
The Pope Innocent IV bull regarding Lithuania's placement under the jurisdiction of the
Bishop of Rome
The 'Kingdom of Lithuania' was the
Lithuanian
Monarchy, which existed in the
13th century. There was an attempt to reestablish Kingdom during rule of
Vytautas the Great and another one in the
20th century as well.
The Medieval Kingdom of Lithuania existed from
1251, to approximately
1263. The status of
Kingdom was granted by
Pope Innocent IV, when the state was placed under the jurisdiction of the
Bishop of Rome, on
July 17,
1251. Two years later, the Lithuanian ruler
Mindaugas was crowned as the
King of Lithuania, in
1253. After the assassination of Mindaugas and his sons in
1263, the country reverted to
Paganism, and the status of Kingdom was revoked by the
Holy See.
There was also an attempt by Vytautas the Great to receive a royal crown. He was proclaimed King, and Lithuania a Kingdom, by
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor in
1430, but the royal crown, which was sent by Sigismund to Vytautas, was intercepted by Polish noblemen. Soon afterwards Vytautas died, without being crowned as King.
See also
★
Duchy of Lithuania
★
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
★
Lithuania proper