The Prince of Polotsk ruled the Principality of Polotsk within the realm of Kievan Rus' or within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the mid-9th century to 1307.
Rogvold, a non-Rurikid Varangian, was the first Prince of Polotsk. When Vladimir the Great returned from exile in Scandinavia in 980 to try to claim the Kievan throne that his brother, Yaropolk, held, he sought an alliance with Rogvolod through a marriage with his daughter, Rogneda. When she refused, calling Vladimir the "son of a slave," he attacked Polotsk, killed Rogvold and his son, and took Rogneda by force to be his wife.[1] Polotsk was then granted to Vladimir's son, Izyaslav, around the time of Christianization (988), and when Izyaslav predeceased his father in 1001, the throne of Polotsk was passed on to Izyaslav's son, Briacheslav, and the Polotsk line (the senior branch of Vladimir's sons) became izgoi and was not legally allowed to succeed to the Kievan throne,[2] although Bryacheslav's son, Vseslav, held briefly the Kievan throne in 1068–1069, after it was granted to him by the veche following the Kiev Uprising.[3]
| Ruler | Born | Reign | Ruling part | Consort | Death | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogvolod I (Рагвалод) Old Norse: Ragnvald | c.920 Västergötland | 945-978 | Polotsk | Unknown at least three children | 978 Polotsk aged c.57-58? | First known ruler in Polotsk. It's been speculated that he and his daughter were members of the Ynglings royal family, in today's Sweden. | |
| Rogneda (Рагнеда) Old Norse: Ragnheiðr | 962 Daughter of Rogvolod I | 978-1002 | Polotsk | Vladimir the Great 980 (separated in 988) eight children | 1002 aged 39–40 | Sometimes called Gorislava (Гарыслава). Refusing to marry Vladimir the Great, he raped her, killed her entire family and married her by force. Without any other surviving family, she and her son, Iziaslav, as per Norse royal custom, were then sent to govern jointly the land of her parents. | |
See also: Kievan Rus'.
See main article: Grand Prince of Kiev and Kievan Rus'.
See also: Rurikids. The Rurikids were descendants of Rurik (Ukrainian: Рюрик) (Hrørekr), a Varangian pagan konung or chieftain, who according to the Primary Chronicle was invited to rule Novgorod in 862 and who came to become the ruler of the Northern Slavic tribes of the (Krivchians and Slovene) as well as the Finnish tribes (Meria, Chud and Ves). Later his son or grandson, Prince Ihor, became the Prince of separate Kyivan territories to the south beginning the rule of the Riurykide dynasty of Kyivan Rus. The existence of Rurik is a point of contention for historians, P. Kovaletsky and Omeljan Pritsak believe that Rurik was the same person as Hroereckr (Rorik), the 9th century Norse king of Jutland and Frisia and that pervasive myths and legends about him formed the basis for the primary chroniclers. Alternatively, Alexsei Shakmatov accepts the Primary Chronicle's account as factual and Rurik is a historic being.[4]
| Kievan Rus', Grand Principality of Rus' (980-1078) | ||||
| < | ---Polotsk---> | < | ---Kyiv---> | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| < | ---Polotsk---> | Principality of Turov-Pinsk (1078-1320) (Divided in Turov and Pinsk since c.1170) | ||
| Principality of Polotsk (988-1274) | < | ---Minsk---> | Principality of Drutsk (1101-c.1200) | Principality of Vitebsk (1101-1345) |
| Principality of Minsk (1101-1216) | ||||
| < | ---Minsk---> | |||
| To Lithuania | < | ---Vitebsk---> | ||
| To Lithuania | < | ---Vitebsk---> | To Lithuania | |
| To Lithuania | ||||
