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'Duchy of Polatsk' or 'Principality of Polatsk' (; ) was a medieval principality of the Early East Slavs, one of the constituent principalities within the Kievan Rus. It was established around the ancient town of Polatsk by the tribal union of Krivichs, and existed from the 9th to the 13th centuries. At the time of its greatest extent the principality stretched over large parts of today's northern and central Belarus and a smaller part of today's southeastern Latvia, including (besides Polatsk itself) the following towns: Vitsebsk, Druck, Minsk, Izjaslaŭ (now Zasłaŭje), Łahojsk, Barysaŭ, Brachyslau (now Brasłaŭ), Kukeinos (now Koknese) and others.

Contents

History

Origins

Striving for independence

Decline

Rulers of the Principality of Polatsk

References

History

Origins

There is no exact date on record when the principality was formed, it was likely an evolutionary process. In 862 Polatsk was first mentioned in the Primary Chronicle as a town within the realm of the Novgorod Rus, alongside with Murom and Beloozero. Initially the Principality of Polatsk was governed by a local dynasty, and not by an appointed governor from Kiev. Local statehood was a result of local political evolution in the Early East Slavs' tribal union of Krivichi.
The second time Polotsk was mentioned a full century later, in 980, when its ruler was a Varangian warlord, Ragnvald or Rahvalod (Russian: Rogvolod). The chronicle reports that he arrived to Polotsk "from overseas", a routine phrase to designate Varangians. Rahvalod was an active player in the power struggle in Rus: in the late 10th century Polatsk's estimated population reached 6,000 which allowed significant manpower for an army.
In 972, after the prince of Kiev, Sviatoslav I died, there 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 Polatsk. In order to achieve this, Vladimir proposed to Rahnieda (Russian: Rogneda), Rahvalod's teenage daughter. She declined, and this made Polatsk an ally of Yaropolk. Vladimir waged war against Polatsk. According to colorful legends recorded in the Primary Chronicle, he took the city, raped Rahneda in front of her parents, then killed her entire family and burnt down the city. Rahneda 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 Rahneda. After that, she entered the convent and took the name Anastasia. Her son Izyaslau and herself were exiled back to the lands of Polatsk - first to Izyaslaul, and later to Polatsk. Thus the principality was restored but with the most senior branch of the Rurik dynasty on the local throne. Since this time, however, the lands of the principality became Christian (Eastern Orthodox).

Striving for independence

In 1001 Izyaslav was succeeded by his son, Bryachislav of Polotsk. Under his rule, Polatsk attempted to distance itself from Kiev. Tensions were exacerbated by the fact that, under the East Slavic house law, since Izyaslav predeceased his father and never reigned in Kiev, his descendants from the House of Polatsk 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 (such as Vitebsk).
For two following centuries, the Principality of Polatsk was controlled by descendants of Izyaslau. All other lands of Kievan Rus were under control of princes who were descendants of Yaroslav the Wise.
The golden age of medieval Polatsk is associated with the rule of Bryachislav's son, Vseslav (1044-1101). He profited from the civil wars in Kiev in order to assert Polatsk's independence and run its affairs separately. During this time the principality became a centre of trade serving as a transit location between other lands of Kievan Rus and of Scandinavia. It also asserted its independent status balancing between Kiev, Novgorod and Varangians. Contemporary Norse sagas described the town as the most heavily fortified in all of Rus. Izyaslav's descendants most of the time ruled Principality of Polatsk independently of Kiev, only formally recognizing the power of the Rurikides. Since late 10th century, Polatsk was also successful in colonizing the lands of its western neighbours, the ancestors of today’s Latvians and Lithuanians. In early 13th century, Teutonic knights seized the power over the former from the hands of Polatsk, 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 skillful warriors, Lithuanians were initially serving Polatsk as auxiliary troops in its wars with the Teutonic knights and other Ruthenian principalities; but from 1183 they refused the obedience to the metropoly and established their own state.
Polatsk's Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Polatsk (built by Vseslav between 1044 and 1066) was a symbol of the independent-mindedness of Polatsk, rivaling 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).

Decline

After Vseslav's death the principality was carved up between his sons. The mighty principality of Polotsk was splintered between various smaller fiefs - Principality of Minsk, Prinicipality of Vitebsk, Principality of Druck. Local princes waged wars against each other trying to assert control of Polatsk. At last the rulers of Vitebsk emerged as winners. For short periods of time, the neighbouring Principality of Smolensk also claimed control over some lands of the principality.
Starting from the mid-12th century there have been changes in the lands to the north and west of the principality. In the north, the fortress of Riga was established by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. The German crusaders conquered areas of Latgale in the southeast of today's Latvia, which previously was under control of Polatsk. They also blocked lucrative trade between Polatsk and Scandinavia. In the west, pagan Baltic tribes began consolidating and attacking lands of the principality.
The Principality of Polatsk escaped the Mongol invasion of Rus in 1237-1239. However,
in 1240 Polatsk became a vassal of Lithuanian princes. It officially became part of the Great Duchy of Lithuania in 1307, though it retained some degree of local autonomy until the 1390s. Then the principality was abolished and became part of Polock Voivodship.

Rulers of the Principality of Polatsk

★ Rahvalod (? - 980)

★ Vladimir I of Kiev (980 - ?)

★ Izialau - (? - 1001)

★ Braczyslaŭ of Polacak (1001 - 1044)

★ Usiaslaŭ of Polacak (1044 - 1101)

★ Barys of Polacak (1101 - 1106)

★ Davyd of Polacak (1106 - 1127)

★ Barys of Polacak (1127 - 1128)

★ Sviatapolk of Kiev (1128 - 1132)

★ Vasil of Polacak (1132 - 1144)

★ Rahvalod Barysavič (1144 - 1151)

★ Rascislaŭ of Miensk (1151 - 1159)

★ Rahvalod Barysavič (1159 - 1162)

★ Usiaslaŭ Vasilkavič (1162 - 1167)

★ Valadar of Miensk (1167 - ?)

★ Mingayl (? – 1192)

★ Ginvil (1192 – 1199)

★ Borys II Połocki (1199 – 12??)

★ Hleb Połocki (12?? - 12??)

★ Iziaslaŭ of Polacak (12?? – 1281)

★ Daumantas (1281 – 1285)

★ Wojn (Vainius) (1315 – 13??)

★ Narymunt (Narimantas) (13?? - 13??)

★ Lubart (Liubartas) (13?? – 1342)

★ Andrzej (Andrius) (1342 – 1387)

★ Skiryhajla (Skirgaila) (1387 - 1397)

References