Black Ruthenia

Black Ruthenia (Latin: Ruthenia Nigra), Black Rus' (Belarusian: Чорная Русь / Čornaja Ruś, Polish: Ruś Czarna, Lithuanian: Juodoji Rusia) identified a historic region around Navahrudak (Novgorodok), in the western part of contemporary Belarus on the upper reaches of the Neman River. Besides Navahrudak, other important cities of the Black Ruthenian region included Hrodna (Grodno), Slonim (Słonim), Volkovysk (Vaŭkavysk) and Niasvizh (Niasviž).

History

The convention of "coloured" Ruś regions first was used in Western European sources circa 1360 by Heinrich von Mügeln, referring to the Black and Red Ruthenia (placing them in modern Ukraine). Some researchers claim that this color naming convention was influenced by the Mongol invasion, who used them for the cardinal directions. During the Second Partition of Poland in 1793, the eastern part around Slutsk was annexed by the Russian Empire and incorporated into the Minsk Governorate. The western part followed in the Third Partition of 1795 and was administered within the Grodno Governorate. Early Russian sources do not use the term "Black Ruś", the name "Black Ruthenia" appears primarily in historical writings from the 18th century.

See also

• Ruthenia
• Red Ruthenia
• White Ruthenia
• Carpathian Ruthenia
• Rusyns