From the 14th to the 16th centuries the Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania made up one of medieval Europe's largest empires, stretching from the Black Sea almost to Moscow. In 1795 surrounding countries Russia and Prussia partitioned these territories and most of Lithuania came under Russian rule.

In 1918 independence, under German protection, was declared.   In 1940 Lithuania was annexed by the Soviet Union, then occupied by Germany and annexed again by the Soviet Union in 1944.

In March 1990, as the Soviet Union began to break up, Lithuania became the first occupied Soviet Republic to break free and declare sovereignty, and its independence was finally recognised by Russia in September 1991.