Misplaced Pages

#622377

38-654: The town was established in 1078 as an outpost of the Principality of Polotsk on the road from Polotsk to Kiev and Chernigov . According to the Drutsk Gospel, the town was built around one of the oldest Christian churches in White Ruthenia erected in 1001. In the 12th century and 13th century it was a centre of the early medieval Principality of Drutsk , ruled by the dukes of the Polotsk branch of

76-604: A huge boulder installed near St. Sophia Cathedral. During the Mongol invasion , Polotsk avoided being invaded or paying tribute to the Golden Horde . But in 1240, it became a vassal of the Lithuanian princes. The Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytenis annexed the city by military force in 1307, completing the process which the Lithuanian princes had begun in the 1250s. Polotsk received a charter of autonomy guaranteeing that

114-550: Is no exact date on record when the principality was formed; it was likely an evolutionary process. In 862 Polotsk was first mentioned in the Primary Chronicle as a town within the realm of Novgorod Rus' , alongside Murom and Beloozero . Initially, the Principality of Polotsk was governed by a local dynasty, and not by an appointed governor from Kiev. Local statehood was a result of local political evolution in

152-479: Is now Belarusian territory, with a lesser role played by the Principality of Turov to the south. It repeatedly asserted its sovereignty in relation to other centers of Kievan Rus' , becoming a political capital, the episcopal see and the controller of vassal territories among Balts in the west. Its most powerful ruler was Prince Vseslav of Polotsk , who reigned from 1044 to 1101. A 12th-century inscription commissioned by Vseslav's son Boris may still be seen on

190-472: The Battle on the river Nemiga and temporary imprisonment, Vseslav died, and the principality was divided between his surviving sons. Polotsk was splintered between various smaller fiefs – the Principality of Minsk , Principality of Vitebsk , Principality of Druck , Principality of Jersika , and Principality of Koknese . Local princes waged wars against each other trying to assert control over Polotsk. At last

228-569: The Duchy of Polotsk or Polotskian Rus' , was a medieval principality. The origin and date of the establishment of the state are uncertain. Chronicles of Kievan Rus' mention Polotsk being conquered by Vladimir the Great , and thereafter it became associated with Kievan Rus' and its ruling Rurik dynasty . The principality was supposedly established around the town of Polotsk (now in Belarus ) by

266-540: The Early East Slavs ' tribal union of Krivichs . The second time Polotsk was mentioned was a full century later, in 980 when its ruler was a Varangian warlord, Ragnvald or Rogvolod. The chronicle reports that he arrived at Polotsk "from overseas", a routine phrase to designate Varangians. Rogvolod was an active player in the power struggle in Rus'. In 972, after the prince of Kiev , Sviatoslav I , died, there

304-479: The Grand Duchy of Lithuania . At the time of its greatest extent, the principality stretched over large parts of present-day northern and central Belarus and a smaller part of today's southeastern Latvia , including (besides Polotsk itself) the following towns: Vitebsk , Drutsk , Minsk , Izjaslaw (now Zaslawye ), Lahoysk , Barysaw , Brachyslaw (now Braslaw ), Kukenois (now Koknese ) and others. There

342-665: The Polish–Soviet War . and by Nazi Germany between 16 July 1941 and 4 July 1944 during World War II . In August 1944, there were serious considerations to transfer Polotsk and its surrounding areas (18,000 square kilometers) with ~400,000 people from the Byelorussian SSR to the Russian SFSR , however Joseph Stalin , persuaded by Panteleimon Ponomarenko , eventually rejected to approve the already prepared transferring documents and subsequently Polotsk functioned as

380-539: The Rurikid dynasty. Since the 13th century there is only limited information about the town available in the chronicles. In 1524 Drutsk has been burned down by Russians in a war and started to lose its political importance. Exact time and reasons of the town's decline are unknown. Historians estimate the period of decline to between the 15th and 17th centuries. Archaeological researches state that Drutsk has been an important military fortress for some period of time. Until

418-846: The Russian army of Ivan the Terrible in 1563, it was returned to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania just 15 years later. It was again captured by Russia on 17 June 1654, but recaptured by Poland–Lithuania on 30 October 1660 during the Russo-Polish War (1654–67) . In 1772, Russia seized Polotsk (then Połock) as part of the First Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . Since the Russian Empress Catherine II did not acknowledge

SECTION 10

#1732772161623

456-423: The prince of Kiev , Yaropolk , as a wife. But Yaropolk's brother, Vladimir , had attacked Polotsk before Yaropolk came. He killed Rogvolod, his wife and sons, and married Rogneda. Vladimir and Rogneda had five children and the eldest of them, Izyaslav , became Prince of Polotsk (ruled 989–1001). Between the 10th and 12th centuries, the Principality of Polotsk emerged as the dominant center of power in what

494-589: The 1390s. Then the principality was abolished and became part of the Połock Voivodeship . 55°30′N 28°50′E  /  55.500°N 28.833°E  / 55.500; 28.833 Polotsk Polotsk ( Russian : Полоцк ) or Polatsk ( Belarusian : Полацк , romanized :  Polack ) is a town in Vitebsk Region , Belarus . It is situated on the Dvina River and serves as

