOGITIÆ / LIVONIÆ SMOLENS SEVERIENS CZARNIHOVIENS ETC Ÿ ILEG Ÿ NON Ÿ SVECORVM GOTORVM VANDALORVM HÆREDITARI9 Ÿ REX  Ÿ ETC.

The achievement surrounded by the respective coats of arms, Lithuania represented by the Vytis and the Piles of Gedymin.

Lesser seal of Wladyslaw IV Wasa, 1645

Great seal of Wladislaw Wasa, 1646

Æ 84 mm LVIA F. 1135 AP. 2, c. 45, l. 3v.

Æ See before, 1645

John II Casimir Wasa

1648-1668

Loss of Smolensk, Sewersk and Kiev 1667

Great seal of John II Casimir Wasa, 1659

Æ 84 mm LVIA F. 1135 AP. 2, c. 45, l. 16v.

Achievement

Arms:  Lithuania

Crown: A grand ducal crown

Supporters: Two angels

Legend: IOAN CASIMIR Ÿ DG : REX POLONIÆ MAGN DUX LITWANIÆ RVSSIÆ PRVSSIÆ MASOVIÆ PODLACHIÆ RVSSIÆ VOLHYNIÆ KIOVIÆ PODOLIÆ SAMOGITIÆ / LIVONIÆ SMOLENS SEVERIENS CZARNIHOVIENS ETC Ÿ ILEG Ÿ NON Ÿ SVECORVM GOTORVM VANDALORVM HÆREDITARI9 Ÿ REX  Ÿ ETC.

Great seal of John II Casimir Wasa, 1664

Æ 88 mm LVIA F. 1135 AP. 1, c. 48th

Æ See before 1659

Michael Wisniowiecki

1669-1673

Lesser heraldic seal of Michael Wisniowiecki, 1669

Æ 64 mm, LVIA F. 1135 AP. 4, c. 481, l. 67th, Gum. 154

Achievement

Arms: Lithuania

Crown: Grand ducal crown

Supporters: Belluno  with a sword and Fortuna with a palm leaf.

Legend: MICHAEL D G REX POL M DUX LIT RUS PRU SAM MAS PODL KIIO VOL PODO LIV SMO SEVEER CZER

Greater heraldic seal of Michael Wisniowiecki, 1671

Æ 88 mm. LVIA F. 1135 AP. 2, c. 45, l. 20v.

Achievement

Arms: Lithuania

Crown: Grand ducal crown

Supporters: Belluno and Fortuna

The achievement surrounded by the arms of the lands of the Grand Duchy

Legend: MICHAEL DEI GRATIA REX POLONIÆ MAGNUS DUX LITHUANIÆ RUSSIÆ PRUSSIÆ SAMOGITIÆ MASOVIÆ PODLACHIÆ KIIOVIÆ VOLHYNIÆ PODOLIÆ LIVONIÆ SMOLENSCIÆ SEVERIÆ CZERNIGOUIAQ

Johan III Sobieski

1674-1696

August II, the Strong of Saxony

1697-1704

Lesser seal of August II the Strong, 1697

Æ 73 mm. LVIA F. 1135 AP. 23, c. 524, no. 9th

Achievement

Arms: Lithuania

Crown: A Grand ducal crown

Supporters: Two human figures

Stanislas Leszczynski

1704-1709

Great seal of Stanislas Leszczynski, 1704-‘10

LVIA F. 1135 AP. 4, c. 357, l. 56th

Arms: Lithuania

Crown: A grand ducal crown

Supporters: Two warriors in armoury both supporting the arms of Leszcynski

Legend: STANISLAVS D G REX POL M DVX LIT RVS PRVS : MAZ SAM LIV KI VOL PODL SMOL  CZERNICHOVIA Q

August II, the Strong of Saxony

1709-1733

Great seal of August II, the Strong of Saxony, 1718

Æ 94 mm; LVIA F. 1135 AP. 2, c. 45, l. 54V.

Arms: Lithuania

Crown: A grand ducal crown

Supporters: Two warriors in armoury, the dexter supporting the arms of the Arch Marshal of the Holy Roman Empire and the sinister the arms of Saxony.

Legend: AVGVST. SN. DG. REX ... etc.

Stanislas Leszczynski

1733-1736

August III of Saxony      

1733-1763

Great seal of August III of Saxony, 1736

Made 1733; Æ 95mm; (LVIA F. 1135 AP. 2, c. 45, l. 71st)

Achievement

Arms: Lithuania

Crown: A grand ducal crown

Supporters: Two warriors in armoury, the dexter supporting the arms of the Arch Marshal of the Holy Roman Empire and the sinister the arms of Saxony.

Legend: AVGVSTVS III D G REX POLLONIÆ MAG DVX LITHVANIÆ RVS PRVS MASO SAMO PODL VOL PODOL.....DVX SAXON ET ELECT

Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės didysis antspaudas (1758 m. kovo 14 d. privilegija)

Stanislas II August Poniatowski

1764-1795

Great seal of Stanislas II August Poniatowski, 1768

 Made 1764; Æ 100mm. (LVIA F. 1135 AP. 4, c. 357, l. 97th)

Arms: Lithuania

Crown: a grand ducal crown

Supporters: Two men, the dexter supporting a shield with the arms Poniatowski the sinister a shiekd with the cypher SAP

Legend: STANISLAVS AVGVSTVS D G REX POL M DVX LITH RVS PRVS MAS SAM KIO VOL PODO PODL LIVO SMO SEV CZERN.  / MDCCLXIV

Lesser seal of Stanislas August 1764

size: Æ 76 mm

Arms: Lithuania

Crown: A grand ducal crown

Supporters: Two knights in armoury the dexter supporting the arms Poniatowski, the sinister a shield with the cypher SAP. In the upper margin: Poland.

