The Lithuanians first made contact with the Mongols around 1237–1240, though for the next decade or two the Mongols did not consider Lithuanian-held territories a priority. It was
in response to Lithuanian incursions on Mongol-held territories in 1255 and 1258. Although the young state managed to survive this defeat, it likely played a crucial role in determining its further religious orientation as Mindaugas was starting to lose his allies and
pro-pagan sentiments reemerged. The threat posed by the Mongols and lack of any meaningful support from the
Roman Curia, led to
Treniota and his accomplices forcing Mindaugas to renounce his union with the
Livonian Order for an alliance with
Alexandr Nevsky, who was a docile subject of the Tatars. The temporary shifting of the allegiance of its successor, the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania, toward the Mongols, or at least, away from the
Christian Europe, was also a short-term victory for the Mongols. After raiding Lithuania and the
Yotvingians, In the immediate aftermath of this invasion, Lithuania might have become a tributary and ally to the Horde for several years or decades. A similar fate was likely met by the Lithuanian neighbours, the Yotvingians. Some Lithuanian or Yotvingian warriors likely participated in the Mongol invasion of Poland in 1259, though there are no historical documents to clarify whether they did so with their leaders' permission, or as free mercenaries, or as forced troops. According to Krakowski, the term 'Prussian' mentioned in the historical accounts could also cover some Yotvingian and Lithuanian units.
Gregorz Błaszczyk believes that such a position belongs to the sphere of
hypotheses. Nonetheless, the invasion did not have major or lasting consequences for Lithuania, particularly as it was not directly incorporated into the
Mongol Empire, nor subject to Mongol
darughachi administration. ==Legacy==