Volhynians

The Volhynians (Polish: Wołynianie, [Волиняни, Volyniany] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help)) were an East Slavic tribe of the Early Middle Ages. They are mentioned in the Primary Chronicle and lived in the region of Volhynia that covered present-day sections of eastern Poland, western Ukraine and southern Belarus. They are one of the groups which went on to form the modern Ukrainian ethnicity. Some historians believe that the Volhynians and the Buzhans are descendants of the Dulebes. A few historians claim the name comes from Celtic tribes known as Bolihii before the arrival of Slavic tribes in the 6th century.

Their main cities were Volyn’ and Volodymyr (Volodymyr-Volynsky). According to archeological studies, the Volhynians had well-developed agriculture and various handicrafts such as blacksmithing, casting, and pottery. In 981 prince Vladimir the Great subjugated the Volhynians under Kievan Rus. At the end of 10th century, the principality of Volodymyr-Volynsky gained dominion over the lands of Volhynians, and later Roman the Great conquered Halych to create the principality of Halych-Volhynia.

Note the term Volhynian was used to name the Poles or Volen, Polen or Polan, but the Poles named them Wolyn or Wolhynske in their language. The name was also used for local groups of non-Slavic peoples that lived in the historic region: Magyars as in Vaelan Hungarians, Vlachs or Volaches as in Volhynian Romanians, and Volhynian Germans as in Wolenes or Wellanes. In Yiddish, Ashkenazi Jews residing in the area were referred to as Voliners (וואָלינערס).

See also