532-636: The Academy's library of 40,000–60,000 volumes, the richest collection of 16th- to 18th-century books — the books went to St. Petersburg, Kiev and other cities, 4000 volumes (along with books from other closed Jesuit schools) going to the St. Petersburg State University Scientific Library. Polotsk came under occupation by the German Empire between 25 February 1918 and 21 November 1918 during World War I , by Poland between 22 September 1919 and 14 May 1920 in

570-753: The Drucki-Lubecki and Druckoy-Sokolinski noble families and the name-sake for their coat of arms, the Druck Coat of Arms . The most famous member of those families is Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki . 54°20′N 29°46′E  /  54.333°N 29.767°E  / 54.333; 29.767 This Belarus location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Principality of Polotsk The Principality of Polotsk (obsolete spelling: Polock ; Belarusian : По́лацкае кня́ства , romanized :  Polackaje kniastva ; Latin : Polocensis Ducatus ), also known as

608-740: The East Slavic house law, since Izyaslav predeceased his father and never reigned in Kiev, his descendants from the House of Polotsk forfeited their dynastic rights to the Kievan throne. In 1020 Bryachislav sacked Novgorod but then lost it to his uncle, Yaroslav the Wise , and had to give up some of his other possessions. For two following centuries, the Principality of Polotsk was controlled by descendants of Izyaslav. All other lands of Kievan Rus' were under

646-463: The Lithuanians" in 1198 while Luki is situated on the east of Polotsk. The Principality of Polotsk escaped the Mongol invasion of Rus' in 1237–1239. However, pagan Lithuanians began consolidating lands of the principality, and in 1240 Polotsk became a vassal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . It officially became part of Lithuania in 1307, though it retained some degree of local autonomy until

684-840: The Papal suppression of the Society of Jesus (1773–1814), the Jesuit branches in these lands were not disbanded, and Połock became the European centre of the Order , with a novitiate opening in 1780, and with the arrival of distinguished Jesuits from other parts of Europe who brought with them valuable books and scientific collections. Jesuits continued their pastoral work and upgraded the Jesuit College in Polotsk (opened in 1580 by decree of

722-583: The Polish king Stefan Batory , with the Jesuit Piotr Skarga (1536–1612) as its first rector) into the Połock Academy (1812–1820), with three faculties (Theology, Languages and Liberal Arts), four libraries, a printing house, a bookshop, a theatre with 3 stages, a science museum, an art gallery and a scientific and literary periodical, and a medical-care centre. The school was also the patron of

760-676: The Teutonic knights and other East Slavic principalities; but from 1183 they refused obedience to the metropoly and established their state. The Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Polotsk – built by Vseslav between 1044 and 1066 – was a symbol of the independent-mindedness of Polotsk, rivalling churches of the same name in Novgorod and Kiev and referring to the original Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (and thus to claims of imperial prestige, authority, and sovereignty). After his defeat at

798-576: The Varangians. Contemporary Norse sagas described the town as the most heavily fortified in all of Kievan Rus'. Most of the time, descendants of Izyaslav ruled the Principality of Polotsk independently of the Grand Prince of the Rus', only formally recognizing the power of the Rurikides. After the late 10th century, Polotsk was also successful in colonizing the lands of its western neighbours,

SECTION 20

#1732772161623

836-566: The administrative center of Polotsk District . Polotsk is served by Polotsk Airport and Borovitsy air base. As of 2024, it has a population of 79,579. The Old East Slavic name, Polotesk , derives from the Polota river, which flows into the neighboring Western Dvina . The Vikings rendered that name as Palteskja . Polotsk is one of the earliest mentioned cities of the Eastern Slavs . The Primary Chronicle mentioned Polotsk in

874-448: The ancestors of today's Latvians and Lithuanians. In the early 13th century, Teutonic knights seized power over the former from the hands of Polotsk, but the historical ties with the latter proved much stronger and lasted for 700 more years, although the leading role in this “marriage” soon shifted to the other side. The last pagans of Europe, brave and skilful warriors, Lithuanians initially served Polotsk as auxiliary troops in its wars with

912-571: The center of Polotsk Region between 20 September 1944 and 8 January 1954. A reorganisation of the area between Vitebsk and Molodechno Regions left Polotsk part of the former. The city's Saint Sophia Cathedral (1044–1066) was a symbol of the independent-mindedness of Polotsk, rivaling churches of the same name in Novgorod and Kyiv . The name referred to the original Hagia Sophia in Constantinople , and thus claims imperial prestige, authority and sovereignty. The cathedral had been ruined by

950-452: The city, raped Rogneda in front of her parents, then killed her entire family and burnt down the city. Rogneda was taken to Kiev to be Vladimir's wife. Thus the local dynasty was exterminated. After Vladimir converted to Christianity in 988 and took Anna Porphyrogeneta as his wife, he had to divorce all his previous wives, including Rogneda. She entered the convent and took the name, Anastasia, then she and her son Izyaslav were exiled back to

