Little Russia Governorate may refer to:
1764–1781
The First
Little Russia Governorate or Malorossiya Governorate, was an administrative-territorial unit (''
guberniya'') of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
, which existed in 1764–1781. It was created after the abolition of
Cossack Hetmanate
The Cossack Hetmanate (; Cossack Hetmanate#Name, see other names), officially the Zaporozhian Host (; ), was a Ukrainian Cossacks, Cossack state. Its territory was located mostly in central Ukraine, as well as in parts of Belarus and southwest ...
and was governed by
Pyotr Rumyantsev
Count Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky (; – ) was one of the foremost Russian generals of the 18th century, and is widely considered to be one of Russia's greatest military leaders, and one of the greatest military commanders in ...
.
With another administrative reform of 1781 the governorate and its subdivisions (regiments) were liquidated and replaced with vice-royalties divided into counties (
uezds).
Subdivisions
The governorate was divided into 10 regiments (polk) which were equivalent to counties (uezd).
* (1663–1782)
*
*
*
Nizhyn Regiment
The Nizhyn Regiment () was one of ten territorial-administrative subdivisions of the Cossack Hetmanate. The regiment's capital was the city of Nizhyn, now in Chernihiv Oblast of central Ukraine. Other major cities of the regiment were Hlukhiv and ...
*
Chernihiv Regiment
*
Pryluky Regiment
*
Lubny Regiment
*
Myrhorod Regiment
*
Hadiach Regiment
*
Poltava Regiment
Coat of arms

Until 1767 the coat of arms for the governorate was
Cossack with musket when it was replaced with the Russian double headed eagle.
1796–1802
Little Russia Governorate or Malorossiya Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''
guberniya'') of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
that encompassed most of modern-day northeastern
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
, then given the historical designation of
Little Russia, and adjacent regions in Russia.
The Governorate was formed in 1796 under the administrative reforms of
Paul I which abolished the viceroyalty (''
namestnichestvo'') system, which in turn replaced the regimental administration of the
Cossack Hetmanate
The Cossack Hetmanate (; Cossack Hetmanate#Name, see other names), officially the Zaporozhian Host (; ), was a Ukrainian Cossacks, Cossack state. Its territory was located mostly in central Ukraine, as well as in parts of Belarus and southwest ...
in 1781. This placed the
Kiev Viceroyalty (excluding the city of
Kiev
Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
itself),
Novgorod-Seversky Viceroyalty and
Chernigov Viceroyalty under the new unit. The administrative centre was the city of Chernigov (
Chernihiv).
However, the extensive area which the new unit covered was too great for effective administration, and in February 1802 the Governorate was split into
Chernigov Governorate
Chernigov Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire. It was officially created in 1802 from the disbanded Little Russia Governorate (1796-1802), Little Russia Governorate and had its capital in Cher ...
and
Poltava Governorate
Poltava Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire. It was officially created in 1802 from the disbanded Little Russia Governorate (1796–1802), Little Russia Governorate and had its capital in Polt ...
.
See also
*
Notes
References
External links
Little Russia Governoratein the
Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine
{{SIA
Governorates of the Russian Empire
Governorates of Ukraine
Political history of Ukraine