Uyezd
Encyclopedia
Uyezd or uezd was an administrative subdivision of Rus'
, Muscovy, Russian Empire
, and the early Russian SFSR which was in use from the 13th century. Uyezds for most of the history in Russia were a secondary-level of administrative division. After the Russia annexed Ukraine, the Zaporizhian Host, and the Crimean Khanate
that area gradually also was reformed and divided into uyezds; however, the local population called them povits
.
Originally describing groups of several volost
s, they formed around the most important cities. Uyezds were ruled by the appointees (namestniks) of knyaz
and, starting from the 17th century, by voyevodas.
In 1708, an administrative reform was carried out by Peter the Great
, dividing Russia into governorates
. The subdivision into uyezds was abolished at that time but was reinstated in 1727, as a result of Catherine I
's administrative reform.
By the Soviet
administrative reform of 1923–1929, most of the uyezds were transformed into raion
s (districts). In Ukraine, uyezds were reformed into forty okrug
s which between 1923 and 1932 were the primary-level of administrative division.
were called Ţinut or Judeţ
in Romanian
, which would translate as "county".
Rus' (people)
The Rus' were a group of Varangians . According to the Primary Chronicle of Rus, compiled in about 1113 AD, the Rus had relocated from the Baltic region , first to Northeastern Europe, creating an early polity which finally came under the leadership of Rurik...
, Muscovy, 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...
, and the early Russian SFSR which was in use from the 13th century. Uyezds for most of the history in Russia were a secondary-level of administrative division. After the Russia annexed Ukraine, the Zaporizhian Host, and the Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate, or Khanate of Crimea , was a state ruled by Crimean Tatars from 1441 to 1783. Its native name was . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
that area gradually also was reformed and divided into uyezds; however, the local population called them povits
Powiat
A powiat is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...
.
Originally describing groups of several volost
Volost
Volost was a traditional administrative subdivision in Eastern Europe.In earlier East Slavic history, volost was a name for the territory ruled by the knyaz, a principality; either as an absolute ruler or with varying degree of autonomy from the Velikiy Knyaz...
s, they formed around the most important cities. Uyezds were ruled by the appointees (namestniks) of knyaz
Knyaz
Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....
and, starting from the 17th century, by voyevodas.
In 1708, an administrative reform was carried out by Peter the Great
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
, dividing Russia into governorates
Guberniya
A guberniya was a major administrative subdivision of the Russian Empire usually translated as government, governorate, or province. Such administrative division was preserved for sometime upon the collapse of the empire in 1917. A guberniya was ruled by a governor , a word borrowed from Latin ,...
. The subdivision into uyezds was abolished at that time but was reinstated in 1727, as a result of Catherine I
Catherine I of Russia
Catherine I , the second wife of Peter the Great, reigned as Empress of Russia from 1725 until her death.-Life as a peasant woman:The life of Catherine I was said by Voltaire to be nearly as extraordinary as that of Peter the Great himself. There are no documents that confirm her origins. Born on...
's administrative reform.
By the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
administrative reform of 1923–1929, most of the uyezds were transformed into raion
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
s (districts). In Ukraine, uyezds were reformed into forty okrug
Okrug
Okrug is an administrative division of some Slavic states. The word "okrug" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "district", or "region"....
s which between 1923 and 1932 were the primary-level of administrative division.
Bessarabia
The uyezds of Bessarabia GovernorateBessarabia Governorate
Bessarabia was an oblast and later a guberniya in the Russian Empire. It was the eastern part of the Principality of Moldavia annexed by Russia by the Treaty of Bucharest following the Russo-Turkish War, 1806-1812...
were called Ţinut or Judeţ
Judet
A județ is an administrative division in Romania, and was also used for some time in Moldova, before that country switched to raions.Județ translates into English as jurisdiction, but is commonly mistranslated as county .The territory of Romania is divided for administrative purposes into 41...
in Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
, which would translate as "county".