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.^[1]

Kingdom of Lithuania (1251–1263)

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

House of Mindaugas (1253–1263)

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriage(s)	Death
King Mindaugas 1236 – 1253 (as Grand Duke) 1253 – 1263 (as King)		c. 1203 Son of mythological Ringaudas	(1) NN, sister of Morta 2 children (2) Morta 2 children	1263 Aglona Assassinated by Treniota and Daumantas Aged about 60

Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1263–1569)

Title: Grand Duke (Lithuanian: didysis kunigaikštis; Belarusian: vialiki kniaź; Polish: wielki książę). Dates are approximate because of scant written sources.

House of Mindaugas (1263–1267)

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriage(s)	Death
Grand Duke Treniota 1263 – 1264		Unknown Son of NN, Mindaugas' sister and Vykintas	Unknown 1 child	1264 Murdered by servants loyal to Mindaugas' son Vaišvilkas
Grand Duke Vaišvilkas 1264 – 1267		Unknown Son of Mindaugas and Morta	Unmarried and childless	1268 Was murdered by Leo I of Galicia

House of Monomakh (1267–1269)

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriage(s)	Death
Grand Duke Shvarn Lithuanian: Švarnas 1267 – 1269		c. 1230 Halych Son of Daniel of Galicia	NN, daughter of Mindaugas No children	c. 1269 Kholm Aged about 39

House of Mindaugas (1269–1285)

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriage(s)	Death
Grand Duke Traidenis 1270 – 1282		1220	Ona of Masovia 1 child	1282 Kernavė Aged 62
Grand Duke Daumantas 1282 – 1285		Unknown	Unknown	3 March 1285 Died in a battle by Tver

House of Gediminas (1285–1440)

Name	Arms	Birth	Marriage(s)	Death
Grand Duke Butigeidis 1285 – 1291	None known	Unknown Son of Skalmantas (?)	Unknown	1291
Grand Duke Butvydas 1291 – 1295	None known	Unknown Son of Skalmantas (?)	Unknown	c. 1294–1295
Grand Duke Vytenis 1295 – 1316	None known	1260 Son of Butvydas	Vikinda 1 child	1316 Aged 56
Grand Duke Gediminas 1316 – 1341	None known	c. 1275 Son of Butvydas	Jaunė 13 children	c. 1341 Raudonė Aged about 66
Grand Duke Jaunutis 1341 – 1345	None known	c. 1306−1309 Son of Gediminas and Jaunė	Unknown 3 children	c. 1366 Aged 57−60
Grand Duke (Diarchy with Kęstutis) Algirdas 1345 – 1377		c. 1296 Son of Gediminas and Jaunė	(1) Maria of Vitebsk 6 children (2) Uliana of Tver 8 children	c. 1377 Maišiagala Aged about 81
Grand Duke (Diarchy with Kęstutis) Jogaila Algirdaitis May 1377 – August 1381		c. 1352−1362 Vilnius Son of Algirdas and Uliana of Tver	(1) Jadwiga of Poland No children (2) Anna of Cilli 1 child (3) Elizabeth Granowska No children (4) Sophia of Halshany 2 children	1 June 1434 Gródek Jagielloński Aged 72−82
Grand Duke 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
Grand Duke Jogaila Algirdaitis 3 August 1382 – 1 June 1434 (51 years, 302 days)		c. 1352−1362 Vilnius Son of Algirdas and Uliana of Tver	(1) Jadwiga of Poland No children (2) Anna of Cilli 1 child (3) Elizabeth Granowska No children (4) Sophia of Halshany 2 children	1 June 1434 Gródek Jagielloński Aged 72−82
Act of Kreva signed in 1385 Poland and Lithuania de jure are ruled by one monarch but remain to be separate states.
King of Poland and Grand Duke Jogaila Algirdaitis 3 August 1382 – 1 June 1434 (51 years, 302 days)		c. 1352−1362 Vilnius Son of Algirdas and Uliana of Tver	(1) Jadwiga of Poland No children (2) Anna of Cilli 1 child (3) Elizabeth Granowska No children (4) Sophia of Halshany 2 children	1 June 1434 Gródek Jagielloński Aged 72−82
Grand Duke 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
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 Vytautas the Great 4 August 1392 – 27 October 1430 (38 years, 84 days)		c. 1350 Senieji Trakai Son of Kęstutis and Birutė	(1) Anna 1 child (2) Uliana Olshanska No children	27 October 1430 Trakai Aged about 80
Grand Duke 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
Grand Duke Sigismund Kęstutaitis Lithuanian: 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