(Note: As many princes ruled at different times in many places, the numbering of the princes is restricted to the Kievan Rus'/Kyiv and the Principality of Polotsk)
| Ruler | Born | Reign | Ruling part | Consort | Death | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vladimir I the Great Vladimir Basil Sviatoslavich (Володимир Великий/Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь) Old Norse: Valdamarr Sveinaldsson | c.958 Budiatychi Son of Sviatoslav I of Kyiv and Malusha/Malfrida | 980 – 15 July 1015 | Kyivan Rus' | Olava/Allogia c.977 at least one son A Greek nun (widow of his brother) c.980 at least one son Rogneda of Polotsk c.978 (possibly in bigamy) eight children Adela (of Bulgaria?) at least two children (maximum four) Malfrida (of Bohemia?) Before 1000 two children Anna Porphyrogenita of Byzantium 988 Cherson three children Regelindis (?) of Saxony (granddaughter of Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor) After 1011 one or two daughters Unknown two children | 15 July 1015 Berestove (now part of Kyiv) aged 57–58 | His early rule is characterized by a staunch pagan reaction but in 988 he was baptized into Orthodoxy and successfully converted Kyivan Rus' to Christianity. | ||
| Iziaslav I (Ізяслаў) | c.978 Kyiv First son of Vladimir I the Great and Rogneda of Polotsk | 988 – 1001 | Polotsk | Unknown two children | 1001 Polotsk aged 22–23 | Polotsk splits rapidly from Kyivan Rus. As the eldest son of his mother, Iziaslav ruled in Polotsk alongside her. | ||
| Vseslav I (Усяслаў) | c.990 Polotsk First son of Iziaslav I | 1001-1003 | Polotsk | Unmarried | 1003 Polotsk aged 12–13? | His succession to his father consolidated the family's possession of Polotsk. Died without descendants. | ||
| Briacheslav I (Брачыслаў) | c.990 Polotsk Second son of Iziaslav I | 1003-1044 | Polotsk | Unknown one child | 1044 Polotsk aged 53–54 | |||
| Sviatopolk I the Accursed Sviatopolk Yaropolkovich (Святополк Окаянний) Old Norse: Sveinpolk Iaropolksson | c.980 Kyiv Son of Sviatoslav I of Kyiv and Predslava | 15 July 1015 – 1019 | Kyivan Rus' | Unknown name (daughter of Bolesław I of Poland) no children | 1019 Brest aged 38–39 | |||
| Yaroslav I the Wise Yaroslav George Vladimirovich (Яросла́в Му́дрий) Old Norse: Jarizleifr Valdamarrsson[6] | c.978 Third son of Vladimir I the Great and Rogneda of Polotsk | 1019 – 20 February 1054 | Kyivan Rus' | Ingigerda of Sweden 1019 Novgorod eight or nine children | 20 February 1054 Vyshhorod aged 75–76 | Prince of Rostov, Prince of Novgorod, and Grand Prince of Kyiv; during his reign Kyivan Rus' reached the pinnacle of its power. | ||
| Iziaslav I Iziaslav Demetrius Yaroslavich (Ізяслав Ярославич) Old Norse: Izjasleifr(?) Jarizleifsson | c.1024 Second son of Yaroslav I and Ingigerda of Sweden | 20 February 1054 – 14 September 1068 April 1069 – 22 May 1073 15 July 1076 – 3 October 1078 | Kyivan Rus' | Gertrude of Poland 1043 three children | 3 October 1078 Nizhyn aged 53–54 | Reigned three times, threatened by the power of his relatives Vseslav of Polotsk (1068–69) and Sviatoslav II of Kyiv (1073–76). First ruler titled King of Rus' , as Pope Gregory VII sent him a crown from Rome in 1075. | ||
| Vseslav II the Seer Vseslav Basil Bryacheslavich (Всеслав Брячиславич) | c.1039 Polotsk Son of Briacheslav I | 1044 – 24 April 1101 | Polotsk | Unknown six children | 24 April 1101 Polotsk aged 61–62 | |||
| 14 September 1068 – April 1069 | Kyivan Rus' | |||||||
| Sviatoslav II Sviatoslav Nicholas Yaroslavich (Святослав Ярославич) Old Norse: Sveinald Jarizleifsson | c.1027 Kyiv Third son of Yaroslav I and Ingigerda of Sweden | 22 May 1073 – 15 July 1076 | Kyivan Rus' | Cecilia of DithmarschenBetween 1043 and 1047 five children Oda of Stade (Nordmark) c.1065 one son | 27 December 1076 Kyiv aged 48–49 | A brief ruler during his brother Iziaslav's official reign. | ||
