List of heads of state of Lithuania

The article is a list of heads of state of Lithuania over historical Lithuanian state. The timeline includes all heads of state of Lithuania as a sovereign entity, legitimately part of a greater sovereign entity, a client state, or a constituent republic subject to an outside authority. Currently, the head of state is the President of Lithuania.

During the inaugurations of Lithuanian monarchs until 1569, the Gediminas' Cap was placed on the monarch's heads by the Bishop of Vilnius in Vilnius Cathedral.

Kingdom of Lithuania (1251–1263)
Title: King of Lithuania (Lietuvos karalius). Dates are approximate because of scant written sources.

House of Mindaugas (1253–1263)
Mindaugas 1236 – 1253 (as Grand Duke) 1253 – 1263 (as King)|| || c. 1203 Son of mythological Ringaudas || NN, sister of Morta 2 children  Morta 2 children || 1263 Aglona Assassinated by Treniota and Daumantas Aged about 60
 * King
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Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1263–1569)
Title: Grand Duke (didysis kunigaikštis; vialiki kniaź; wielki książę). Dates are approximate because of scant written sources.

House of Mindaugas (1263–1267)
Treniota 1263 – 1264|| || Unknown Son of NN, Mindaugas' sister and Vykintas || Unknown 1 child || 1264 Murdered by servants loyal to Mindaugas' son Vaišvilkas Vaišvilkas 1264 – 1267|| || Unknown Son of Mindaugas and Morta || Unmarried and childless||  1268 Was murdered by Leo I of Galicia
 * Grand Duke
 * Grand Duke
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House of Monomakh (1267–1269)
Shvarn Švarnas 1267 – 1269|| || c. 1230 Halych Son of Daniel of Galicia || NN, daughter of Mindaugas No children || c. 1269 Kholm Aged about 39
 * Grand Duke
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House of Mindaugas (1269–1285)
Traidenis 1270 – 1282|||| 1220 || Ona of Masovia 1 child|| 1282 Kernavė Aged 62 Daumantas 1282 – 1285|| || Unknown ||Unknown || 3 March 1285 Died in a battle by Tver
 * Grand Duke
 * Grand Duke
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House of Gediminas (1285–1440)
Butigeidis 1285 – 1291|| || None known || Unknown Son of Skalmantas (?) || Unknown ||1291 Butvydas 1291 – 1295|| || None known || Unknown Son of Skalmantas (?) || Unknown || c. 1294–1295 Vytenis 1295 – 1316|||| None known || 1260 Son of Butvydas || Vikinda 1 child|| 1316 Aged 56 Gediminas 1316 – 1341|||| None known || c. 1275 Son of Butvydas || Jaunė 13 children || c. 1341 Raudonė Aged about 66 Jaunutis 1341 – 1345|||| None known || c. 1306−1309 Son of Gediminas and Jaunė|| Unknown 3 children || c. 1366 Aged 57−60 (Diarchy with Kęstutis) Algirdas 1345 – 1377 |||| || c. 1296 Son of Gediminas and Jaunė||  Maria of Vitebsk 6 children Uliana of Tver 8 children|| c. 1377 Maišiagala Aged about 81 (Diarchy with Kęstutis) Jogaila Algirdaitis May 1377 – August 1381|||| || c. 1352−1362 Vilnius Son of Algirdas and Uliana of Tver ||  Jadwiga of Poland No children Anna of Cilli 1 child Elizabeth Granowska No children Sophia of Halshany 2 children || 1 June 1434 Gródek Jagielloński Aged 72−82 Kęstutis 1381 – 1382 || ||  || c. 1297 Senieji Trakai Son of Gediminas and Jaunė|| Birutė 3 children|| 1382 Kreva Murdered by the order of Jogaila while imprisoned Aged 84–85 Jogaila Algirdaitis 3 August 1382 – 1 June 1434 (23 years, 125 days)|||| || c. 1352−1362 Vilnius Son of Algirdas and Uliana of Tver ||  Jadwiga of Poland No children Anna of Cilli 1 child Elizabeth Granowska No children Sophia of Halshany 2 children || 1 June 1434 Gródek Jagielloński Aged 72−82 ! colspan="6" |Act of Kreva signed in 1385 Poland and Lithuania de jure are ruled by one monarch but remain to be separate states. and Grand Duke Jogaila Algirdaitis 3 August 1382 – 1 June 1434 (23 years, 125 days)|||| || c. 1352−1362 Vilnius Son of Algirdas and Uliana of Tver ||  Jadwiga of Poland No children Anna of Cilli 1 child Elizabeth Granowska No children Sophia of Halshany 2 children || 1 June 1434 Gródek Jagielloński Aged 72−82 Skirgaila 1386 – 1392 |||| || c. 1353–1354 Vilnius Son of Algirdas and Uliana of Tver || Unmarried and childless || 11 January 1397 Kyiv Possibly poisoned by the order of the Russian Orthodox 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. King-elect of Lithuania Vytautas Vytautas the Great 4 August 1392 – 27 October 1430 (23 years, 69 days)|||| || c. 1350 Senieji Trakai Son of Kęstutis and Birutė ||  Anna 1 child Uliana Olshanska No children || 27 October 1430 Trakai Aged about 80 Švitrigaila October 1430 – 1 August 1432|||| || Before 1370 Vilnius Son of Algirdas and Uliana of Tver || Anna of Tver 1 child || 10 February 1452 Lutsk Aged about 82 Sigismund Kęstutaitis Žygimantas Kęstutaitis 1432 – 1440 |||| || 1365 Trakai Son of Kęstutis and Birutė|| Unknown 1 child|| 20 March 1440 Trakai Murdered by supporters of Švitrigaila Aged 75
 * Grand Duke
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 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
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House of Jagiellon (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. and Grand Duke Casimir IV Jagiellon Kazimieras Jogailaitis 29 June 1440 – 7 June 1492 |||| || 30 November 1427 Kraków Son of Jogaila Algirdaitis and Sophia of Halshany || Elisabeth of Austria 12 children || 7 June 1492 Old Grodno Castle Aged 64 and Grand Duke Alexander Jagiellon Aleksandras Jogailaitis 30 July 1492 – 19 August 1506 |||| || 5 August 1461 Kraków Son of Kazimieras Jogailaitis and Elisabeth of Austria || Helena of Moscow No children|| 19 August 1506 Vilnius Aged 45 and Grand Duke Sigismund I Sigismund I the Old Žygimantas Senasis 8 December 1506 – 1 April 1548 (22 years, 338 days)|||| || 1 January 1467 Kozienice Son of Kazimieras Jogailaitis and Elisabeth of Austria  ||  Barbara Zápolya 2 children Bona Sforza 6 children|| 1 April 1548 Kraków Aged 81 and Grand Duke Sigismund II Augustus Žygimantas Augustas 1 April 1548 – 7 July 1572 (23 years, 178 days) |||| || 1 August 1520 Kraków Son of Žygimantas the Old and Bona Sforza ||  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 signed in 1569 Poland and Lithuania are united into a single Commonwealth.
 * King of Poland
 * -c. 1263 – c.  1265||||c. ||  ||
 * King of Poland
 * -c. 1263 – c.  1265||||c. ||  ||
 * King of Poland
 * -c. 1263 – c.  1265||||c. ||  ||
 * King of Poland
 * -c. 1263 – c.  1265||||c. ||  ||
 * }