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.

Name	Birth	Marriage(s)	Death
King of Poland and Grand Duke Casimir IV Jagiellon Lithuanian: Kazimieras Jogailaitis 29 June 1440 – 7 June 1492 (51 years, 344 days)	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
King of Poland and Grand Duke Alexander Jagiellon Lithuanian: Aleksandras Jogailaitis 30 July 1492 – 19 August 1506 (14 years, 20 days)	5 August 1461 Kraków Son of Kazimieras Jogailaitis and Elisabeth of Austria	Helena of Moscow No children	19 August 1506 Vilnius Aged 45
King of Poland and Grand Duke Sigismund I Sigismund I the Old Lithuanian: Žygimantas Senasis 8 December 1506 – 1 April 1548 (41 years, 115 days)	1 January 1467 Kozienice Son of Kazimieras Jogailaitis and Elisabeth of Austria	(1) Barbara Zápolya 2 children (2) Bona Sforza 6 children	1 April 1548 Kraków Aged 81
King of Poland and Grand Duke Sigismund II Augustus Lithuanian: Žygimantas Augustas 1 April 1548 – 7 July 1572 (24 years, 97 days)	1 August 1520 Kraków Son of Žygimantas the Old and Bona Sforza	(1) Elisabeth of Austria No children (2) Barbara Radziwiłł No children (3) Catherine of Austria No children	7 July 1572 Knyszyn Aged 51
Union of Lublin signed in 1569 Poland and Lithuania are united into a single Commonwealth.

