List of rulers of Belarus
Encyclopedia
History of Belarus
ian states can be traced far to Principality of Polotsk. From 13th century lands of modern Belarus were a major part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
which later became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
. In 19th century Belarus together with Lithuania
formed the Northwestern Krai
of Russian Empire
. At the beginning of the 20th century there was a short-lived Belarusian National Republic
, and in 1922 Belarus became part of the USSR as Belarusian SSR. In 1991, Belarus regained its independence.
id dynasty
Palemonid dynasty
Gediminid
dynasty
Grand Dukes of Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Title: Grand Duke
("Вялікі князь" in Belarusian
, "Wielki książę" in Polish
, "Kunigaikštis" or "Didysis Kunigaikštis" in Lithuanian
)
Elected kings of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
General-Governors of Northwestern Krai
to 1925, then in Prague
, presently in Canada)
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 ,...
ian states can be traced far to Principality of Polotsk. From 13th century lands of modern Belarus were a major part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
which later became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
. In 19th century Belarus together with Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
formed the Northwestern Krai
Northwestern Krai
Northwestern Krai was a subdivision of Imperial Russia in the territories of the present day Belarus and Lithuania. Together with the Southwestern Krai it formed the Western Krai...
of Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. At the beginning of the 20th century there was a short-lived Belarusian National Republic
Belarusian National Republic
The Belarusian People's Republic was a self-declared independent Belarusian state, which declared independence in 1918. It is also called the Belarusian Democratic Republic or the Belarusian National Republic, in order to distinguish it from Communist People's Republics...
, and in 1922 Belarus became part of the USSR as Belarusian SSR. In 1991, Belarus regained its independence.
Dukes of Principality of Polotsk
RurikRurik
Rurik, or Riurik , was a semilegendary 9th-century Varangian who founded the Rurik dynasty which ruled Kievan Rus and later some of its successor states, most notably the Tsardom of Russia, until 1598....
id dynasty
- Rahvalod of Polotsk (? - 980)
- Uladzimir I of KieyVladimir I of KievVladimir Sviatoslavich the Great Old East Slavic: Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь Old Norse as Valdamarr Sveinaldsson, , Vladimir, , Volodymyr, was a grand prince of Kiev, ruler of Kievan Rus' in .Vladimir's father was the prince Sviatoslav of the Rurik dynasty...
(980 - 1015) - Brastislav of Polotsk (1001–1044)
- Vseslav of PolotskVseslav of PolotskVseslav of Polotsk , also known as Vseslav the Sorcerer or Vseslav the Seer, was the most famous ruler of Polotsk and was briefly Grand Prince of Kiev in 1068–1069. Together with Rostislav Vladimirovich and voivode Vyshata made up a coalition against the Yaroslaviches triumvirate...
(1044–1101) - Barys I of Polotsk (1101–1106)
- David of Polotsk (1106–1127)
- Boris I of Polotsk (1127–1128)
- Sviatopolk of Kiev (1128–1132)
- Vasil of Polotsk (1132–1144)
- Rogneda Borisovich (1144–1151)
- Rostislav of Minsk (1151–1159)
- Rogneda Borisovich (1159–1162)
- Vseslav Vasilkovich (1162–1167)
- Volodar of Minsk (1167 - ?)
Palemonid dynasty
- Mingayl (Mingaila) (? – 1192)
- Ginwill (1192–1199)
- Boris II of Polotsk (1199 – 12??)
- Gleb of Polotsk (12?? - 12??)
- Iziaslav of Polotsk (12?? – 1281)
- Daumantas (1281–1285)
Gediminid
Gediminids
The Gediminids were a dynasty of monarchs of Grand Duchy of Lithuania that reigned from the 14th to the 16th century. One branch of this dynasty, known as the Jagiellons, reigned also in Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Hungary and Kingdom of Bohemia...
dynasty
- VainiusVainiusVainius or Voin was the Prince of Polotsk from 1315 to his death. Very little is known about Vainius, brother of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania. He is mentioned in written sources in 1324 for the first time. In 1326 he, already as Prince of Polotsk, signed a treaty with the Livonian Order and...
(1315 – 13??) - Narimont (13?? - 13??)
