Vytis
The coat of arms of Lithuania features an armoured knight on horseback, wielding a sword and carrying a shield with a Jagiellonian cross. This emblem is known as Vytis (pronounced ['vîːtɪs]).
Since the early 15th century, it has served as the official coat of arms of Lithuania and stands among the oldest heraldic symbols in Europe. It is also referred to by different names across languages—for instance, Waykimas or Pagaunė in Lithuanian, and Pogonia, Pogoń, or Пагоня (Pahonia) in Polish and Belarusian, all roughly translating to "the Chase." The term Vytis itself can be interpreted as "Chaser," "Pursuer," "Knight," or "Horseman," bearing similarities to the Slavic vityaz, meaning a brave or valiant warrior. Historically, it has also been described as raitas senovės karžygys (a mounted hero of ancient times) or in heraldic terms, raitas valdovas (a mounted sovereign).
The Lithuanian state was established by the pagan Lithuanians in response to the growing pressure from the Teutonic Order and the Swordbrothers, who had conquered present-day Estonia and Latvia and imposed Christianity by force. The Lithuanians stand out as the only Baltic people to have founded a state prior to the modern era. This external pressure propelled them to expand eastward, conquering vast areas that are now parts of Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. This period of territorial expansion is symbolically captured by the image of the galloping knight in the Lithuanian coat of arms. Its use became even more widespread following the adoption of the Third Statute of Lithuania in 1588, which mandated that each county include the emblem on its official seal.
The horseback knight first appeared as a dynastic symbol of the Gediminid dynasty, representing the ruling family. In the early 15th century, Grand Duke Vytautas the Great formalized the image—a mounted knight against a red field—as the official coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was embraced also by noble families affiliated with the ruling lineage. The knight's shield was often adorned with the Columns of Gediminas or the Jagiellonian Double Cross, both symbols of dynastic heritage.
Today, Article 15 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, approved by national referendum in 1992, states: The Coat of Arms of the State shall be a white Vytis on a red field.
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