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

Lithuanian: Lenkijos karalius ir Lietuvos didysis kunigaikštis

Polish: Król Polski, wielki książę litewski

Latin: Rex Poloniae et Magnus Dux Lituaniae

Name	Birth	Marriage(s)	Death	Claim	House
King of Poland and Grand Duke Sigismund II Augustus Lithuanian: Žygimantas Augustas 1 July 1569 – 7 July 1572 (24 years, 98 days)	1 August 1520 Kraków Son of Žygimantas the Old and Bona Sforza	(3) Elisabeth of Austria Barbara Radziwiłł Catherine of Austria	7 July 1572 Knyszyn Aged 51	Hereditary First monarch to introduce elective monarchy	Jagiellon
King of Poland and Grand Duke Henry Lithuanian: Henrikas Valua 16 May 1573 – 12 May 1575 (1 year, 362 days)	19 September 1551 Fontainebleau Son of Henry II and Catherine de' Medici	(1) Louise of Lorraine, no children	2 August 1589 Saint-Cloud Aged 37	Elected Left Poland in June 1574 to succeed his brother in France Interregnum until 1575	Valois
Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess Anna Lithuanian: Ona Jogailaitė 15 December 1575 – 19 August 1587 (de facto) (11 years, 248 days) – 9 September 1596 (de jure) (20 years, 270 days)	18 October 1523 Kraków Daughter of Sigismund I and Bona Sforza	(1) Stephen Báthory, no children	9 September 1596 Warsaw Aged 72	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
King of Poland and Grand Duke Stephen Báthory Lithuanian: Steponas Batoras 1 May 1576 – 12 December 1586 (10 years, 226 days)	27 September 1533 Szilágysomlyó (Șimleu Silvaniei) Son of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó and Catherine Telegdi	(1) Anna Jagiellon, no children	12 December 1586 Grodno Aged 53	Elected as co-monarch with Anna Jagiellon Previously Prince of Transylvania	Báthory
King of Poland and Grand Duke Sigismund III Lithuanian: Zigmantas Vaza 19 August 1587 – 30 April 1632 (44 years, 256 days)	20 June 1566 Gripsholm Son of John III of Sweden and Catherine Jagiellon	(1) Anne of Austria (2) Constance of Austria	30 April 1632 Warsaw Aged 65	Elected, nephew of Anna Jagiellon Transferred capital from Kraków to Warsaw Hereditary King of Sweden until deposition in 1599	Vasa
King of Poland and Grand Duke Władysław IV also Ladislaus IV Lithuanian: Vladislovas Vaza 8 November 1632 – 20 May 1648 (15 years, 195 days)	9 June 1595 Łobzów Son of Sigismund III and Anne of Austria	(1) Cecilia Renata of Austria (2) Marie Louise Gonzaga	20 May 1648 Merkinė Aged 52	Elective succession Also titular King of Sweden and elected Tsar of Russia (1610–1613) when the Polish army captured Moscow	Vasa
King of Poland and Grand Duke John II Casimir Lithuanian: Jonas Kazimieras Vaza 20 November 1648 – 16 September 1668 (19 years, 302 days)	22 March 1609 Kraków Son of Sigismund III and Constance of Austria	(1) Marie Louise Gonzaga (2) Claudine Françoise Mignot (morganatic marriage)	16 December 1672 Nevers Aged 63	Elective succession, succeeded half-brother Previously a cardinal Disputed with Charles X Gustav between 1655–1657 Titular King of Sweden Abdicated	Vasa
King of Poland and Grand Duke Michael I Lithuanian: Mykolas Kaributas Višnioveckis 19 June 1669 – 10 November 1673 (4 years, 145 days)	31 May 1640 Biały Kamień Son of Jeremi Wiśniowiecki and Gryzelda Konstancja Zamoyska	(1) Eleonora Maria of Austria, no children	10 November 1673 Lwów 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 Lithuanian: Jonas Sobieskis 19 May 1674 – 17 June 1696 (22 years, 30 days)	17 August 1629 Olesko Son of Jakub Sobieski and Teofila Zofia	(1) 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 Lithuanian: Augustas II Stiprusis 15 September 1697 – 1706 (1st reign, 9 years)	12 May 1670 Dresden Son of John George III and Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark	(1) Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, 1 son by wife	1 February 1733 Warsaw Aged 62	Elected Previously Elector and ruler of Saxony Dethroned by Stanislaus I in 1706 during the Great Northern War	Wettin
King of Poland and Grand Duke Stanislaus I Lithuanian: Stanislovas I Leščinskis 12 July 1704 – 8 July 1709 (1st reign, 4 years, 362 days)	20 October 1677 Lwów Son of Rafał Leszczyński and Anna Jabłonowska	(1) Catherine Opalińska, 2 children	23 February 1766 Lunéville 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 Augustus II Lithuanian: Augustas II Stiprusis 8 July 1709 – 1 February 1733 (2nd reign, 23 years, 209 days)	12 May 1670 Dresden Son of John George III and Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark	(1) Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, 1 son by wife	1 February 1733 Warsaw Aged 62	Restored	Wettin
King of Poland and Grand Duke Stanislaus I Lithuanian: Stanislovas I Leščinskis 12 September 1733 – 26 January 1736 (2nd reign, 2 years, 137 days)	20 October 1677 Lwów Son of Rafał Leszczyński and Anna Jabłonowska	(1) Catherine Opalińska, 2 children	23 February 1766 Lunéville Aged 88	Elected His election sparked the War of the Polish Succession Deposed by Augustus III in 1736	Leszczyński
King of Poland and Grand Duke Augustus III Lithuanian: Augustas III Saksas 5 October 1733 – 5 October 1763 (30 years)	17 October 1696 Dresden Son of Augustus II the Strong and Christiane Eberhardine	(1) Maria Josepha of Austria, 16 children	5 October 1763 Dresden 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 Lithuanian: Stanislovas Augustas II Poniatovskis 7 September 1764 – 25 November 1795 (31 years, 80 days)	17 January 1732 Wołczyn Son of Stanisław Poniatowski and Konstancja Czartoryska	Unmarried	1 February 1798 Saint Petersburg Aged 66	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)

