Maps Population Regents
   

 












 

Örjan Martinsson

Regents of Belarus

The territory of Belarus was originally populated by three Slavic tribes, i.e. the Krivichs (in the north), the Dregovichs (in the southwest) and the Radimichs (in the southeast). All these tribes became parts of the principality of Kievan in an early stage. The tribal areas of the first two would however later become the principalities of Polotsk and Turov-Pinsk when the central power of Kievan Rus began to decline. The most important of these were Polotsk which was first created when a Viking chieftain called Ragnvald took control over the town and the surrounding area populated by the Krivichs in the 970s. Kievan Rus soon reconquered the area but the principality was recreated Kievan Rus was divided between different branches of the ruling Rurikid dynasty. The Rurikids who ruled Polotsk all descended from Ragnvald's daughter Rogneda (Ragnheida). The principality of Turov was created at the same time (renamed to Pinsk when it changed its capital 1228). These Belarusian principalities would later come under Lithuanian control and share its history until 1918 when a short-lived Belarusian republic was created. Belarus was 1920 divided between Poland and the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (from 1922 a part of the Soviet Union). The Polish part of Belarus was conquered by the Soviet Union in 1939 and when this was dissolved 1991 became Belarus once again an independent republic.

Principality of Polotsk

970s
c. 980-987
Rogvolod (Ragnvald)
Part of Kievan Rus
c.987-1001
1001-1044

House of Rurik

Izyaslav Vladimirovich
Brjacheslav Izyaslavich

1044-1067 Vseslav Bryachislavich = 1068-1069
1067-1068
1069
Occupied by Kiev
Mstislav Izyaslavich
1069-1071 Svyatopolk Izyaslavich = 1093-1113
1071-1101
1101-1127
1127-1128
1128-1129
1129-1132
1132
1132-1144
1144-1151
1151-1159
1159-1162
1162-1167
1167
1167-1186
1186-1215
1215-1222
1222-1232
c. 1232-1245
Vseslav Briacheslavich (restored)
Davyd Vseslavich
Rogvolod-Boris Vseslavich
Davyd Vseslavich (restored)
Izyaslav Mstislavich
Svyatopolk Mstislavich
Vasilkov Svyatoslavich
Rogvolod Borisovich
Rostislav Glebovich
Rogvolod Borisovich (restored)
Vseslav Vasilkovich
Volodar Glebovich
Vseslav Vasilkovich (restored)
Vladimir Volodarevich
Boris Vseslavich
Svyatoslav Mstislavich
Bryachislav Vasilkovich
c. 1245-1256
1252
1256-1262
1262-1263
1263-67
1267-?
1270/80-1290
1290-1307
1307-1316
1316-1342
1342-1378
1378-1381
1381-1387
1387-1397
1397-1399

Lithuanian Princes

Tovtivil
Edivid
Svintorog
Tovtivil (restored)
Gerden
Izyaslav of Vitebsk
Konstantin Tovtivilovich
Ruled by the Archbishop of Riga
Vainius (Voin)
Liubart Voinovich
Andrei Olgerdovich
Skirgaila Olgerdovich
Andrei Olgerdovich (restored
Skirgaila Olgerdovich (restored)
Andrei Olgerdovich (re-restored)


Belarus
 
1399-1563
1563-1579
1579-1772
1772-1918
1918-1919
1919- (1991)

1922-1991
1991-
Part of Lithuania
Occupied by Russia
Part of Poland-Lithuania
Part of Russia
Belarusian People’s Republic
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic

Part of the Soviet Union
Republic of Belarus

In 1994 Belarus elected Aleksandr Lukashenko as the country's first (and to this date the only) president. He has strived for a reunification of the East Slavic peoples and in 1999 he signed a treaty to create a far-reaching union with Russia. The numerous joint institutions stipulated by the treaty have however still not been realised and the enthusiasm for the project have since then receded on both sides of the border.

Principality of Turov

988-1010
1010-1045
1045- (1073)
1054-1078
1078-1087
1088-1093
1094-1104

Svyatopolk I
Direct rule from Kiev
Izyaslav I
Direct rule from Kiev
Yaropolk Izyaslavich
Svyatopolk Izyaslavich
Vyacheslav Yaropolkovich
= 1015-1019

= 1054-1073


= 1093-1113
 

1105-1125
1125-1132
1132
1132-1134
1134-1142
1142

Direct rule from Kiev
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich
Vsevolod Mstislavich
Izyaslav Vladimirovich
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich (restored)
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich = 1174-1194

1142-1146
1146-1150
1150-1151

Vyacheslav Vladimirovich (re-restored)
Yaroslav
Andrei I Bogulyubsky = 1157-1174

1151-1154
1154-1155
1155-1157
1157-1167
1167-1190
1190-1195
1195-1207
1207-1228
1228-1238
1238

Yaroslav (restored)
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich (restored)
Boris
Yuri Yaroslavich
Ivan Yuryevich
Gleb Yuryevich
Ivan Yuryevich (restored)
Rostislav Glebovich
Mstislav Fedor Glebovich
Turov unites with Pinsk


Principality of Pinsk
(under Turov to 1196, thereafter a grand principality)

 

1184-1190
1190-1228
1228-1241

Svyatopolk
Vladimir
Rostislav (prince of Turov 1207-1228)


1241-1320
1320-1793
1793-1918
1918-1920
1920-1939
1939-1991
1991-


Part of the Golden Horde (the Mongols)
Part of Lithuania
Part of Russia
Part of Belarus
Part of Poland
Part of the Soviet Union
Part of Belarus

= Vladimir-Suzdal   = Lithuania   = Kiev