Berestia ( be, Берасцейшчына; ua, Берестейщина, pl, Bieraście, lt, Berestje), is the part of
Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...
ian,
Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
, and
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
ethnic
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
territory
A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal.
In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...
, bounded by the
Bug River
uk, Західний Буг be, Захо́дні Буг
, name_etymology =
, image = Wyszkow_Bug.jpg
, image_size = 250
, image_caption = Bug River in the vicinity of Wyszków, Poland
, map = Vi ...
,
Pripyat River
The Pripyat or Prypiat ( , uk, Прип'ять, ; be, Прыпяць, translit=Prypiać}, ; pl, Prypeć, ; russian: Припять, ) is a river in Eastern Europe, approximately long. It flows east through Ukraine, Belarus, and Ukraine ag ...
,
Yaselda River
The Yaselda (, alternative transliteration ''Jasieĺda'', , ), is a river in Brest Region in south-west Belarus. It is linked via the Dnieper–Bug Canal to the city of Pinsk. It is a left tributary of the Pripyat. It is connected to the Oginski Ca ...
, and
Narew
The Narew (; be, Нараў, translit=Naraŭ; or ; Sudovian: ''Naura''; Old German: ''Nare''; uk, Нарва, translit=Narva) is a 499-kilometre (310 mi) river primarily in north-eastern Poland, which is also a tributary of the river Vis ...
(Narva) River, and a borderland between historical
Podlachia
Podlachia, or Podlasie, ( pl, Podlasie, , be, Падляшша, translit=Padliašša, uk, Підляшшя, translit=Pidliashshia) is a historical region in the north-eastern part of Poland. Between 1513 and 1795 it was a voivodeship with the c ...
( pl, Podlasie) and the
Land of Brest-Litovsk ( pl, ziemia brzeskolitewska) part of
Polesia
Polesia, Polesie, or Polesye, uk, Полісся (Polissia), pl, Polesie, russian: Полесье (Polesye) is a natural and historical region that starts from the farthest edge of Central Europe and encompasses Eastern Europe, including East ...
( pl, Polesie).
Cities
Its main cities were
Berestia
Berestia ( be, Берасцейшчына; ua, Берестейщина, pl, Bieraście, lt, Berestje), is the part of Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Polish ethnic territory, bounded by the Bug River, Pripyat River, Yaselda River, and Narew (Narv ...
,
Bilsk,
Dorohychyn
Drohiczyn () ( lt, Drohičinas/Drogičinas, be, Дарагічын, ua, Дорогочин, Дорогичин, ''Dorohochyn'', ''Dorohychyn'') is a town in Siemiatycze County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland. The town has a population of 2,11 ...
,
Kobryn
Kobryn ( be, Кобрын; russian: Кобрин; pl, Kobryń; lt, Kobrynas; uk, Кобринь, Kobryn'; yi, קאָברין) is a city in the Brest Region of Belarus and the center of the Kobryn District. The city is located in the southwest ...
and
Kamyanyets
Kamyanyets (also spelled as Kamianiec, Kamenets, Kamieniec; be, Ка́менец , russian: Ка́менец, uk, Кам'янець, Kamianets', pl, Kamieniec, yi, קאמעניץ ''Kamenits'' (or ''Kaminetz''), lt, Kamianecas; he, קמניץ ...
.
Leadership
Princes of Berestia (Brest)
*
Sviatoslav Mstislavich (1170–1173)
*
Vsevolod Mstislavich (1187-1188)
*
Vasilko Romanovich
Vasylko Romanovych (1203–1269), Prince of Belz (1207–1269), Prince of Brest (1231–1269), and Prince of Volhynia (1231–1269).
He was the son of Roman the Great, the younger brother of Daniel of Galicia.
Family
Father
*Roman the Great
Bro ...
(1221–1231)
History
![Brest Lm](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Brest_Lm.jpg)
The city was founded by Lithuanians and was called Lithuanian Brasta. As a town, Brest – ''Berestye'' in
Kievan Rus
Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...
– was first mentioned in the
Primary Chronicle
The ''Tale of Bygone Years'' ( orv, Повѣсть времѧньныхъ лѣтъ, translit=Pověstĭ vremęnĭnyxŭ lětŭ; ; ; ; ), often known in English as the ''Rus' Primary Chronicle'', the ''Russian Primary Chronicle'', or simply the ...
in 1019. It became part of the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
, was laid waste by the
Mongols
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...
in 1241 (see:
Mongol invasion of Europe
From the 1220s into the 1240s, the Mongols conquered the Turkic states of Volga Bulgaria, Cumania, Alania, and the Kievan Rus' federation. Following this, they began their invasion into heartland Europe by launching a two-pronged invasion of ...
), and was not rebuilt until 1275.
In the second part of the 12th century Berestia became the center of the small feudal duchy called Land of Berestia which was part of
Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia
, conventional_long_name = Principality of Galicia–VolhyniaKingdom of Galicia–Volhynia
, common_name = Galicia–Volhynia
, status = Vassal state of the Golden Horde (from 1246)
, era = Middle Ages
, year_start = 1199
, year_end = 1349
, ...
. In 1164 the Lithuanian Duke Skirmunt took Berestia but did not own it for a long time. Attempts in 1179 and 1182 by the Polish
High Duke (or King)
Kazimierz II to join Berestia to Poland were unsuccessful.
