30 April 2025
The Monarchy That Never Was: the Kingdom of Lithuania (1918)
In 1918, Lithuania briefly became a monarchy after declaring independence from Russia and German occupation. The Council of Lithuania elected Duke Wilhelm of Urach as King Mindaugas II, aiming to solidify ties with Germany while asserting independence. However, the move faced opposition from Germany, which wanted a closer alliance and disapproved of Lithuania unilaterally choosing a monarch. Despite this, the Lithuanian press was censored, and the Germans criticised the decision. As World War I ended and Germany weakened, Lithuania sought greater autonomy and suspended the monarchy, shifting towards establishing a republic. By late 1918, Lithuania had adopted a provisional constitution, leaving the final decision on governance to a future constituent assembly.
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