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795)
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was established by the Union of Lublin 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, Lithuania signed the Union of Kėdainiai with the Swedish Empire 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, who had made an effort to be recognized as Grand Duke of Lithuania by establishing Vilnius University.

Title: King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania

Lenkijos karalius ir Lietuvos didysis kunigaikštis

Król Polski, wielki książę litewski

Rex Poloniae et Magnus Dux Lituaniae

and Grand Duke Sigismund II Augustus Žygimantas Augustas
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland

1 July 1569 – 7 July 1572 (23 years, 178 days) Kraków Son of Žygimantas the Old and Bona Sforza Barbara Radziwiłł Catherine of Austria Knyszyn Aged 51 introduce elective monarchy
 * Cranach the Younger Sigismund II Augustus.jpg
 * COA Jagiellon.svg
 * 1 August 1520
 * Elisabeth of Austria
 * 7 July 1572
 * Hereditary First monarch to
 * Jagiellon

and Grand Duke Henry Henrikas Valua 16 May 1573 – 12 May 1575  Fontainebleau Son of Henry II and Catherine de' Medici Saint-Cloud Aged 37
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * Henri III - portrait after Jean Decourt - Musée Condé.jpg
 * Coat of Arms of Henri de Valois as lifelong king of Poland.svg
 * 19 September 1551
 * Louise of Lorraine, no children
 * 2 August 1589
 * Elected Left Poland in June 1574 to succeed his brother in France Interregnum until 1575
 * Valois