- LubartLubartLiubartas was the ruler of Galicia–Volhynia, in present-day Ukraine. He was the youngest son of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania. Ca. 1320 or ca. 1323 he married a daughter of Andrew of Galicia and ruled Lutsk in eastern Volhynia. After Andrew and his brother Lev II died ca...
(13?? – 1342) - Wigund (Andrius; son of Olgierd) (1342–1387)
- SkirgailaSkirgailaSkirgaila , also known as Ivan; ca. 1353 or 1354 – 11 January 1397 in Kiev; baptized 1383/1384 as Casimir) was a regent of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania for his brother Jogaila from 1386 to 1392. He was son of Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and his second wife Uliana of Tver.-Biography:After...
(1387–1397)
Grand Dukes of Grand Duchy of LithuaniaGrand Duchy of LithuaniaThe Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
Title: Grand DukeGrand Duke
The title grand duke is used in Western Europe and particularly in Germanic countries for provincial sovereigns. Grand duke is of a protocolary rank below a king but higher than a sovereign duke. Grand duke is also the usual and established translation of grand prince in languages which do not...
("Вялікі князь" in Belarusian
Belarusian language
The Belarusian language , sometimes referred to as White Russian or White Ruthenian, is the language of the Belarusian people...
, "Wielki książę" in Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, "Kunigaikštis" or "Didysis Kunigaikštis" in Lithuanian
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...
)
- MindaugasMindaugasMindaugas was the first known Grand Duke of Lithuania and the only King of Lithuania. Little is known of his origins, early life, or rise to power; he is mentioned in a 1219 treaty as an elder duke, and in 1236 as the leader of all the Lithuanians...
1236 - 1263 - TreniotaTreniotaTreniota was the Grand Duke of Lithuania .Treniota was the nephew of Mindaugas, the first and only king of Lithuania. While Mindaugas had converted to Christianity in order to discourage Livonian Order and Teutonic Knights attacks on Lithuania, becoming king in the process, Treniota remained a...
1263–1264 - Vojšalk (Vojszalak, Vaišelga, Vaishyalga, Vaišalgas, Woyszwiłk) 1264 - 1267
- SvarnSvarnShvarn or Shvarno was the knyaz of western parts of Galicia. An influential leader, he became involved in internal struggles of power within neighboring Grand Duchy of Lithuania and briefly was the Grand Duke...
(Shvarno, Švarnas, Ioann) 1267–1269 - Trajdzien 1269–1282
- Daŭmont of Lithuania (Dowmont) 1281–1285
- Budzikid 1285 – ca. 1291
- Putuver (Pukuwer) ca. 1291 – ca. 1295
- Vyten' 1295–1316
- Hedymin (Giedymin) 1316–1341
- Jaŭnut (Jewnut, Jawnut) 1341–1345
- Alherd (Olgierd) 1345–1377
- Jahaila (Władysław II Jagiełło) 1377–1381, 1382–1392, also crowned as the Polish King
- Kiejstut (Kejstut) 1381–1382
- Vitaūt the Great (Witold, Vitawt) 1392–1430
- Śvidryhajla (Swidrygiello) 1430–1432
- Sigismund KęstutaitisSigismund KestutaitisSigismund Kęstutaitis was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1432 to 1440. Sigismund was his baptismal name; Sigismund's pagan Lithuanian birth name is unknown. He was son of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Kęstutis and his wife Birutė....
(Žyhimont I Kejstutavicz, Sigismund Kestutian, Žygimantas I Kęstutaitis, Zygimont Kejstutavicz) September 1, 1432–1440 - Casimir IV JagiellonCasimir IV JagiellonCasimir IV KG of the House of Jagiellon was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440, and King of Poland from 1447, until his death.Casimir was the second son of King Władysław II Jagiełło , and the younger brother of Władysław III of Varna....
(Kazimierz IV Jagiellończyk, Kazimieras I Jogailaitis) 1440–1492 also crowned as the Polish King - Alexander (Alaksandr, Aleksander Jagiellończyk, Aleksandras I) 1492–1506 also crowned as the Polish King
- Sigismund I the OldSigismund I the OldSigismund I of Poland , of the Jagiellon dynasty, reigned as King of Poland and also as the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until 1548...
