Black Ruthenia

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Black Ruthenia (Ruthenian: Czornaja Ruś; Belarusian: Čornaja Ruś; Polish: Ruś Czarna) is term used for a region in the western part of contemporary Belarus on the upper reaches of the Neman River that was distinct in the 13th-15th centuries.

The origins of the term are disputed. The early Ruthenian sources themselves rarely use the terms "White Ruś" ^[1] or "Black Ruś".^{[citation needed]}

The most important towns in the area were Nowohorodok, Grodno, Słonim, Wołkowysk, Lida, and Nieśwież.

Contents 1 History 2 Rulers 3 Notes 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] History

The phrase first appeared in Western European sources circa 1360 but referring to Red Ruthenia (modern Ukraine). The name "Black Ruthenia" is more often found in historical writings from the 18th century to a region in the basin of the upper flow of the Neman River. Towns such as Nowohorodok were mentioned for the first time in the Ruthenian annals in 1116 (or 1252), Grodno (1127), Slonim (1252), Volkovysk (1252), Nesvizh (1223), Lida (1323).

From the end of the 10th century the area was controlled by the Principality of Kiev. At the beginning of the 13th century it was probably submitted to the Principality of Polotsk. Since 1239 Black Ruthenia was kept by the Grand Prince of the neighbouring Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Mindaugas. 1239 - 1248 was the period with the highest frequency of attacks on Ruthenia by Mindaugas, which was taking advantage of Ruthenia's weakened condition after the Tartar invasions. At this time Mindaugas took control of Black Ruthenia with the Castle of Nowohorodok. Mindaugas may have been invited by authorities of Nowohorodok to rule after he had to leave his native land, he then passed a power to his son Vaišvilkas. In 1249 Tautvilas, Erdvilas, and Vykintas fled to Daniel Halicki, the King of Halych-Volhynia. Daniel helped them to organize a coalition against Mindaugas and attacked Black Ruthenia. In the meantime, Vykintas managed to bribe the Yotvingians and half of the Samogitians, and come to an agreement with Livonian Brothers of the Sword. 1254 the King of Halych-Volhynia, Daniel Halicki, overpowered Nowohorodok and passed the territory to his son Roman Danilovich, with whom it remained for several years, before being restored to Vaišvilkas, who died in 1267. He was followed by other princes of Lithuanian origin. From the end of the 13th century Black Ruthenia, together with the original Lithuania, comprised the nucleus of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

[edit] Rulers

-1084 part of The Principality of Włodzimierz Wołyński

Capital: HORODNA

Rurik-Horodeński

• 1084-1090s Wsiewołod I Igorevicz (d. aft. 1092)
• 1090s-1113 Mstisław I Wsiewołodowicz
• 1113-1142 Wsiewołod Dawydowicz (d. February 1, 1142; m. 1116 Agafia Kijówska)
• 1142-1159 Boris Wsiewołodowicz (ca 1117 - ca 1169)
• 1159-1169 Wolodar Hlebowicz (in Minsk 1151-1158, 1165-1167; m. btw. 1136-1139 Ryksa Śląska {d. after December 25, 1155})
• 1169-1172 Hleb Wsiewołodowicz
• 1172-1175 Mstisław II Wsiewołodowicz

Capital: NOWOHORODOK

Gediminids

• 1175-1183 Erdywił

Capital: HORODNA

Rurik-Witebski

• 1183-1185 Iziasław Wasilkowicz
• 1185 Wsiewołod II Glebowicz (d. 13th century; also in Zasławje and Strejew)

Capital: NOWOHORODOK

• 1185-before 1192 Wasilko Wolodarowicz?

Gediminids

• after 1185–1192 Mingayl
• 1192–before 1219 Skirmunt
• after 1192-before 1219 Troniata

Capital: HORODNA

Rurik-Witebski

• after 1192-1219 Wasilko Briaczesławicz (also in Witebsk; m. NN, dau. of Rostisław Mstisławicz of Smoleńsk)

Capital: NOWOHORODOK

• 1219-1239 Iziasław Briaczesławicz (d. 1264; also in Witebsk)

Rurik-Mindaugas

• 1239-1254 Vaišvilkas (in The Lithuania 1264-1267)
• 1254-1258 Roman Daniłowicz (d. after 1258)
• 1258-1267 Vaišvilkas (d. 1267)

1267-before 1300 part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Gediminids

• before 1300-before 1341 Narymont
• ?-1341 Narymunt
• 1341-1347 Koriat
• 1347-before 1381 Woidete (d. after 1362)
• after 1347-1381 Butaw (d. after 1381)

1381-1384 part of The Grand Duchy of Lithuania

• 1384-1386 Jurij Czornaruski
• 1386-1390 Towtiwil
• 1390-1440 Zygmunt Kiejstutowicz (in Lithuania 1432-1440)
• 1440-1441 Michał Bolesław Zygmuntowicz (d. 1451)

1441- part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Nowohorodok Castle. Reconstruction by Wiktar Staščaniuk.	Nowohorodok Castle. Reconstruction by Wiktar Staščaniuk.	Nowohorodok Castle. Reconstruction by Wiktar Staščaniuk.	The ruins of Nowohorodok Castle.
Nowohorodok, Kostel Preobrażenija Gospodnego.	Church of Saint Francis Xavier, Grodno.	Manor of Pusłowski family. Drawing by Napoleon Orda. (now in Słonim).	Church of the Corpus Christi and castle tower, Nieśwież.

[edit] Notes

[edit] See also

• Carpathian Ruthenia
• Nowogródek Voivodeship
• Red Ruthenia
• Ruthenia
• White Ruthenia

[edit] External links

• Encyclopedic dictionary of Russian civilization (in Russian)
• Heraldica Litvaniae
• Mindowh
• Rurikids