and Grand Duchess Anna Ona Jogailaitė 15 December 1575 – 19 August 1587 (de facto)  – 9 September 1596 (de jure)  Kraków Daughter of Sigismund I and Bona Sforza Warsaw Aged 72
 * Queen of Poland
 * Queen of Poland
 * Kober Anna Jagiellon as a widow.jpg
 * COA Jagiellon.svg
 * 18 October 1523
 * Stephen Báthory, no children
 * 9 September 1596
 * Elected co-monarch with Stephen Báthory Sole ruler until Báthory's arrival and coronation in May 1576 Ruled after husband's death until her nephew was elected
 * Jagiellon

and Grand Duke Stephen Báthory Steponas Batoras 1 May 1576 – 12 December 1586 (23 years, 173 days) Szilágysomlyó (Șimleu Silvaniei) Son of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó and Catherine Telegdi Grodno Aged 53
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * Riehl Portrait of Stephen Bathory.jpg
 * Bathory coat of arms.svg
 * 27 September 1533
 * Anna Jagiellon, no children
 * 12 December 1586
 * Elected as co-monarch with Anna Jagiellon Previously Prince of Transylvania
 * Báthory

and Grand Duke Sigismund III Zigmantas Vaza 19 August 1587 – 30 April 1632  Gripsholm Son of John III of Sweden and Catherine Jagiellon Warsaw Aged 65
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * Rubens Sigismund III Vasa.jpg
 * Polish House of Vasa Coa.svg
 * 20 June 1566
 * Anne of Austria Constance of Austria
 * 30 April 1632
 * Elected, nephew of Anna Jagiellon Transferred capital from Kraków to Warsaw Hereditary King of Sweden until deposition in 1599
 * Vasa

and Grand Duke Władysław IV also Ladislaus IV Vladislovas Vaza 8 November 1632 – 20 May 1648 (22 years, 319 days) Łobzów Son of Sigismund III and Anne of Austria Merkinė Aged 52
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * Rubens Władysław Vasa.jpg
 * Polish House of Vasa Coa.svg
 * 9 June 1595
 * Cecilia Renata of Austria Marie Louise Gonzaga
 * 20 May 1648
 * Elective succession Also titular King of Sweden and elected Tsar of Russia (1610–1613) when the Polish army captured Moscow
 * Vasa

and Grand Duke John II Casimir Jonas Kazimieras Vaza 20 November 1648 – 16 September 1668  Kraków Son of Sigismund III and Constance of Austria Nevers Aged 63
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * Schultz John II Casimir Vasa.jpg
 * Polish House of Vasa Coa.svg
 * 22 March 1609
 * Marie Louise Gonzaga Claudine Françoise Mignot (morganatic marriage)
 * 16 December 1672
 * Elective succession, succeeded half-brother Previously a cardinal Titular King of Sweden Abdicated
 * Vasa

and Grand Duke Michael I Mykolas Kaributas Višnioveckis 19 June 1669 – 10 November 1673  Biały Kamień Son of Jeremi Wiśniowiecki and Gryzelda Konstancja Zamoyska Lwów Aged 33
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * King Michael Korybut Wisniowiecki.jpg
 * Coat of Arms of Michal Korybut Wisniowiecki as king of Poland.svg
 * 31 May 1640
 * Eleonora Maria of Austria, no children
 * 10 November 1673
 * Elected Born into nobility of mixed heritage, the son of a military commander and governor
 * Wiśniowiecki

and Grand Duke John III Sobieski Jonas Sobieskis 19 May 1674 – 17 June 1696  Olesko Son of Jakub Sobieski and Teofila Zofia Wilanów Aged 66
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * Schultz John III Sobieski.jpg
 * Coat of Arms of Jan Sobieski as king of Poland.svg
 * 17 August 1629
 * Marie Casimire d'Arquien, 13 children
 * 17 June 1696
 * Elected Born into nobility A successful military commander
 * Sobieski

and Grand Duke Augustus II Augustas II Stiprusis 15 September 1697 – 1706 (1st reign, 9 years) Dresden Son of John George III and Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark Warsaw Aged 62
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * August II the Strong.PNG
 * Coat of Arms of Wettin kings of Poland.svg
 * 12 May 1670
 * Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, 1 son by wife
 * 1 February 1733
 * Elected Previously Elector and ruler of Saxony Dethroned by Stanislaus I in 1706 during the Great Northern War
 * Wettin