(Žyhimont II Stary, Zygmunt I Stary, Žygimantas II Senasis) 1505–1548 also crowned as the Polish King - Sigismund II AugustusSigismund II AugustusSigismund II Augustus I was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the only son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548...
(Žyhimont III Aŭhust, Zygmunt II August, Žygimantas III Augustas) 1545–1572 also crowned as the Polish King
Elected kings of Polish-Lithuanian CommonwealthPolish-Lithuanian CommonwealthThe Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
- Henri ValoisHenry III of FranceHenry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
(1572–1573) - Stefan BatoryStefan BatoryStephen Báthory was a Hungarian noble Prince of Transylvania , then King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania . He was a member of the Somlyó branch of the noble Hungarian Báthory family...
(1576–1586) - Sigismund III VasaSigismund III VasaSigismund III Vasa was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, a monarch of the united Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1587 to 1632, and King of Sweden from 1592 until he was deposed in 1599...
(1587–1632) - Ladislaus IV of Poland (1632–1648)
- John II of Poland (1648–1668)
- Michael Korybut Wisniowiecki (1672–1673)
- John III of Poland (1675–1696)
- August II of Poland (1697–1704)
- Stanisław Leszczyński (1704–1709)
- August II of Poland (1704–1733)
- Stanisław Leszczyński (1733)
- August III of Poland (1733–1763)
- Stanisław August Poniatowski (1764–1795)
General-Governors of Northwestern KraiNorthwestern KraiNorthwestern Krai was a subdivision of Imperial Russia in the territories of the present day Belarus and Lithuania. Together with the Southwestern Krai it formed the Western Krai...
of the Russian EmpireRussian EmpireThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
Chairman of the Provisional Revolutionary Workers-and-Peasants' Soviet Government
- Zmicier ZhylunovichZmicier ZhylunovichZmicier Zhylunovich was Belarusian poet, writer and journalist known under pen name Tsishka Hartny , and a political leader...
(1 January - 4 February 1919)
Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee
- Aleksandr Fyodorovich Myasnikov (4–27 February 1919)
- Pyotr Antonavich Krechewski (13 December 1919 - November 1920) (Chairman of Government)
- Jan Mikitavich SyeradaJan SieradaJan Sierada was a Belarusian statesman, pedagogist and writer, the first president of the Belarusian Democratic Republic.Sierada was born in the village Zadźwiej ....
(December 1919 - July 1920) (Rival Government)
Presidents
(In VilniusVilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
to 1925, then in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, presently in Canada)
- Pyotr Antonavich KrechewskiPyotra KrecheuskiPiotra Krecheuski was a Belarusian statesman.Before the First World War he worked as a teacher in Jałówka near Białystok. He was delegate at the First All-Belarusian Congress in 1917 and member of the Council of the Belarusian Democratic Republic...
(November 1920 - 8 March 1928) - Vasil Ivanavich Zakharka (8 March 1928 - 6 March 1943)
- Mikalay Syamyonavich AbramchykMikola AbramchykMikola Syamyonavich Abramchyk , was a Belarusian journalist and emigre politician of Jewish and Armenian descent and president of the Belarusian People's Republic in exile during 1943–1970.He attended school in Radoszkowicze...
(6 March 1943 - 29 May 1970) - Vikentsiy Zhuk-Hryshkyevich (May 1970 - November 1982)
- Jazep Sazhych (November 1982–1997)
- Barys RahulaBarys RahulaDr. Barys Rahula was a Belarusian military commander and politician and Canadian doctor.Barys Rahula was born near Nowogródek and spent his young years in Poland-occupied West Belarus. In 1938 he became student at the University of Vilnius but was mobilized into the Polish army after the German...
(1997) (acting) - Ivonka J. Symaniec-SurvillaIvonka SurvillaIvonka Survilla or Surviła is the current President of the Belarusian National Republic , the Belarusian government in exile.After emigration through East Prussia, she lived in Denmark, France and Spain before moving to Canada in 1969....
