Aukštaitija (Lithuanian pronunciation:[ɐukʃˈtɐǐːtʲɪjɐ]; literally Highland or Upland) is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania.[2][3] The name comes from the fact that the lands are in the upper basin of the Nemunas, as opposed to the Lowlands that begin from Šiauliai westward. Although Kaunas is surrounded by Aukštaitija, the city itself is not considered to be a part of any ethnographic region in most cases.[4]
Aukštaitija is in the northeast part of Lithuania and also encompasses a small part of Latvia and Belarus. The largest city located entirely within this region, Panevėžys, is considered to be the capital, though not in a political sense. The largest cities by population are:
"We do not know on whose merits or guilt such a decision was made, or with what we have offended Your Lordship so much that Your Lordship has deservedly been directed against us, creating hardship for us everywhere. First of all, you made and announced a decision about the land of Samogitia, which is our inheritance and our homeland from the legal succession of the ancestors and elders. We still own it, it is and has always been the same Lithuanian land, because there is one language and the same inhabitants. But since the land of Samogitia is located lower than the land of Lithuania, it is called Samogitia, because in Lithuanian it is called lower land [Žemaitija]. And the Samogitians call LithuaniaAukštaitija, that is, from the Samogitian point of view, a higher land. Also, the people of Samogitia have long called themselves Lithuanians and never Samogitians, and because of such identity (sic), we do not write about Samogitia in our letter, because everything is one: one country and the same inhabitants."
Historically, Aukštaitija corresponded to the Duchy of Lithuania until the 13th century. Its initial capital was most likely Kernavė. In the 1322 treaty of Gediminas, Aukštaitija was called terra Eustoythen (land of Aukštaitians).[8] Some German sources also titled Grand Duke Gediminas, after whom the Gediminids dynasty is named, Rex de Owsteiten (King of Aukštaitija).[9][10] Aukštaitija was mentioned as Austechia in Chronicon terrae Prussiae, written around 1326.[8] Politically, from the end of the 13th century, it comprised the Duchy of Vilnius/Lithuania and the Duchy of Trakai, and it is possible that the term was then used to refer to both of them. Since the 15th century, the Trakai and Vilnius voivodeships made up Aukštaitija, a political and ethnic entity also known as Lithuania proper.
Demographicsedit
The local people mainly speak the Aukštaitian dialect of Lithuanian. Under the new classification of dialects, Lithuanian is divided into only two dialects, Aukštaitian and Samogitian, with all other varieties now classified as subdialects. The Sudovian and Dzūkian dialects are also considered subdialects of Aukštaitian; the specific subdialect spoken in Aukštaitija is thus known as East Aukštaitian.
The region has Russian and Belarusian minorities in the east. The subdialects spoken there use more loanwords from those languages. However, the usage of dialects in the region, as in Lithuania in general, is declining.
^Vytautas the Great; Valkūnas, Leonas (translation from Latin). Vytauto laiškai [ Letters of Vytautas the Great ](PDF) (in Lithuanian). Vilnius University, Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore. p. 6. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
^"Lietuvos etnografiniai regionai – ar pažįstate juos visus?". DELFI (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 9 May 2021.
^. Ekgt.lt (in Lithuanian). Etninės kultūros globos taryba (Council for the Protection of Ethnic Culture). Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
^ abZinkevičius, Zigmas. "Etnonimas aukštaičiai amžių bėgyje". Lituanistika.lt. Žiemgalos leidykla. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
^Baranauskas, Tomas (2006). "Aukštaitija XIII–XV amžiuje". Aukštaičių tapatumo paieškos: Straipsnių rinkinys (in Lithuanian). Kaunas: Žiemgalos leidykla: 32. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
January 01, 1970
aukštaitija, lithuanian, pronunciation, ɐukʃˈtɐǐːtʲɪjɐ, literally, highland, upland, name, five, ethnographic, regions, lithuania, name, comes, from, fact, that, lands, upper, basin, nemunas, opposed, lowlands, that, begin, from, Šiauliai, westward, although, . Aukstaitija Lithuanian pronunciation ɐukʃˈtɐǐːtʲɪjɐ literally Highland or Upland is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania 2 3 The name comes from the fact that the lands are in the upper basin of the Nemunas as opposed to the Lowlands that begin from Siauliai westward Although Kaunas is surrounded by Aukstaitija the city itself is not considered to be a part of any ethnographic region in most cases 4 AukstaitijaEthnographic region of LithuaniaFrom top left to right PanevezysKaunasBirzai CastleAukstaitija National ParkHillforts in KernaveFlagCoat of armsMotto Patriam tuam mundum existimaLocation of Aukstaitija within LithuaniaCountryLithuaniaCapital and largest cityPanevezysArea Total27 672 km2 10 684 sq mi Excluding Kaunas part27 564 km2 10 643 sq mi Kaunas part108 km2 42 sq mi Population Total919 212 1 Excluding Kaunas part656 737 Kaunas part262 475Time zoneUTC2 CET GMT 2 Contents 1 Geography 2 Subdivisions 3 History 4 Demographics 5 See also 6 ReferencesGeography editAukstaitija is in the northeast part of Lithuania and also encompasses a small part of Latvia and Belarus The largest