Samogitian nobility

[1] Historically, the local gentry was formed of people of various ethnic backgrounds, including Lithuanian, Polish, Tartar, German and Ruthenian.

[7] In the Grand Duchy of Lithuania the Samogitian nobles were electing Elders of Samogitia who had voivode rights and were the third highest ranked statesmen in the Lithuanian Council of Lords (after voivodes of Vilnius and Trakai).

[8] Samogitian nobility, especially its lower class, preserved knowledge of the Lithuanian language very well.

[9] In fact, the Lithuanian language remained dominant in Samogitia and its nobility throughout the early modern period.

[10] This is proven by the letter of Stanisław Radziwiłł to his brother Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł immediately after becoming the Elder of Samogitia that: "While learning various languages, I forgot Lithuanian, and now I see, I have to go to school again, because that language, as I see, God willing, will be needed.