Principality of Polotsk
Principality of Polotsk | |||||||||
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| 862–1307 | |||||||||
Iziaslav's seal avers
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The Principality of Polotsk on the map of Europe | |||||||||
| Status |
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| Capital | Polotsk | ||||||||
| Common languages | Old East Slavic | ||||||||
| Religion | Eastern Orthodoxy Slavic paganism | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Prince of Polotsk | |||||||||
• ?-978 | Rogvolod | ||||||||
| Legislature | Veche | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 862 | ||||||||
• Annexation by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania | 1307 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
• Total | 100,000–120,000 km2 (39,000–46,000 sq mi) | ||||||||
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| Today part of | |||||||||
The Principality of Polotsk (obsolete spelling: Polock; Belarusian: По́лацкае кня́ства, romanized: Połackaje kniastva; Latin: Polocensis Ducatus), also known as 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 Rurikids.
The principality was supposedly established around the town of Polotsk (now in Belarus) by 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 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.