The name of the town was mentioned in written sources for the first time – namely, in the "Livonian Chronicle“ by H. Vartbergė.
Kėdainiai went to the ownership of the Radvilas family, which shaped the further development of the town. At that time on the left side of the Nevėžis River the manor and the first gothic St. George's church were built. In the early 15th c. Kaunas – Ryga and Vilnius – Raseiniai public roads crossed the town and from the beginning of the 15th c. German merchants from Hanza used to visit the place.
Kėdainiai became an administrative centre of Samogitia.
The town had become one of the first and most active sources of Reformation in the Great Duchy of Lithuania.
Agriculture and trade were stimulated by a free port opened in the suburb of Skongalis.
Kėdainiai went to Jonas Kiška
It was granted Magdeburg rights, by which the town gained the right of self-rule.
The first wooden bridge was built across the Nevėžis River, joining both sides of the town.
Kėdainiai again went into the ownership of the Radvilas. This time it went to the representatives of the protestant Biržai-Dubingiai branch.
Kristupas Radvila approved the old freedoms of Kėdainiai and granted a new coat of arms.
Two great commanders of the Lithuanian army and voivods of Vilnius – Kristupas Radvila and his son Jonušas Radvila owned Kėdainiai, the town experienced its "golden age“. There were 6 market squares, 10 artisan guilds in the town, the population was over 4000 people. There were 6 churches of different religious confessions, a gymnasium, a chemist‘s and a printing – house.
Wars with Russia and Sweden. A lot of people abandoned the town, mostly foreign merchants and artisans. In summer of 1655 in Kėdainiai negotiations with representatives of Sweden were initiated and on October 20 they resulted in a signed document – the Treaty between Sweden and Lithuania (called "The Treaty of Kėdainiai").
The reviving town was devastated by a huge fire and at the beginning of the 18th century the Northen War started. The town was struck by a "a very sore" famine and "a most terrible" plague.
The town went to the ownership of the counts Čapskis.
Kėdainiai went to Count E. Totleben.
The First World War started. A few huge fires devastated Kėdainiai.
Near Kėdainiai the first battles of Independence took place, during which our fellow-countryman Povilas Lukšys was killed – the first Lithuanian volunteer to get killed.
The Soviet and Nazi occupations during 1940 – 1944 did great damage to Kėdainiai. Many town and district residents were exiled to Siberia. On August 28 of the same year Nazis and their collaborators killed 2076 Jews of Kėdainiai, destroyed their community that had existed for over 400 years.
Kėdainiai became an important industrial centre.
The first Kėdainiai District Municipality Council was elected after the restoration of independence of Lithuania.
During the Soviet Army aggression in Vilnius, two residents of Kėdainiai got killed: Alvydas Kanapinskas and Vytautas Koncevičius. They were buried in the town cemetery and two streets in Kėdainiai and Pelėdnagiai were named after them.
The Soviet Army retreated from the town.
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