Lithua­nia facts

203. The size of Teutonic Army is estimated at 15000-30000 men, and its loses were very heavy. However, at the time of the battle, there were about 500 religious brothers in the entire Order, and only 250 residing in Prussia. 203 of them died in the battle.

In Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The demonstration called The Baltic Way marked the 50th anniversary of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany (which divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence and led to the occupation of the Baltic states in 1940). The chain connected the three Baltic capitals – Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn. Video footage taken from airplanes and helicopters showed an almost continuous line of people across the countryside. Few months later all three republics declared independence.

Basketball is the only sport the 3.2 million Lithuanians truly care about. They dominated in pre-war Europe (Euro Basket winners in 1937 and 1939). Having been part of the Soviet Union, Lithuanian players frequently formed the core of the Soviet national team.

Vilnius. The name of the city originates from the Vilnia River, which flows through the city.

Heart attack. John III Sobieski (17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696), was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death, and one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was an able military commander, most famous for his victory over the Turks at the 1683 Battle of Vienna. After his victories over them, the Ottomans called him the "Lion of Lechistan"; and the Pope hailed him as the savior of Christendom. King John III Sobieski died in Wilanów, Poland on 17 June 1696 from a sudden heart attack.