and Grand Duke Stanislaus I Stanislovas I Leščinskis 12 July 1704 – 8 July 1709 (1st reign, 22 years, 208 days) Lwów Son of Rafał Leszczyński and Anna Jabłonowska Lunéville Aged 88
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * Mányoki Stanislaus Leszczyński.png
 * Coat of Arms of Stanislaus Leszczynski as king of Poland.svg
 * 20 October 1677
 * Catherine Opalińska, 2 children
 * 23 February 1766
 * Usurped Nominated as ruler in 1704, crowned in 1705 and deposed predecessor in 1706 Exiled in 1709
 * Leszczyński

and Grand Duke Augustus II Augustas II Stiprusis 8 July 1709 – 1 February 1733 (2nd reign, 22 years, 338 days) Dresden Son of John George III and Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark Warsaw Aged 62
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * August II (1670-1733).jpg
 * Coat of Arms of Wettin kings of Poland.svg
 * 12 May 1670
 * Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, 1 son by wife
 * 1 February 1733
 * Restored
 * Wettin

and Grand Duke Stanislaus I Stanislovas I Leščinskis 12 September 1733 – 26 January 1736 (2nd reign, 22 years, 190 days) Lwów Son of Rafał Leszczyński and Anna Jabłonowska Lunéville Aged 88
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * Portrait of Stanisław I Leszczyński.jpg
 * Coat of Arms of Stanislaus Leszczynski as king of Poland.svg
 * 20 October 1677
 * Catherine Opalińska, 2 children
 * 23 February 1766
 * Elected His election sparked the War of the Polish Succession Deposed by Augustus III in 1736
 * Leszczyński

and Grand Duke Augustus III Augustas III Saksas 5 October 1733 – 5 October 1763 (30 years) Dresden Son of Augustus II the Strong and Christiane Eberhardine Dresden Aged 66
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * [[File:Louis de Silvestre - Portrait of Augustus III of Poland (after 1733) - Google Art Project.jpg|100px]]
 * Coat of Arms of Wettin kings of Poland.svg
 * 17 October 1696
 * Maria Josepha of Austria, 16 children
 * 5 October 1763
 * Usurped Proclaimed King of Poland in 1733, crowned in 1734 Dethroned elected predecessor in 1736
 * Wettin

and Grand Duke Stanislaus II Augustus Stanislovas Augustas II Poniatovskis 7 September 1764 – 25 November 1795 (22 years, 345 days) Wołczyn Son of Stanisław Poniatowski and Konstancja Czartoryska Saint Petersburg Aged 66
 * King of Poland
 * King of Poland
 * Vigee Stanislaw Augustus.jpg
 * Coat of Arms of Stanislaus Augustus as king of Poland.svg
 * 17 January 1732
 * Unmarried
 * 1 February 1798
 * Elected Born into nobility Last King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, his reign ended in the Partitions of Poland
 * 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 (1918)
Mindaugas II 11 July 1918 – 2 November 1918 (24 years, 185 days)|||| || 30 May 1864 Son of Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach and Princess Florestine of Monaco || Duchess Amalie in Bavaria Princess Wiltrud of Bavaria || 24 March 1928
 * King
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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 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 (Prezidentas) was created on 4 April 1919. Antanas Smetona was elected as the first President of Lithuania.

Heads of the Lithuanian Diplomatic Service
Following Lithuania's occupation by the Soviet Union on 15 June 1940, in his telegram dated 31 May 1940, the last Foreign Minister Juozas Urbšys provisioned that, in the event of occupation, Stasys Lozoraitis, minister extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Rome, be appointed the head of the Lithuanian diplomatic service. The Lithuanian diplomatic service became a Government in exile that was a critical piece to ensuring the recognition of the continuity of Lithuanian legal statehood until independence after the Dissolution of the Soviet Union.

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 of the Communist Party of Lithuania
Lietuvos komunistų partijos Centro komiteto pirmasis sekretorius; Первый секретарь Центрального Комитета Коммунистической партии Литвы.

Generalbezirk Litauen (1941–1944)
As Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa, 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, 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.

General Commissioners of Generalbezirk Litauen
Lietuvos generalinės srities generalinis komisaras; Generalkommissar des Generalbezirks 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.

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 state and its leadership were not recognized internationally until September 1991 [NB: Iceland was the first country to recognise the regained independence of Lithuania in February 1991. Title from 1990 to 1992: Chairman of the Supreme Council (Parliament; Aukščiausiosios Tarybos pirmininkas). Title from 1992 onwards: President (prezidentas).