(1997–present)
First secretaries of the Byelorussian Communist Party
- Vilgelm Gregoryevich Knorinsh (9 August 1920–1923) (1st time)
- Aleksandr Nikolayevich Osatkin-Vladimirsky (1923–1924)
- Aleksandr Ivanovich Krinitsky (13 May 1924 - 22 December 1925)
- Nikolay Matveyevich Goloded (22 December 1925 - 7 May 1927)
- Vilgelm Gregoryevich Knorinsh (7 May 1927 - 4 December 1928) (2nd time)
- Yan Borisovich Gamarnik (4 December 1928 - 3 January 1930)
- Konstantin Venyaminovich Gey (3 January 1930 - 18 January 1932)
- Nikolay Fyodorovich Gikalo (18 January 1932 - 18 March 1937)
- Vasily Fomich Sharangovich (18 March - 17 July 1937)
- Yakov Arkadyevich Yakovlev (27 July - 8 August 1937 (acting)
- Aleksei Alekseyevich VolkovAleksei Alekseyevich VolkovAleksei Alekseyevich Volkov was a first secretary of the Byelorussian SSR during the Soviet Union....
(11 August 1937 - 18 June 1938) - Panteleimon Kondratyevich Ponomarenko (18 June 1938 - 7 March 1947) (in exile in Russian SFSR since June 1941 until 1944)
- Nikolay Ivanovich Gusarov (7 March 1947 - 31 May 1950)
- Nikolay Semyonovich Patolichev (31 May 1950 - 8 March 1953) (1st time)
- Ivan Frolovich KlimovIvan Frolovich KlimovIvan Frolovich Klimov was first Secretary of the Baranovichi Oblast Committee of the Communist Party from 1952 to 1953.-References:...
(1952–1953) (b. 1903 - d. 1991) - Mikhail Vasilyevich ZimyaninMikhail ZimyaninMikhail Vasilyevich Zimyanin , was a first secretary of the Byelorussian SSR during the Soviet Union, between 1946 and 1950.Zimyanin served as the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Pravda, the official publication of the Communist Party between 1965 and 1976. Afterwards, he was appointed to the...
(8 March - 25 June 1953) - Nikolay Semyonovich Patolichev (25 June 1953 - 28 July 1956) (2nd time)
- Kirill Trofimovich Mazurov (28 July 1956 -30 March 1965)
- Pyotr Mironovich Masherov (30 March 1965 - 4 September 1980)
- Tikhon Yakovlevich Kiselyov (15 October 1980 - 11 January 1983)
- Nikolay Nikitich SlyunkovNikolay SlyunkovNikolay Nikitich Slyunkov was a first secretary of the Byelorussian SSR during the Soviet Union....
(13 January 1983 - 6 February 1987) - Yefrem Yevseyevich Sokolov (6 February 1987 - 30 November 1990)
- Anatoly Aleksandrovich Malofeyev (30 November 1990 - August 1991)
Chairmen of the Supreme Soviet
- Nikolay Ivanovich Dementyey (28 July 1989 - 25 August 1991)
- Stanislav Stanislavovich Shushkyevich (25 August 1991 - 26 January 1994) (acting to 18 September 1991)
- Vyacheslav Nikolayevich KuznetsovVyacheslav Nikolayevich KuznetsovVyacheslav Nikolayevich Kuznetsov is a Belarussian politician and diplomat.During 1992-1995 he was First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus. In particular, during 26-28 January 1994 he was Acting Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, acting between the terms of Shushkevich and Hryb....
(26–28 January 1994) (acting) - Myechyslaw Ivanavich HrybMyechyslaw Ivanavich HrybMyechyslaw Ivanavich Hryb was the second Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus from January 28, 1994 to January 10, 1996. He succeeded Stanislav Shushkevich and was head of state to July 20, 1994, when Alexander Lukashenko replaced him in the new office called President of Belarus, and...
(28 January - 20 July 1994)
See also
- List of national leaders of Belarus
- President of BelarusPresident of BelarusThe office of President of Belarus is the head of state of Belarus. The office was created in 1994 with the passing of the Constitution of Belarus by the Supreme Soviet. This replaced the office of Chairman of the Supreme Soviet as the head of state...
- Prime Minister of Belarus