Editing Szlachta (section)

==== Lithuania ====
{{Main|Lithuanian nobility}}
[[File:Jogaila (Władysław II).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Jogaila (Władysław II)]]]]
In [[Lithuania Propria]] and in [[Samogitia]], prior to the creation of the [[Kingdom of Lithuania]] by [[Mindaugas]], nobles were called ''die beste leuten'' in [[German language|German]] sources. In Lithuanian, nobles were named ''ponai''. The higher nobility were named ''kunigai'' or ''kunigaikščiai'' (dukes) — a loanword from Scandinavian ''[[konung]]''. They were the established local leaders and warlords. During the development of the state, they gradually became subordinated to higher dukes, and later to the [[King of Lithuania]]. Because of Lithuanian expansion into the lands of [[Ruthenia]] in the middle of the 14th century, a new term for nobility appeared — ''bajorai'', from [[Ruthenian language|Ruthenian]] ''бояре''. This word is used to this day in Lithuania to refer to nobility in general, including those from abroad.

After the [[Union of Horodło]], the Lithuanian nobility acquired equal status with its Polish counterparts. Over time they became increasingly [[Polonized]], although they did preserve their [[nation]]al consciousness, and in most cases recognition of their Lithuanian family roots. In the 16th century, some of the Lithuanian nobility claimed that they were descended from the Romans, and that the [[Lithuanian language]] was derived from Latin. This led to a conundrum: Polish nobility claimed its own ancestry from [[Sarmatians|Sarmatian]] tribes, but Sarmatians were considered enemies of the Romans. Thus, a new Roman-Sarmatian theory was created. Strong cultural ties with Polish nobility led to a new term for Lithuanian nobility appearing in the 16th century — ''šlėkta'', a direct loanword from Polish ''szlachta''. Recently, Lithuanian linguists advocated dropping the usage of this Polish loanword.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kiaupienė |first=Jūratė |author-link=Jūratė Kiaupienė |year=2003 |title="Mes, Lietuva": Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės bajorija XVI a. |trans-title="We the Lithuania": nobility of Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 16th c. |language=lt |publisher=Kronta |isbn=9955-595-08-6 |page=64}}</ref>

The process of [[Polonization]] took place over a lengthy period. At first only the leading members of the nobility were involved. Gradually the wider population became affected. Major effects on the lesser Lithuanian nobility occurred after various sanctions were imposed by the [[Russian Empire]], such as removing ''Lithuania'' from the names of the ''Gubernyas'' shortly after the [[November Uprising]].<ref name="Ochmański">{{cite book |last=Ochmański |first=Jerzy |title=The National Idea in Lithuania from the 16th to the First Half of the 19th Century: The Problem of Cultural-Linguistic Differentiation |publisher=Mickiewicz University |year=1986 |location=Poznań}}</ref> After the [[January Uprising]] the sanctions went further, and Russian officials began to intensify [[Lithuanian press ban#Origins and legal basis|Russification]], and [[Lithuanian press ban|banned the printing of books in Lithuanian]].