Lithuania's emblem of state is the Vytis. It depicts a knight, astride a leaping stallion. The knight holds a raised sword, is clad in armor and carries a shield bearing the imprint of a two-barred cross Later, this cross came bo be called the Vytis Cross.
The oldest Vytis surviving to our days is depicted on coins and seals dating back to the times of Algirdas and Kestutis. Yet it is believed that the Vytis was already in use as far back as the rule of King Mindaugas. The oldest surviving coins show Vytis on one side and Gediminas' Columns on the obverse. The Vytis on seals dates back to the time of Algirdas, Vytautas the Great, and Jogaila.
In the 19th century, with the rise of the Lithuanian national movement, the old emblem of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - the Vytis - was automatically adopted and came to symbolize the goal of freedom. There was no question as to its colors: it was white against a red background. It was adopted as such by the Council of State and included in the Lithuanian Constitution.