city located entirely within this region Panevezys is considered to be the capital though not in a political sense The largest cities by population are Panevezys 84 587 Jonava 26 423 Utena 25 397 Kedainiai 22 677 Ukmerge 20 154 Visaginas 18 024 Radviliskis 15 161 The region has many lakes mainly on the eastern side Subdivisions editSubdivision Note Utena County entire county Panevezys County entire county Sirvintos District Municipality entire municipality Ukmerge District Municipality entire municipality Kaisiadorys District Municipality entire municipality Jonava District Municipality entire municipality Kedainiai District Municipality entire municipality Radviliskis District Municipality entire municipality Pakruojis District Municipality entire municipality Joniskis District Municipality entire municipality Siauliai District Municipality Meskuiciai Eldership Ginkunai Eldership and Kairiai Eldership Kaunas District Municipality Neveronys Karmelava Eldership Karmelava Eldership Lapes Eldership Domeikava Eldership Vandziogala Eldership Uzliedziai Eldership Babtai Eldership Kacergine Raudondvaris Eldership Vilkija Vilkija Area Eldership and Cekiske Eldership Svencionys District Municipality Adutiskis Eldership Svirkos Eldership Svencionys Eldership Svencioneliai Eldership Kaltanenai Eldership and Labanoras EldershipHistory edit We do not know on whose merits or guilt such a decision was made or with what we have offended Your Lordship so much that Your Lordship has deservedly been directed against us creating hardship for us everywhere First of all you made and announced a decision about the land of Samogitia which is our inheritance and our homeland from the legal succession of the ancestors and elders We still own it it is and has always been the same Lithuanian land because there is one language and the same inhabitants But since the land of Samogitia is located lower than the land of Lithuania it is called Samogitia because in Lithuanian it is called lower land Zemaitija And the Samogitians call Lithuania Aukstaitija that is from the Samogitian point of view a higher land Also the people of Samogitia have long called themselves Lithuanians and never Samogitians and because of such identity sic we do not write about Samogitia in our letter because everything is one one country and the same inhabitants Vytautas the Great excerpt from his 11 March 1420 Latin written letter sent to Sigismund Holy Roman Emperor in which he described the core of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania composed of Zemaitija lowlands and Aukstaitija highlands 5 6 The term Aukstaitija has been known since the 13th century 7 Historically Aukstaitija corresponded to the Duchy of Lithuania until the 13th century Its initial capital was most likely Kernave In the 1322 treaty of Gediminas Aukstaitija was called terra Eustoythen land of Aukstaitians 8 Some German sources also titled Grand Duke Gediminas after whom the Gediminids dynasty is named Rex de Owsteiten King of Aukstaitija 9 10 Aukstaitija was mentioned as Austechia in Chronicon terrae Prussiae written around 1326 8 Politically from the end of the 13th century it comprised the Duchy of Vilnius Lithuania and the Duchy of Trakai and it is possible that the term was then used to refer to both of them Since the 15th century the Trakai and Vilnius voivodeships made up Aukstaitija a political and ethnic entity also known as Lithuania proper Demographics editThe local people mainly speak the Aukstaitian dialect of Lithuanian Under the new classification of dialects Lithuanian is divided into only two dialects Aukstaitian and Samogitian with all other varieties now classified as subdialects The Sudovian and Dzukian dialects are also considered subdialects of Aukstaitian the specific subdialect spoken in Aukstaitija is thus known as East Aukstaitian The region has Russian and Belarusian minorities in the east The subdialects spoken there use more loanwords from those languages However the usage of dialects in the region as in Lithuania in general is declining See also editAukstaitija National Park SamogitiaReferences edit Nuolatiniu gyventoju skaicius liepos 1 d osp stat gov lt Highlands Aukstaitija Lithuania travel Retrieved 10 July 2021 Regions of Lithuania What to See True Lithuania TrueLithuania com Retrieved 10 July 2021 Lietuvos etnografiniu regionu zemelapis Vytautas the Great Valkunas Leonas translation from Latin Vytauto laiskai Letters of Vytautas the Great PDF in Lithuanian Vilnius University Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore p 6 Retrieved 9 May 2021 Lietuvos etnografiniai regionai ar pazįstate juos visus DELFI in Lithuanian Retrieved 9 May 2021 Aukstaitija Ekgt lt in Lithuanian Etnines kulturos globos taryba Council for the Protection of Ethnic Culture Archived from the original on 16 October 2021 Retrieved 9 May 2021 a b Zinkevicius Zigmas Etnonimas aukstaiciai amziu begyje Lituanistika lt Ziemgalos leidykla Retrieved 9 May 2021 Rowell Stephen Christopher 1994 Lithuania Ascending A Pagan Empire Within East Central Europe 1295 1345 Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 50 ISBN 978 1 107 65876 9 Retrieved 12 July 2021 Baranauskas Tomas 2006 Aukstaitija XIII XV amziuje Aukstaiciu tapatumo paieskos Straipsniu rinkinys in Lithuanian Kaunas Ziemgalos leidykla 32 Retrieved 8 October 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aukstaitija amp oldid 1212095356, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