In 1213 the Polish High Duke or
King, Leszko occupied Berestia but in 1222 Volhynian Duke
Vasilka, who was Prince of Brest 1221-31, gained control of all Berestia. In the beginning of the 13th century the troops of the Polish High Duke (or King)
Konrad Mazowiecki
Konrad I of Masovia (ca. 1187/88 – 31 August 1247), from the Polish Piast dynasty, was the sixth Duke of Masovia and Kuyavia from 1194 until his death as well as High Duke of Poland from 1229 to 1232 and again from 1241 to 1243.
Life
Konrad was ...
occupied the city of Brest but the population of Berestia resisted and the king had to return the city to the
Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia
, conventional_long_name = Principality of Galicia–VolhyniaKingdom of Galicia–Volhynia
, common_name = Galicia–Volhynia
, status = Vassal state of the Golden Horde (from 1246)
, era = Middle Ages
, year_start = 1199
, year_end = 1349
, ...
. In the middle of the 13th century the Berestia Land was invaded by the
Mongols
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...
. Little if any historical information exists about the depredation of Berestia by these invaders, but sources report that Brest was not rebuilt until 1275. The Mongols, somewhat weakened by fighting with the Slavonic Duchies and finding little of the wide pasturage needed for the maintenance of the vast horse herds that were an integral part of their military formations, did not move further into Europe. Brest was besieged by enemies many times; more than once the town was put to the torch, but each time it was reconstructed.
To defend their territories from invaders the Slavonic dukes built fortification castles and towers. In the 12th century a castle and a fortification to harbor the trade caravans that passed through Berestia were built in the city. Brest served as a customs port where the merchants paid taxes on the goods they carried. In 1276 the
Wolyn
Volhynia (also spelled Volynia) ( ; uk, Воли́нь, Volyn' pl, Wołyń, russian: Волы́нь, Volýnʹ, ), is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between south-eastern Poland, south-western Belarus, and western Ukraine. Th ...
Duke (or Prince)
Wlodzimierz Vasilkovich (Vladimir Vasilkovich) erected a castle with a high stone tower, or
keep
A keep (from the Middle English ''kype'') is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in c ...
, in the city. He also ordered the construction of another tower on the
Lyasnaya (also: Liasnaja, Lysna, or Leśna) river in the forests of
Bialowierza Puszcza, to defend the northern territories of his duchy. The city of
Kamienec (or Kamianiec) soon appeared in the primeval forest near this second tower. The
tower
A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...
in Kamienec still stands today as a witness to these events.
To the North of Berestia, the Lithuanian-Belarusian state known as the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
was emerging. This state appeared on the territories of
Baltic tribes
The Balts or Baltic peoples ( lt, baltai, lv, balti) are an ethno-linguistic group of peoples who speak the Baltic languages of the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European languages.
One of the features of Baltic languages is the number ...
half-assimilated with Slavs. The rulers of Lithuania managed to escape subjugation to the neighboring
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
n
Kniaz
, or (Old Church Slavonic: Кнѧзь) is a historical Slavic title, used both as a royal and noble title in different times of history and different ancient Slavic lands. It is usually translated into English as prince or duke, dependin ...
es (Princes or Dukes), and thus the Grand Duchy continued growing and getting stronger. Beginning with the end of the 12th century the Lithuanian territories were attacked by
Crusaders
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...
(specifically, the
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...
), who wanted to subdue both the Baltic and the Russian territories. To resist the Crusaders' threat, a peace treaty between Russian and Lithuanian dukes was signed in 1219.
From 1080 to 1150 the land belonged to the
Principality of Turov and Pinsk
The Principality of Turov, also called Principality of Turov and Pinsk ( be, Турава-Пінскае княства, russian: Турово-Пинское княжество, uk, Турово-Пінське князівство) or Turovian Rus ...
(Turiv-Pynske) , later to the
Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia
, conventional_long_name = Principality of Galicia–VolhyniaKingdom of Galicia–Volhynia
, common_name = Galicia–Volhynia
, status = Vassal state of the Golden Horde (from 1246)
, era = Middle Ages
, year_start = 1199
, year_end = 1349
, ...
, and after 1320 to the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
as part of the
Trakai Voivodeship
lt, Trakų vaivadija pl, Województwo trockie
, conventional_long_name = Trakai Voivodeship
, common_name = Trakai
, subdivision = Voivodeship
, nation = Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1413–1569)
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795)
, year_ ...
. From 1569 to 1795 it constituted the
Podlaskie Voivodeship
Podlaskie Voivodeship or Podlasie Province ( pl, Województwo podlaskie, ) is a voivodeship (province) in northeastern Poland. The name of the province and its territory correspond to the historic region of Podlachia. The capital and largest cit ...
and
Brest Litovsk Voivodeship of the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
. After the
third partition of the Commonwealth (1795), the territory was annexed to the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
.
References
*
Довідник з історії України.За ред. І.Підкови та Р.Шуста.- К.: Генеза, 1993 Том 1_б*
Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia
The ''Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia'' ( uk, Українська радянська енциклопедія, ''Ukrayinska radyanska entsyklopediya'') was a multi-purpose encyclopedia of Ukraine, issued in the USSR.
First attempt
Following th ...
/ Ed. М. preferable; 2nd edition. — К., 1974-1985. - K., 1974-1985.
*
Shvarn
Shvarn, Shvarno ( lt, Švarnas, uk, Шварно Данилович, translit=Shvarno Danylovych; c. 1230 – c. 1269), was the kniaz of western parts of Ruthenia (1264 – c. 1269) and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1267 – c. 1269). An influential l ...
{{Coord missing, Poland
Historical regions in Belarus