Legend: STANISLAVS AVGVSTVS D G REX POL M DVX LIT RVS PRVS MAS SAM LIVON PODO PODL LI SMO SEV CZE // MDCCLXIV. (Gum. 155). 

Gumowski M., Pieczęcie królów polskich, Kraków 1919, Nr 187, s. 91, 92

AGAD, Collection of parchment records 6401

Russian Rule

1795-1918

Vilnius Imperial University Seal, 1824 (used 1803-’32)

Æ 87 mm. (LVIA F. 1135 AP. 1, c. 96th)

Arms: Russian Imperial Eagle

Legend: SIGILUM IMPERATORIAE UNIVERSITAT VILNENSIS.

Achievement on the Gate of Dawn, Vilnius

The Gate of Dawn was built at the beginning of the sixteenth century. On a drawing from 1785 the arms are above the entrance  but without supporters. These were there in 1845 and may have been added in the thirties of the 19th century. The griffins are a heraldic symbol of an arch-office be it an arch duke or an arch bisshop and were used as such as early as in Roman times. The achievement would mean: The Arch ducal (i.e. Grand ducal) government of Lithuania.

A Lithuanian linguistic and cultural revival began in the 19th cent., inspired largely by the Roman Catholic clergy and accompanied by frequent anti-Russian uprisings. During World War I (1914-1918) the German army occupied Lithuania, but at the end of the war, on 16 February 1918 in Vilnius, the Council of Lithuania could declare Lithuania an independent kingdom under German protection. In November 1918 Lithuania became an independent republic. In August 1922 the Lithuanian constituent assembly, in session since May 1920, approved a constitution that proclaimed the country a democratic republic.

The republic resisted attacks by Bolshevik troops and by volunteer bands of German adventurers, but in 1920 Vilnius was seized by Poland and Lithuania remained technically at war with Poland until 1927.

After it had occupied the western provinces of Russia in 1915, Germany combined the regions of Suwałki, Kaunas, and Vilnius between 1916-1917 and so enhanced the processes of Lithuanian political consolidation and separation from Poland. The Poles protested against these actions due to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth tradition – when the Grand Duchy of Lithuania belonged to the Kingdom of Poland – and due to the fact that numerous Poles lived in Lithuania, especially in the Vilnius region. Lithuanians, seeking to counterbalance Polish domination, preferred the "self-determination" they enjoyed under the German protectorate.

Vilnius Conference, 18-22 September 1917

By Zofija Kochanauskienė, 1932. Coll.: Vytautas the  Great War Museum

On the wall the flag of Lithuania and the arms of Samogitia and Vilnius

From left to right: Peliksas Bugailiškis, Kazimieras Bizauskas, Kazimieras Šaulys, Justinas Staugaitis, Jonas Basanavičius, Steponas Kairys, Antanas Smetona, Jonas Vileišis, Povilas Dogelis, Juozas Paknys, Jurgis Šaulys, Mykolas Biržiška, Juozas Stankevičius, Petras Klimas

Achievement of Lithuania on the picture of the Vilnius Conference

The arms crowned and supported by two flags green and red.

At the end of the war, on 16 February 1918 in Vilnius, the Council of Lithuania could declare Lithuania an independent kingdom under German protection.

Lietuvos Respublika

02.11.1918-1940

In November 1918 Lithuania became an independent republic.

Achievement after 1918

The arms supported by two national flags, being of three breadths yellow, green and red, adopted 19.04.1918, ratified 15.05.1920 and confirmed by constitution of 01.08.1922.

In August 1922 the Lithuanian constituent assembly, in session since May 1920, approved a constitution that proclaimed the country a democratic republic.

Phantasy Achievement

On an undated postcard

Lietuvas Taryu Socialistine Respublika

21.07 & 03.08.1940 - 1990 

Arms: A hammer and sickle in saltire, in base a rising sun Or.

Garland: Ears of wheat and branches of oak proper.

Motto: VISU SALIU PROLETARAI VIENYKITES! on the dexter and ПРОЛЕТАРИИ ВСЕХ СТРАН СОЕДИНЯЙТЕСЬ! on the sinister; LTSR in base, all in white lettering on a ribbon gules.

By Constitution, 25th of August 1940, art. 116.

Lietuvos Respublika

11.03.1990 - present

Op dezelfde dag van de uitroeping van de onafhankelijkheid werd het oude staatswapen hersteld. Dit werd bevestigd bij wet van de Litouwse Republiek van 4 september 1991 § 1. en gepubliceerd in Echo Litv’i, n° 176 van 10 september 1991, p. 1.

Arms: Lithuania

Supporters: A griffin Argent, clawed and beaked Or, langued gules on the dexter and a unicorn Argent, horned and hoofed Or, langued gules on the sinister.

Motto: VIENYBẺ TEŽYDI (Unity Blossom)

Æ See illustration in the head of this article.

Specialiųjų tyrimų tarnyba / Special Investigation Service

18.02.1997-present

The Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania (commonly called STT; Specialiųjų tyrimų tarnyba) is the law enforcement institution in Lithuania serving under the Seimas and the President of Lithuania to combat corruption. With departments in Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai and Panevėžys, it works to prevent corruption through education and investigates corruption where it exists.

It was established in February 1997 and in May 2000, it came under the direct oversight of the presidency and Seimas.

Police

Emblem

Flag

Sleeve patch

Car badge

Services

Antiterrorist operations team

Police Department

Public Police

Criminal Police

Criminal Police Office

Flag

ÆTo:  5 Armed Forces