Pokyčiai XII-XIII a pr. Baltijos jūros rytinės pakrantės visuomenių raidoje

ENThis article analyses the internal developments of the Lithuanian society in the 12th-ear- ly 13th c. Historiography often provides a chronological definition of the pre-state period as the 10th-early 13th c., trying to emphasize hierarchical territories ruled by dukes and defined by other characteristics, which would be more appropriate in discussing early statehood than chiefdom. It seems that there is no use of speaking about stable hierarchical territorial units prior to the turn of the 12th-13 th c. Talking about the balance of power between the free communities and developing military society (and nobility), it is necessary to consider the horizontal (corporative) and the vertical (top-down) methods of imposition of power. The first case involves a change with horizontal imposition of power being used by the military society and its chief gatherings. In the second case the emerging nobility impose their power on the free communities and the military society using the top-down principle. As soon as this model prevails, we can start speaking of the emergence of political elite and nobility in the Lithuanian pre-state society. The research shows that there are four major 12th-early 13th c. pre-state characteristics: 1) the development of the “military democracy” model; 2) the development of private land property; 3) the emergence of the horizontal imposition of power among the emerging nobility and the free communities; 4) the development of political elite. [From the publication]