Druck or Drutsk ( be, Друцк, ; pl, Druck, russian: Друцк, also known as ''Дрютескъ'' (''Dryutesk'') or ''Дрюческъ'' (''Druchesk'') in the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
), is a historical town in
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 ...
, 40 kilometres (ca. 25 miles) west of
Mahilyow
Mogilev (russian: Могилёв, Mogilyov, ; yi, מאָלעוו, Molev, ) or Mahilyow ( be, Магілёў, Mahilioŭ, ) is a city in eastern Belarus, on the Dnieper River, about from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and from the ...
.
The town was established in 1078 as an outpost of the
Principality of Polatsk
The Principality of Polotsk ( be, По́лацкае кня́ства, ''Polackaje kniastva''; la, Polocensis Ducatus), also known as the Duchy of Polotsk or Polotskian Rus', was a medieval principality of the Early East Slavs. The origin and ...
on the road from
Polatsk
Polotsk (russian: По́лоцк; be, По́лацк, translit=Polatsk (BGN/PCGN), Polack (official transliteration); lt, Polockas; pl, Połock) is a historical city in Belarus, situated on the Dvina River. It is the center of the Polotsk Dist ...
to
Kiev
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
and
Chernihov. According to the
Drutsk Gospel
Druck or Drutsk ( be, Друцк, ; pl, Druck, russian: Друцк, also known as ''Дрютескъ'' (''Dryutesk'') or ''Дрюческъ'' (''Druchesk'') in the Middle Ages), is a historical town in Belarus, 40 kilometres (ca. 25 miles) west ...
, the town was built around one of the oldest Christian churches in
White Ruthenia
White Ruthenia ( cu, Бѣла Роусь, Bela Rous'; be, Белая Русь, Biełaja Ruś; pl, Ruś Biała; russian: Белая Русь, Belaya Rus'; ukr, Біла Русь, Bila Rus') alternatively known as Russia Alba, White Rus' or W ...
erected in 1001.
In the 12th century and 13th century it was a centre of the early medieval
Principality of Druck
The Duchy of Drutsk ( be, Княства Друцкае) was a small appanage principality of the Polotsk principality and was centred in Drutsk. It was located on a three way stick between Vitebsk, Minsk and Mogilev regions in modern Belarus.
T ...
, ruled by the dukes of the
Polatsk
Polotsk (russian: По́лоцк; be, По́лацк, translit=Polatsk (BGN/PCGN), Polack (official transliteration); lt, Polockas; pl, Połock) is a historical city in Belarus, situated on the Dvina River. It is the center of the Polotsk Dist ...
branch of the
Rurikid
The Rurik dynasty ( be, Ру́рыкавічы, Rúrykavichy; russian: Рю́риковичи, Ryúrikovichi, ; uk, Рю́риковичі, Riúrykovychi, ; literally "sons/scions of Rurik"), also known as the Rurikid dynasty or Rurikids, was ...
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 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
Johann, typically a male given name, is the German language, German form of ''Iohannes'', which is the Latin language, Latin form of the Greek language, Greek name ''Iōánnēs'' (), itself derived from Hebrew language, Hebrew name ''Johanan (name ...
, 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
Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in prese ...
.
The town is also the name-sake of the
Drucki-Lubecki and
Druckoy-Sokolinski noble families
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characterist ...
and the name-sake for their coat of arms, the
Druck Coat of Arms
Druck or Drutsk ( be, Друцк, ; pl, Druck, russian: Друцк, also known as ''Дрютескъ'' (''Dryutesk'') or ''Дрюческъ'' (''Druchesk'') in the Middle Ages), is a historical town in Belarus, 40 kilometres (ca. 25 miles) west ...
. The most famous member of those families is
Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki
Prince Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki ('' en, Francis Xavier Drucki-Lubecki''; 4 January 1778–10 May 1846) was an important Polish politician, freemason and diplomat of the first half of the 19th century. He served as the minister of the ...
.
Sources
* Анатоль Мяснікоў. Горад на вольнай Друці... // Звязда, 27.6.2001.
* Аляксееў Л. В. Друцк // Беларуская Савецкая Энцыклапедыя. У 12 т. Т.4. Графік — Зуйка / Беларуская Савецкая Энцыклапедыя; Рэдкал.: П. У. Броўка (гал. рэд.) і інш. — Мн.: Бел.Сав.Эн., 1971. — 608 с.: іл., карты. No ISBN.
* Друцк старажытны: Да 1000-годдзя ўзнікнення горада / Рэд.кал.: Г.П.Пашкоў (гал.рэдактар) і інш.; Маст. У.М.Жук. –Мн.: БелЭН, 2000. —128 с.: іл.
*
Populated places in Vitebsk Region
Talachyn District
Villages in Belarus
1078 establishments in Europe
Polochans
Vitebsk Voivodeship
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