| Saint Yaropolk Iziaslavich | c.1043 First son of Iziaslav I and Gertrude of Poland | 3 October 1078 – 22 November 1087 | Turov-Pinsk | Kunigunde of Meissen c.1071 four children | 22 November 1087 Zvenyhorod aged 62–63 | His rule splits Turov-Pinsk from Kyiv authority. | ||
| Sviatopolk Iziaslavich | 8 November 1050 Second son of Iziaslav I and Gertrude of Poland | 22 November 1087 – 13 April 1093 | Turov-Pinsk | Unknown name (daughter of Spytihněv II of Bohemia)[7] c.1085 three children Olenna of the Kipchaks c.1094 four children | 26 April 1113 Vyshhorod aged 62 | In 1093, he ascended to Kyivan throne. | ||
| Viacheslav Yaropolkovich | c.1075? Second son of Yaropolk Iziaslavich and Kunigunde of Meissen | 13 April 1093 – 1104 | Turov-Pinsk | Unknown | 1104 aged 28–29? | |||
| Rogvolod II Boris I (Брачыслаў) | c.1060? Polotsk First son of Vseslav II | 24 April 1101 - 1129 | Polotsk | Unknown three children | 1129 Polotsk aged 68–69? | Children of Vseslav II, divided the principality between the three. | ||
| 24 April 1101 - 1127 | Drutsk | |||||||
| Gleb Vseslavich (Глеб Усяславіч) | c.1060? Polotsk Second son of Vseslav II | 24 April 1101 - 13 September 1119 | Minsk | Anastasia Yaropolkovna of Turov-Pinsk 1090 four children | 13 September 1119 Kyiv aged 58–59? | |||
| Minsk briefly annexed to Kyiv (1119-1146) | ||||||||
| Sviatoslav Vseslavich (Святаслаў Усяславіч) | c.1060? Polotsk Sixth son of Vseslav II | 24 April 1101 - c.1129 | Vitebsk | Sophia five children | c.1129 Vitebsk aged 68–69? | |||
| Vitebsk briefly annexed to Kyiv (1129-1132) | ||||||||
| Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh | 1053 Son of Vsevolod I of Kyiv and Anastasia of Byzantium | 1104 – 19 May 1125 | Turov-Pinsk | Gytha of Wessex c.1074 five or six children Euphemia of Byzantium c.1100 six or seven children Unknown name (daughter of Aepa Ocenevich, Khan in Cumania) After 1107 no known children | 19 May 1125 Kyiv aged 71–72 | Also Grand Prince of Kyiv. From his reign, the succession in Turov-Pinsk echoed the distant Kyivan disputes for the throne. | ||
| Viacheslav Vladimirovich | 1083 Chernihiv Sixth son of Vladimir Vladimirovich and Gytha of Wessex | 19 May 1125 – 14 April 1132 1134 - 1136 1136 - 1142 1146 | Turov-Pinsk | Unknown before 1139 one child | 2 February 1154 Kyiv aged 70–71 | Also Grand Prince of Kyiv. | ||
| David (Давыд) | c.1060? Polotsk Fourth son of Vseslav II | 1129 | Polotsk | Unknown three children | 1129 Polotsk aged 68–69? | |||
| Iziaslav II | 1096[8] Novgorod First son of Mstislav I of Kyiv and Christina of Sweden | 1129 - 14 April 1132 | Polotsk (with Drutsk) | Agnes of Hohenstaufen before 1151 five children Rusudan of Georgia 1154 no children | 13 November 1154 Kyiv aged 57–58 | Also Grand Prince of Kyiv. | ||
| 14 April 1132 - 1134 1136 | Turov-Pinsk | |||||||
| Sviatopolk | 1114 Fourth son of Mstislav I of Kyiv and Christina of Sweden | 24 April 1132 – 1132 | Polotsk (with Drutsk) | Euphemia of Olomouc[9] 1143 or 1144 no children | 20 February 1154 | Also Prince of Volhynia. | ||
| Vasilko I (Васілька) | c.1080 Polotsk First son of Sviatoslav Vseslavich and Sophia | 1132 - 1144 | Polotsk (with Vitebsk and Drutsk) | Unknown five children | 1144 Vitebsk aged 63–64 | While also ruling in the senior principality of Polotsk, Vasilko managed to restore the sovereignty of his father's principality. | ||
