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This is a latinized version of the name. In the Middle Ages names like Samaiten, Samaitae, Zamaytae, Samogitia, Samattae, Samethi were used in German and Latin sources. It, together with other variants: Schmudien (German), Zmudz(Polish), Žmudz (Жмудзь, Belorussian), Schamaiten (Another German version), is derived from the Lithuanian, Žemaitija, for "Žemes žemaites", which is the "Lowlands", as opposed to "Žemes aukštaites", the "Highlands" ( Aukstaitija).
Samogitia is located in the western part of the Republic of Lithuania. Its western border historically has been border with East Prussia and Baltic sea, in the north it bordered Curlandia, in the south - Nemunas river. Eastern border of Samogitia was not so stable. During the Middle Ages until 1795 Samogitia had clearly defined borders as Duchy of Samogitia, later it was associated with the Samogitian diocese. Nowadays Samogitia is mainly associated with the ethnographic region and is not defined administratively.
Today Samogitia is located in several counties (apskritis): Kaunas County, Panevezys County, Siauliai County, Taurage County; and Telsiai County. To ethnographic and historical Samogitia belongs northern part of Klaipeda County .
The major part of Samogitia is located on Western Upland. Lowlands which are referred in its name are on the border between Samogitia and Eastern Lithuania, along Nevežis river.
Before the formation of the Lithuanian state, Samogitia was ruled by its local noblemen. A chronicle mentions two dukes from Samogitia in 1219 as signatories of the treaty with Volhynia.
Since the formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 13th century, Samogitia was its dependent territory, however sometimes influence of the Lithuanian Grand Duke was very limited. During the rule of the first Lithuanian king Mindaugas, Samogitians have pursued independent foreign policy and continued fighting with Knights of the Sword even after King Mindaugas has signed a peace treaty with them.
Samogitia for 200 years has played the crucial role in stopping the aggression of the Teutonic Order and have several times successfully defeated Knights of the Sword in the Battle of the Sun (1236), Battle of Skuodas (1259), Battle of Durbe (1260).
In the atmosphere of fierce battles with Teutonic Knights Lithuanian rules Jogaila and Vytautas have several times donated Samogitia to the Teutonic Order in 1382, 1398 and 1404. However Teutonic Knights were not very successful in subjugating the land, and Samogitians revolted in 1401 and 1409. After the defeats in the Battle of GrunwaldFor the 1914 battle at the same location, refer to Battle of Tannenberg (1914 The Battle of Grunwald took place on July 15 1410 between the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania on one side (estimated 39,000 troops), and the Teutonic Knights (1410) and following wars, in 1422 the Teutonic Order ceded Samogitia to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Samogitians were the last in Lithuania and the whole Europe to accept ChristianityChristian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. Although Christians generally chara in 1413.
Because of its prolonged wars with the Teutonic Order Samogitia had developed a social and political structure different from the rest of Lithuania. It had a larger proportion of free farmers and smaller estates than in Eastern Lithuania.
After the annexation of Lithuania by the Imperial RussiaThe Russian Empire ( Russian: also Imperial Russia covers the period of Russian history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great into the Russian Empire stretching from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean, to the deposition of Nicholas II of Russia,, Samogitia was included into the Kaunas guberniyaGuberniya (also gubernia guberniia and gubernya ( Russian: ) was a major administrative subdivision of the Imperial Russia, usually translated as province or Governorate General''. A guberniya was ruled by a governor (Russian: ; English transliteration: g. At the beginning of the 19th century Samogitia was the center of Lithuanian revival, which stressed importance of Lithuanian languageLithuanian is the official language of Lithuania, spoken by about 4 million native Lithuanians. The Lithuanian name for the language is Lietuviu kalba''. In older literature on Baltic languages, "Lithuanian" can sometimes refer to Baltic Languages in gene and opposed russificationThis article is about the political term. For localization of computers and software, see Russification (computers). Russification refers to both official and unofficial policies of Imperial Russia and Soviet Union with respect to their national constitue and polonization attempts.