The Order was instituted in 1930 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas the Great.

The badge of the Order, struck in pre-war Lithuania, was designed by a Lithuanian artist, Jonas Burba.

The reverse of the Cross features a golden Royal Crown embellished with three crystal stones.

In the centre, a smaller version of the Vytautas the Great Cross with a golden Crown above is depicted on a background of blue enamel.

The Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia were the first foreigners to receive the Order in 1995, during the official visit of the President of Lithuania to Sweden.

The Order's ribbon is made from white moiré with two orange stripes and is 40mm wide for men and women.

In the centre, there is a smaller version of the Vytautas the Great Cross with a golden Crown, on black enamel.