| Sviatoslav Vsevolodovich | 1123 Chernihiv First son of Vsevolod II of Kyiv and Maria Mstislavna of Kyiv | 1142-1146 1154 | Turov-Pinsk | Maria Vasilkovna of Polotsk 1143 eight children | 25 July 1194 Brest aged 70–71 | Also Prince of Chernihiv and Grand Prince of Kyiv. | ||
| Rogvolod III Basil (Рагвалод-Васіль) | c.1110 Polotsk Second son of Rogvolod II Boris | 1127-1129 1140-1144 1158-1159 1162-1170 | Drutsk | ? Iziaslavna of Kyiv (daughter of Iziaslav II of Kyiv) five children | 1170 Polotsk aged 59–60? | |||
| 1144-1151 1159-1162 | Polotsk | |||||||
| Gleb Rogvolodovich | c.1130? Polotsk First son of Rogvolod III Basil | 1144-1151 1159-1162 1170-1186 | Drutsk | Unknown | 1186 Drutsk aged 55–56? | |||
| Yaroslav Iziaslavich | 1132 Second son of Iziaslav Mstislavich and Agnes of Hohenstaufen | 1146-1148 | Turov-Pinsk | Richeza of Bohemia 1149 four children | 1180 Lutsk aged 47–48 | Also Grand Prince of Kyiv. | ||
| Yuri Yaroslavich | c.1112 Son of Yaroslav Sviatopolkovich, Prince of Volhynia | 1148-1150 1151-1154 1157-1168 | Turov-Pinsk | Anna Vsevolodovna of Grodno seven children | 1168 Bogolyubovo aged 55–56 | His last reign marked the end of Kyiv involvement in the government; the principality passed directly to Yuri's children. | ||
| Andrey Yurievich Bogolyubsky | 1111 Rostov Third son of Yuri of Kyiv and ? of Cumania | 1150-1151 | Turov-Pinsk | Yulita Stepanovna four children | 29 June 1174 Bogolyubovo aged 62–63 | Also Grand Prince of Vladimir. | ||
| Rostislav (Расціслаў) | c.1110 Polotsk First son of Gleb Vseslavich, Prince of Minsk and Anastasia Yaropolkovna of Turov-Pinsk | 1146-1151 1159-1165 | Minsk | Unknown two children | 1165 Minsk aged 64–65? | |||
| 1151-1159 | Polotsk | |||||||
| Gleb Rostislavich | c.1130? Polotsk Son of Rostislav | 1151-1158 | Drutsk | Unknown | 1163 Drutsk aged 69–70? | |||
| Boris Yurievich | c.1120? Seventh son of Yuri of Kyiv and ? of Cumania | 1154-1157 | Turov-Pinsk | Maria one child | 2 May 1159 Suzdal aged 38–39? | |||
| Vseslav III | c.1110 Polotsk First son of Vasilko I | 1144-1162 1176-1178 1182-1186 | Vitebsk | ? Rostislavna of Smolensk c.1160 one child | 1186 Polotsk aged 69–70? | |||
| 1162-1167 1167-1180 | Polotsk | |||||||
| Roman Viacheslavich (Раман) | c.1130? Son of Viacheslav Rostislavich and ? Viacheslavna of Kyiv | 1162-1165 | Vitebsk | Unknown two children | 1165 Vitebsk aged 34–35? | Great-grandson of Vseslav I. | ||
| David Sviatoslavich | c.1110? Second son of Sviatoslav Vseslavich and Sophia | 1165-1167 | Vitebsk | Unknown one child | 1173 Vitebsk aged 62–63? | |||
| Volodar (Валадар) | c.1120 Polotsk Second son of Gleb Vseslavich, Prince of Minsk and Anastasia Yaropolkovna of Turov-Pinsk | 1151-1159 1165-1177 | Minsk | Richeza of Poland 18 June 1136 (annulled c.1150) four children | 1180 Minsk aged 59–60? | |||
| 1167 | Polotsk | |||||||
| Viacheslav Sviatoslavich | c.1110? Third son of Sviatoslav Vseslavich and Sophia | 1167-1168 | Vitebsk | Unknown two children | 1168 Vitebsk aged 57–58? | |||
| Ivan Yurievich | c.1140? First son of Yuri Yaroslavich and Anna Vsevolodovna of Grodno | 1168-c.1170 | Turov-Pinsk | Unknown one child | c.1180? Turov aged 39–40? | Retired from government in 1170. After that, his brothers divided the principality. | ||
| Briacheslav Vasilkovich | c.1140 Vitebsk First son of Vasilko I | 1168-1176 1178-1182 | Vitebsk | Unknown two children | 1186 Vitebsk aged 45–46 | |||
| Sviatopolk Yurievich | c.1140? Second son of Yuri Yaroslavich and Anna Vsevolodovna of Grodno | c.1170 - 19 April 1190 | Turov-Pinsk (at Turov) | Unknown two children | 19 April 1190 Turov aged 49–50? | Brothers of Ivan Yurievich, divided the principality in halves. | ||