988-988: The college in Petersburg, the mission to Saratov and an expedition to Canton. During the French invasion of Russia the district saw two battles, the First Battle of Polotsk (August 1812) and the Second Battle of Polotsk (October 1812). In 1820, pressure from the Russian Orthodox Church influenced the Russian Emperor Alexander I to exile the Jesuits and to close the Polock Academy, there were 700 students studying there. The Russian authorities also broke up

1026-517: The control of princes who were descendants of Yaroslav the Wise . The golden age of medieval Polotsk is associated with the rule of Bryachislav's son, Vseslav (1044–1101). He profited from the civil wars in Kiev in order to assert his independence and run the affairs of the principality separately. During this time Polotsk became a centre of trade serving as a transit location between other lands of Kievan Rus' and Scandinavia . It also asserted its independent status balancing between Kiev, Novgorod, and

1064-568: The grand dukes "will not introduce new, nor destroy the old". It was the earliest to be so incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . By doing so, the Lithuanians managed to firmly grasp the Dvina trade route in their hands, securing an important element for the surrounding economies. Magdeburg law was adopted in 1498. Polotsk functioned as a capital of the Połock Voivodship of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1772. Captured by

1102-454: The lands of Polotsk. Thus the principality was restored but with the most senior branch of the Rurik dynasty on the local throne. Since this time, the lands of the principality became Christian ( Eastern Orthodox ). In 1001 Izyaslav was succeeded by his son, Bryachislav of Polotsk . Under his rule, Polotsk attempted to distance itself from Kiev. Tensions were exacerbated by the fact that, under

1140-458: The mid 17th century it had a castle. Both the castle and the town have been destroyed and rebuilt for several times. According to the German ambassador of the 17th century Johann Georg Korb , in the 16th century Drutsk was a large city that had about two hundred churches but that was then entirely destroyed in a war. Therefore, Korb compared the city with Troy . The town is also the name-sake of

1178-557: The rulers of Vitebsk emerged victorious. For short periods, the neighbouring Principality of Smolensk also claimed control over some lands of the principality. Beginning in the mid-12th century there were changes in the lands to the west of the Principality. The fortress of Riga became the main military basis of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword . In 1209 German crusaders conquered the principalities of Jersika and Koknese in

Drutsk - Misplaced Pages Continue

1216-514: The southeast of today's Latvia, which had previously been under the control of Polotsk, forcing Polotsk to permit free travel to German merchants in 1212 and ending Livonian tributes. In 1227 Smolensk ceded Polotsk by treaty to the city of Riga. Annals affirming the alliance and united military campaigns policy of Polotsk and Lithuania. For example, The Chronicle of Novgorod informs about "Izyaslav had been set to be Knyaz in Luki and covered Novgorod from

1254-476: The tribal union of Krivichs . In the second half of the 10th century, Polotsk was governed by its own dynasty; its first ruler mentioned in the chronicles was the semi-legendary Rogvolod (?–978), better known as the father of Rogneda . The principality was heavily involved in several succession crises of the 11th–12th centuries and a war with the Novgorod Land . By the 13th century, it was integrated into

1292-472: The troops of Peter I of Russia . Hence the present baroque building by Johann Christoph Glaubitz dates from the mid-18th century. Some genuine 12th-century architecture (notably Transfiguration Church ) survives in the Convent of Saint Euphrosyne, which also features a neo-Byzantine cathedral , designed and built in 1893—1899 by Vladimir Korshikov . Cultural achievements of the medieval period include

1330-432: The work of the nun Euphrosyne of Polotsk (1120–1173), who built monasteries, transcribed books, promoted literacy and sponsored art (including local artisan Lazarus Bohsha's famous " Cross of Saint Euphrosyne ," a national symbol and treasure lost during World War II ), and the prolific, original Church Slavonic sermons and writings of Bishop Cyril of Turaw (1130–1182). The first Belarusian printer, Francysk Skaryna ,

1368-534: The year 862 (as Полотескъ, /poloteskŭ/), together with Murom and Belozersk . However, an archaeological expedition from the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus suggests that Polotsk existed in the first half of the 9th century. The first known prince of Polotsk was Rogvolod (ruled 945–978). He had two sons and a daughter named Rogneda . Rogvolod promised Rogneda to

1406-477: Was a power struggle between his two sons: prince of Novgorod Vladimir and prince of Kiev Yaropolk . Both had hoped for political and military support from Polotsk. To achieve this, Vladimir proposed to Rogneda , Rogvolod's daughter. She declined, thus making Polotsk an ally of Yaropolk. Vladimir then waged war against Polotsk. According to colourful legends recorded in the Primary Chronicle, he took

1444-525: Was born in Polotsk around 1490. He is famous for being the first to print the Bible in the Old Belarusian language (East Slavic language) in 1517, several decades after the first-ever printed book by Johann Gutenberg and just several years after the first Czech Bible (1506). In September 2003, as " Days of Belarusian Literacy " were celebrated for the 10th time in Polotsk, city authorities dedicated

#622377