Despite the challenges posed by constant warfare with Moscow, the Crimean Tatars, and the Teutonic Order, the 16th century marked a period of cultural and intellectual revival in Lithuania, often referred to as the Lithuanian Renaissance. This flourishing of arts, education, and literature was deeply influenced by the Renaissance movement sweeping Europe and the spread of Reformation ideas.
While Lutheranism gained influence in urban centers of the Livonian Confederation during the 1520s, Lithuania itself remained largely Catholic, maintaining the religious identity strengthened through the Union of Krewo and Vytautas’s reign. Catholicism continued to shape Lithuanian politics and society, in contrast to the Protestant trends spreading through northern Europe.
The Renaissance stimulated intellectual life across the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Many Lithuanian scholars, educated abroad, returned to their homeland to contribute to this cultural movement. Scholars like Abraomas Kulvietis, Stanislovas Rapalionis, Martynas Mažvydas, and Mikalojus Daukša led efforts to standardize the Lithuanian language and produce the first printed Lithuanian texts. These efforts laid the foundation for the development of written Lithuanian.
During this period, Ruthenian (Chancery Slavonic) remained the primary administrative language in the early stages of the Renaissance, used by influential figures such as Francysk Skaryna, a humanist and bibliophile. However, by the mid-16th century, Polish began to dominate literary and official communication, reflecting the growing cultural integration between Poland and Lithuania following the Jagiellonian rule.
Italian Renaissance architecture began to shape Lithuanian cities, enriching urban spaces with new styles and artistic influences. Literature in Latin also thrived, reflecting the humanist ideals of the Renaissance and fostering connections between Lithuanian scholars and Western Europe.