| Yaroslav Yurievich | c.1140? Third son of Yuri Yaroslavich and Anna Vsevolodovna of Grodno | c.1170 - 1190 | Turov-Pinsk (at Pinsk) | Unknown one child | c.1190 Pinsk aged 49–50? | |||
| Boris II | c.1140? Son of David Sviatoslavich, Prince of Vitebsk | 1180-1185 | Polotsk | Unknown one child | 1185 Vitebsk aged 44–45? | |||
| Vladimir II (Уладзімір) | c.1140 Polotsk First son of Volodar and Richeza of Poland | 1177-1216 | Minsk | Unmarried | 1216 Polotsk aged 75–76? | Children of Volodar, ruled jointly in Minsk, but succeeded each other in Polotsk. | ||
| 1185-1216 | Polotsk | |||||||
| Vasilko II | c.1140 Polotsk Second son of Volodar and Richeza of Poland | 1177-1216 | Minsk | ? Davidovna of Smolensk (daughter of Davyd Rostislavich) at least one child | 1222 Polotsk aged 75–76? | |||
| 1216-1222 | Polotsk | |||||||
| Minsk annexed to Lithuania | ||||||||
| Polotsk briefly annexed to Smolensk[10] | ||||||||
| Vasilko Briacheslavich | c.1150? Vitebsk Son of Briacheslav Vasilkovich | 1186-1221 | Vitebsk | Unknown two children | 1221 Vitebsk aged 70–71? | |||
| Boris Rogvolodovich | c.1140? Polotsk Second son of Rogvolod III Basil | 1186-c.1200 | Drutsk | Unknown | c.1200 Drutsk aged 59–60? | Brothers of Gleb Rogvolodovich, possibly ruled jointly. | ||
| Vseslav Rogvolodovich | c.1140? Polotsk Third son of Rogvolod III Basil | c.1200 Drutsk aged 59–60? | ||||||
| Drutsk annexed to Vitebsk | ||||||||
| Gleb Yurievich | c.1140? Fourth son of Yuri Yaroslavich and Anna Vsevolodovna of Grodno | 19 April 1190 - 1195 | Turov-Pinsk (at Turov) | Unknown three children | 1195 Turov aged 54–55? | |||
| Yaropolk Yurievich | c.1140? Fifth son of Yuri Yaroslavich and Anna Vsevolodovna of Grodno | c.1190-1204 | Turov-Pinsk (at Pinsk) | Unknown one child | 1204 Pinsk aged 63–64? | |||
| Andrey Ivanovich | c.1170? Son of Ivan Yurievich | 1195 - 1 June 1223 | Turov-Pinsk (at Turov) | Unknown one child | 1 June 1223 aged 52–53? | |||
| Vladimir Sviatopolkovich | c.1170? First son of Sviatopolk Yurievich | 1204-1228 | Turov-Pinsk (at Pinsk; also in Turov since 1223) | Unknown one child | 1228 Turov aged 57–58? | |||
| Briacheslav Vasilkovich | c.1190 Vitebsk Son of Vasilko Briacheslavich | 1221-1232 | Vitebsk | Unknown two children | 1232 Vitebsk aged 41–42 | |||
| Rostislav Sviatopolkovich | c.1170? Second son of Sviatopolk Yurievich | 1228-1232 | Turov-Pinsk (at Pinsk) | Unknown | 1232 Pinsk aged 61–62? | |||
| Yuri Andreyevich | c.1170? Son of Andrey Ivanovich | 1228-c.1280? | Turov-Pinsk (at Turov) | Unknown one child | 1 June 1223 aged 52–53? | |||
| Briacheslav II | c.1190 Polotsk Son of Vasilko II and ? Davidovna of Smolensk | 1232-1256 | Polotsk | Unknown five children | 1256 Polotsk aged 65–66? | |||
| Iziaslav Briacheslavich | c.1210? Vitebsk Second son of Briacheslav Vasilkovich | 1232-1262 1264 | Vitebsk | Unknown | 1264 Vitebsk aged 53–54? | |||
| Michael Vladimirovich | c.1190? First son of Vladimir Sviatopolkovich | 1232-1247 | Turov-Pinsk (at Pinsk) | Unknown | 1247 Pinsk aged 56–57? | |||
| Feodor Vladimirovich | c.1200? Second son of Vladimir Sviatopolkovich | 1247-1262 | Turov-Pinsk (at Pinsk) | Unknown | 1262 Pinsk aged 61–62? | |||
| Constantine the Armless | c.1230 Polotsk Son of Briacheslav II | 1256-1258 1268-1274 | Polotsk | ? Alexandrovna of Vladimir-Suzdal (daughter of Alexander Nevsky) two children | 1292 aged 61–62? | He probably used the title rex Ruthenorum. His reign coincided with a civil war between various claimants to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It is known that he renounced the right to the land of Lotigola in favor of the Livonian Order. | ||
| 1262-1263 | Vitebsk | |||||||
