History of Belarus

The history of Belarus traces the peoples, societies, and political entities that have inhabited or governed the territory of present-day Belarus.

Polotsk Principality: A medieval East Slavic principality centered on Polotsk, influential in the western lands of present-day Belarus. Its rulers formed one of the earliest durable political centers in the region.
Partitions of Poland: The three late-eighteenth-century divisions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth among Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The partitions brought most Belarusian lands under Russian imperial rule.
Francis Skaryna: A sixteenth-century Belarusian humanist and printer who published biblical books in the Ruthenian language. His printing helped establish an early written cultural tradition in Belarusian lands.
Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union into independent states. It ended Soviet rule and made Belarus an internationally recognized independent country.
Kievan Rus': A medieval East Slavic polity centered on Kyiv, whose princes ruled a network of cities and principalities. Its political and Christian traditions shaped early societies in Belarusian lands.
Russian Empire: A Eurasian empire ruled by the Romanov dynasty from 1721 until the 1917 revolution. It governed Belarusian lands after the partitions and pursued policies of imperial integration.
Kastus Kalinouski: A Belarusian political activist and leader of the 1863 uprising in the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania. His writings and revolt became enduring symbols of resistance and Belarusian identity.
Chernobyl disaster: The 1986 explosion and fire at a nuclear reactor in Soviet Ukraine, which released radioactive contamination across Europe. Fallout heavily contaminated parts of Belarus and left lasting social and environmental consequences.
Grand Duchy of Lithuania: A medieval and early modern state that expanded across much of present-day Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine. It incorporated most Belarusian lands and governed them for centuries.
January Uprising: An 1863–1864 insurrection against Russian rule in the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Its suppression intensified imperial control in Belarusian provinces.

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History of LithuaniaCompared with: Belarus shares the Grand Duchy’s past but developed a distinct modern national history.