Name	Portrait	Arms	Birth	Marriage(s)	Death
King Mindaugas II 11 July 1918 – 2 November 1918 (115 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

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 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.

No.	Name (Birth–Death)	Term		Election	Prime Minister
1	Antanas Smetona (1874–1944)	2 November 1918 – 4 April 1919	Party of National Progress	1917 By the Council	Position officially established on November 11, 1918
					Augustinas Voldemaras
					Mykolas Sleževičius
					Pranas Dovydaitis

Presidents of the Republic of Lithuania

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

No.	Name (Birth–Death)	Term		Election	Prime Minister
1	Antanas Smetona (1874–1944)	4 April 1919 – 19 June 1920	Party of National Progress	4 April 1919 By the Council	Pranas Dovydaitis
	Antanas Smetona (1874–1944)	4 April 1919 – 19 June 1920	Party of National Progress	4 April 1919 By the Council	Mykolas Sleževičius
	Aleksandras Stulginskis (1885–1969) Acting	19 June 1919 – 21 December 1922	Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party	Acting President as Chairman of the Constituent Assembly of Lithuania
–
					Ernestas Galvanauskas
					Kazys Grinius
	Aleksandras Stulginskis (1885–1969)	21 December 1922 – 7 June 1926	Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party	21 December 1922 By the Seimas
2
					Ernestas Galvanauskas
					Antanas Tumėnas
					Vytautas Petrulis
					Leonas Bistras
	Kazys Grinius (1866–1950)	7 June 1926 – 18 December 1926	Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union	7 June 1926 By the Seimas
3
					Mykolas Sleževičius
					Augustinas Voldemaras
1926 Lithuanian coup d'état
–	Jonas Staugaitis (1866–1950) Acting	18 December 1926 – 19 December 1926	Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union	Unelected — acting President following coup d'état	Augustinas Voldemaras
–	Aleksandras Stulginskis (1885–1969) Acting	19 December 1926	Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party	Unelected — acting President following coup d'état
–	Antanas Smetona (1874–1944)	19 December 1926 – 15 June 1940	Lithuanian Nationalist Union	19 December 1926 In illegitimate elections
1
					Juozas Tūbelis
					Juozas Tūbelis
					Juozas Tūbelis
				11 December 1931 In illegitimate elections	Juozas Tūbelis
				11 December 1931 In illegitimate elections	Vladas Mironas
				14 October 1938 In illegitimate elections	Vladas Mironas
					Vladas Mironas
					Jonas Černius
					Antanas Merkys
15 June 1940 — 1st Soviet occupation of Lithuania
–	Antanas Merkys (1877–1955) Acting	15 June 1940 – 17 June 1940	Lithuanian Nationalist Union	Unelected — de jure acting President	Antanas Merkys
–	Justas Paleckis (1899–1980) Acting	17 June 1940 – 15 August 1940	Communist Party of Lithuania	Unelected — nominal acting President placed by the Soviet leadership	Justas Paleckis Acting
–	Justas Paleckis (1899–1980) Acting	17 June 1940 – 15 August 1940	Communist Party of Lithuania		Position officially abolished on June 24, 1940

