Great Russia

This article is about the term. For the political party, see Great Russia (political party). For other meanings of "Russia", see Russia (disambiguation).

Great Russia (Russian: Великороссия, Velikorossiya) is an obsolete name formerly applied to the territories of "Russia proper", the land that formed the core of Muscovy and, later, Russia. The name is said to have come from the Greek Μεγάλη Ῥωσσία (Megálē Rhōssía) used by Byzantines for the northern part of the lands of Rus'.

Later, Russian Tsars adopted the word - their official title included the wording (literal translation): "The Sovereign of all Rus': the Great, the Little, and the White".

Similarly, the terms Great Russian language (Великорусский язык, Velikorusskiy yazyk) and Great Russians (Великороссы, Velikorossy), have fallen out of use.

This original German map titled "Europäisches Russland" (European Russia) published in 1895-1990 by Meyers Konversationslexikon shows Gross-Russland (literally Great Russia) as the historical region of the Russian Empire. The territory of the Great Russia was practically the same as of the Tsardom of Russia in 16th century before the conquering of Kazan and Astrakhan Khanates and Siberia.

Related topics

• Etymology of Rus and derivatives: From Rus to Rossiya
• Little Russia
• White Russia
• Greater Poland