Black Ruthenia
Encyclopedia
Black Ruthenia, Black Rus' or Black Russia are variant conventional terms used for a region around Navahrudak (Novgorodok), in the western part of contemporary Belarus
on the upper reaches of the Neman River
for the time period between the 13th and 14th centuries. The phrase of "coloured" Ruś first appeared in Western European sources circa 1360, but referring to Red Ruthenia
(in modern Ukraine
). Early Russian sources do not use the term "Black Ruś". The name "Black Ruthenia" appears primarily in historical writings from the 18th century.
Besides Navahrudak, other important cities of the Black Ruthenian region included Hrodna
(Grodno), Slonim
, Volkovysk (Vaŭkavysk), Lida
, and Niasvizh.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
on the upper reaches of the Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
for the time period between the 13th and 14th centuries. The phrase of "coloured" Ruś first appeared in Western European sources circa 1360, but referring to Red Ruthenia
Red Ruthenia
Red Ruthenia is the name used since medieval times to refer to the area known as Eastern Galicia prior to World War I; first mentioned in Polish historic chronicles in the 1321, as Ruthenia Rubra or Ruthenian Voivodeship .Ethnographers explain that the term was applied from the...
(in modern Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
). Early Russian sources do not use the term "Black Ruś". The name "Black Ruthenia" appears primarily in historical writings from the 18th century.
Besides Navahrudak, other important cities of the Black Ruthenian region included Hrodna
Hrodna
Grodno or Hrodna , is a city in Belarus. It is located on the Neman River , close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania . It has 327,540 inhabitants...
(Grodno), Slonim
Slonim
Slonim is a city in Hrodna Voblast, Belarus, capital of the Slonim District. It is located at the junction of the Shchara and Isa rivers, 143 km southeast of Hrodna. The population in 2008 was 50,800.-Etymology and historical names:...
, Volkovysk (Vaŭkavysk), Lida
Lida
Lida is a city in western Belarus in Hrodna Voblast, situated 160 km west of Minsk. It is the fourteenth largest city in Belarus.- Etymology :...
, and Niasvizh.
See also
- Carpathian RutheniaCarpathian RutheniaCarpathian Ruthenia is a region in Eastern Europe, mostly located in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast , with smaller parts in easternmost Slovakia , Poland's Lemkovyna and Romanian Maramureş.It is...
- Nowogródek Voivodeship
- Red RutheniaRed RutheniaRed Ruthenia is the name used since medieval times to refer to the area known as Eastern Galicia prior to World War I; first mentioned in Polish historic chronicles in the 1321, as Ruthenia Rubra or Ruthenian Voivodeship .Ethnographers explain that the term was applied from the...
- RutheniaRutheniaRuthenia is the Latin word used onwards from the 13th century, describing lands of the Ancient Rus in European manuscripts. Its geographic and culturo-ethnic name at that time was applied to the parts of Eastern Europe. Essentially, the word is a false Latin rendering of the ancient place name Rus...
- White Ruthenia