Posthumously recognized acting Presidents

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	In office	Cause of death	Date of recognition
–		General Jonas Žemaitis (1909–1954) Acting	16 February 1949 – 26 November 1954	In 1954, executed by shooting in Butyrka prison, Moscow, Russian SFSR.	March, 2009^[2] By the Seimas
–		Colonel Adolfas Ramanauskas (1918–1957) Acting	26 November 1954 – 29 November 1957	In 1957, executed by shooting in Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR.	November, 2018^[3] By the Seimas

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.^[4]

No.	Name	Term	Notes
1	Stasys Lozoraitis	15 June 1940 – 24 December 1983	Assumed office after the Soviet invasion of Lithuania in 1940.
2	Stasys Bačkis	24 December 1983 – 15 November 1987	Assumed office after the death of Stasys Lozoraitis in 1983.
–	Stasys Lozoraitis Jr.	15 November 1987 – 6 September 1991	Became de facto Head of the Diplomat Service after Stasys Bačkis left Washington, D.C. in 1988.

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

Lithuanian: Lietuvos komunistų partijos Centro komiteto pirmasis sekretorius; Russian: Первый секретарь Центрального Комитета Коммунистической партии Литвы.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	In office	Party		Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet	General Secretary of the CPSU
1		Antanas Sniečkus (1903–1974)	21 July 1940 – 24 June 1941		Communist Party of Lithuania	Justas Paleckis (1899–1980)	Joseph Stalin
22 June 1941 — Nazi occupation of Lithuania

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

Lithuanian: Lietuvos generalinės srities generalinis komisaras; German: Generalkommissar des Generalbezirks Litauen.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	In office	Party		General Counselor	Reichskommissar of the Ostland
1		Adrian von Renteln (1897–1946)	August 1941 – August 1944		Nazi Party	General Petras Kubiliūnas (1894–1946)	Hinrich Lohse
1944 — 2nd Soviet occupation of Lithuania

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 of the Communist Party of Lithuania

No.	Name (Birth–Death)	In office		Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet	General Secretary of the CPSU
1	Antanas Sniečkus (1903–1974)	13 July 1944 – 22 January 1974	Communist Party of Lithuania	Justas Paleckis (1899–1980)	Joseph Stalin
					Nikita Khruschev
					Leonid Brezhnev
				Motiejus Šumauskas (1905–1982)
–	Valery Khazarov (1918–2013) Acting	22 January 1974 – 18 February 1974	Communist Party of Lithuania
–	Petras Griškevičius (1924–1987)	18 February 1974 – 14 November 1987	Communist Party of Lithuania
2
				Antanas Barkauskas (1899–1980)
					Yuri Andropov
					Konstantin Chernenko
					Mikhail Gorbachev
	Nikolay Mitkin (1929–1998) Acting	14 November 1987 – 1 December 1987	Communist Party of Lithuania
–
–				Ringaudas Songaila (1929–2019)
3	Ringaudas Songaila (1929–2019)	1 December 1987 – 19 October 1988	Communist Party of Lithuania	Vytautas Astrauskas (1930–2017)
3	Algirdas Brazauskas (1932–2010)	19 October 1988 – 11 March 1990	Communist Party of Lithuania
4
4				Algirdas Brazauskas (1932–2010)
7 December 1989 — "Leading role" of the Communist Party removed from the constitution
11 March 1990 — Restoration of Independence

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.^[5] Title from 1990 to 1992: Chairman of the Supreme Council (Parliament; Lithuanian: Aukščiausiosios Tarybos pirmininkas). Title from 1992 onwards: President (Lithuanian: prezidentas).

