ENIn the Middle Ages the Lithuanian boyars formed the elite of the society. They were in the possession of the land estate (lands, forests, lakes, etc.). The villagers were employed on their landed estates. The boyars cultivated the traditions of the knights and, if necessary, stood up in defence of their country against the aggressors. It is not known when the Order of the Yotvingian Cross was found. However, its activities were restricted and prohibited during the partitions. The documents found in 2003 bear testimony that the Order took on new members from among the country’s most distinguished noble families throughout the 19th century. The Order operated legally in the interwar period and it has been active since the restoration of the independence of Lithuania.