Worldwide
Guide to Women in Leadership
Heads of State of Lithuania/ Respublika
os Lietuva/Lietvos Respublika
(Female suffrage 1918/21) Independent 1918-40 and 11.3.90/6.9.91
Also see Lithuania Ministers and Lithuania Parliament
Ca. 1392-1418 Politically Influential Grand Duchess Anna of Lithuania
She was married to Duke Vytautas of Lithuania. In 1392 in Ostrowo she signed
“The Agreement from Ostrowo”, promishing that her husband would be loyal for
Poland, for Queen Jadwiga and her husband king Władysław. Anna died in 1418.
1454-1501 Politically Influential Queen and Grand Duchess Elzbieta Rakuszanka of
Poland and Lithuania
Very influential during the reign of her husband, polish king and great duke of
Lithuania, Kazimierz IV Jagiellończyk and their son, Jan I (1492-1501). She was
a daughter of Emperor Albrecht II von Habsburg, king of Bohemia and Hungary and
Elisabeth of Bohemia-Hungaria (1437-48). Elzbieta Rakuszanka was very political
influential during her husband's and son's reign, and lived (1436–1505).
1669-95 Sovereign Duchess Ludwika Karolina Radziwiłł of
Bir˛ai, Dubingiai, Slutsk and Kedainiai
Also known as or Ludwika Karolina Charlotte von Radziwill-Birze, she was a
magnate of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth as
the last agnatic-line member of the most prominent Calvinists of Lithuania, and
a descendant of the Gediminids and Jagiellons. She spent most of her life in
Berlin and Königsberg, but laid much attention to her lands in the grand duchy.
Like her father, she funded the issue of books in the Lithuanian language, and
supported education and Calvinist parishes. She established scholarships for
Lithuanian students of theology in the universities of Königsberg, Frankfurt an
der Oder, and Berlin. She was sued by King John III Sobieski for the alleged
breach of the prenuptial agreement with his son, Jakub Ludwik Sobieski, with the
intention to seize her estates. The case was lost, since it was proven that the
agreement was falsified. She first married Margrave Louis of Brandenburg and
after his death, Elector Palatine Charles III Philip von der Pfalz, with whom
she had 3 daughters; Leopoldyna Eleonora, Maria Anna and Elizabeth Augusta
Sophie, but only the latter's issue survived. She was daughter of Bogusław
Radziwiłł/Boguslavas Radvila, Duke of Dubingiai, Governor of Prussia (1620-69)
and Princess Anna Maria Radziwiłł/Ona Marija Radvilaitė, Heiress of Birzhai and
Kedainiai (1640-67), and lived (1667-95).
Last update 10.02.08