No	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Took office	Left office	Political party	Affiliation/Notes
-	Vytautas Landsbergis (born 1932)	–	11 March 1990	25 November 1992	Sąjūdis	As Chairman of the Supreme Council.
Speaker of the Seimas Algirdas Brazauskas served as acting President from 25 November 1992 to 25 February 1993.
1	Algirdas Brazauskas (1932–2010)	1993	25 February 1993	25 February 1998	Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania	First president of the Republic of Lithuania
2	Valdas Adamkus (born 1926)	1997–98	26 February 1998	26 February 2003	Independent
3	Rolandas Paksas (born 1956)	2002–03	26 February 2003	6 April 2004	Order and Justice	Impeached and removed from office.
Speaker of the Seimas Artūras Paulauskas served as acting President from 6 April to 12 July 2004.
(2)	Valdas Adamkus (born 1926)	2004	12 July 2004	12 July 2009	Independent
4	Dalia Grybauskaitė (born 1956)	2009 2014	12 July 2009	12 July 2019	Independent	First female President of Lithuania. Became the first President to be reelected.
5	Gitanas Nausėda (born 1964)	2019 2024	12 July 2019	Incumbent	Independent

Timeline

References

^ Gudavičius, Edvardas. "Gedimino kepurė". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 March 2023.
^ "Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas". istorineprezidentura.lt. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
^ "XIII-1651 Dėl Adolfo Ramanausko-Vanago pripažinimo Lietuvos valstybės vadovu" (in Lithuanian). Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
^ Lithuanian Diplomats in Emigration in 1940–1991, compiled by D. Dapkutė, A. Petraitytė, Vilnius, 2007
^ "Lithuania: "Thank you, Iceland!". Archived from the original on 8 March 2016.

History, Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania. Retrieved 26 August 2006.
(in Lithuanian) Vytautas Spečiūnas (ed.), Lietuvos valdovai (XIII-XVIII a.) (Rulers of Lithuania (13–18th centuries)), Mokslo ir enicklopedijų leidybos institutas, Vilnius 2004. ISBN 5-420-01535-8

External links

Another list of Lithuanian rulers

[1] Gudavičius, Edvardas. "Gedimino kepurė". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 March 2023.

[:0-2] "Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas". istorineprezidentura.lt. Retrieved 12 June 2019.

[:1-3] "XIII-1651 Dėl Adolfo Ramanausko-Vanago pripažinimo Lietuvos valstybės vadovu" (in Lithuanian). Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2019.

[4] Lithuanian Diplomats in Emigration in 1940–1991, compiled by D. Dapkutė, A. Petraitytė, Vilnius, 2007

[5] "Lithuania: "Thank you, Iceland!". Archived from the original on 8 March 2016.

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[5]

v t e Leaders of Lithuania since 1919
Presidents (1919–1940)	Antanas Smetona Aleksandras Stulginskis Kazys Grinius Jonas Staugaitis Aleksandras Stulginskis Antanas Smetona Antanas Merkys¹ Justas Paleckis¹ Jonas Žemaitis⁴
LKP First Secretaries²	Antanas Sniečkus Petras Griškevičius Ringaudas Songaila Algirdas Brazauskas
Presidents (since 1990)	Vytautas Landsbergis³ Algirdas Brazauskas Valdas Adamkus Rolandas Paksas Artūras Paulauskas Valdas Adamkus Dalia Grybauskaitė Gitanas Nausėda
¹ Not recognized as a legitimate president ² De facto heads of state; de jure heads of state were Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR ³ Was head of state, but not recognized as president ⁴ Posthumously recognized in March 2009 Italics denote acting leaders

Kingdom of Lithuania (1251–1263)

House of Mindaugas (1253–1263)

Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1263–1569)

House of Mindaugas (1263–1267)

House of Monomakh (1267–1269)

House of Mindaugas (1269–1285)

House of Gediminas (1285–1440)

House of Jagiellon (1440–1569)

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795)

Kingdom of Lithuania (1918)

House of Urach (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

Heads of the Lithuanian Diplomatic Service

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1940–1941)

First Secretaries of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Lithuania

Generalbezirk Litauen (1941–1944)

General Commissioners of Generalbezirk Litauen

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1944–1990)

First Secretaries of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Lithuania

Republic of Lithuania (1990–present)

Timeline

See also

References

External links