| Polotsk annexed to Lithuania (1256-58 and from 1274) | ||||||||
| Yuri Vladimirovich | c.1220? Third son of Vladimir Sviatopolkovich | 1262-1290 | Turov-Pinsk (at Pinsk) | Unknown at least one child | 1290 Pinsk aged 69–70? | |||
| Michael Kostantinovich | c.1250? Vitebsk Son of Constantine and ? Alexandrovna of Vladimir-Suzdal | 1264-1287 | Vitebsk | Unknown | 1307 Vitebsk aged 56–57? | |||
| Semyon Yurievich | c.1250? Son of Yuri Andreyevich | c.1280?-1320 | Turov-Pinsk (at Turov) | Unknown | 1320? aged 69–70? | After his death Turov was absorbed by Lithuania. | ||
| Turov annexed to Lithuania | ||||||||
| Vasilko Briacheslavich | c.1220? Vitebsk Third son of Briacheslav Vasilkovich | 1287-1297 | Vitebsk | Unknown at least one child | 1297 Vitebsk aged 76–77? | |||
| Demid Vladimirovich | c.1220? Fourth son of Vladimir Sviatopolkovich | 1290-1292 | Turov-Pinsk (at Pinsk) | Unknown | 1292 Pinsk aged 71–72? | |||
| Yaroslav Yurievich | c.1270? Son of Yuri Vladimirovich | 1292-c.1300? | Turov-Pinsk (at Pinsk) | Unknown at least one child | c.1300? Pinsk aged 31–32? | |||
| Yaroslav Vasilkovich | c.1250? Vitebsk Son of Vasilko Briacheslavich | 1297-1320 | Vitebsk | Unknown one child | 1320 Vitebsk aged 69–70? | |||
| Vasily Yaroslavich | c.1290? Fourth son of Yaroslav Yurievich | c.1300-1320 | Turov-Pinsk (at Pinsk) | Unknown | c.1320? Pinsk aged 29–30? | After his death Pinsk was absorbed by Lithuania. | ||
| Pinsk annexed to Lithuania | ||||||||
| Maria Yaroslavna | c.1300 Vitebsk Daughter of Yaroslav Vasilkovich | 1320-1346 | Vitebsk | Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania 1317 seven children | 1346 aged 45–46 | The only heir to the Principality,[11] she may have ruled with her husband. Vitebsk was then annexed to Lithuania. | ||
| Vitebsk annexed to Lithuania | ||||||||
See main article: Połock Voivodeship, Minsk Voivodeship and Vitebsk Voivodeship. The Principality of Polotsk escaped the Mongol invasion of Rus' in 1237–1239. However, pagan Lithuanians began consolidating lands of the principality, and in 1240 Polotsk became a vassal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It officially became part of Lithuania in 1307, though it retained some degree of local autonomy until the 1390s. Then the principality was abolished and became part of the Połock Voivodeship. Other principalities had the same fate in the Lithuanian Grand Duchy, such as Minsk or Vitebsk.
See also: Gediminids.
See main article: Belarusian history in the Russian Empire.
The Lublin Union of 1569 constituted the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as an influential player in European politics and the largest multinational state in Europe. While Ukraine and Podlaskie became subjects to the Polish Crown, present-day Belarus territory was still regarded as part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The new polity was dominated by densely populated Poland, which had 134 representatives in the Sejm as compared to 46 representatives from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. However Lithuania retained much autonomy, and was governed by a separate code of laws called the Lithuanian Statutes. Mogilyov was the largest urban centre of the territory of present-day Belarus, followed by Vitebsk, Polotsk, Pinsk, Slutsk, and Brest, whose population exceeded 10,000.
Eventually by 1795 Poland was partitioned by its neighbors. Thus a new period in Belarusian history started, with all its lands annexed by the Russian Empire, in a continuing endeavor of Russian tsars of "gathering the Rus lands" started after the liberation from the Tatar yoke by Grand Duke Ivan III of Russia.