Principality of Polotsky: Map & History
Polotsk, or Polatsk, is a town in Vitebsk Region, Belarus.
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Polotsk, or Polatsk, is a town in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It is situated on the Dvina River and serves as the administrative center of Polotsk District. Polotsk is served by Polotsk Airport and Borovitsy air base. As of 2025, it has a population of 79,285.
Modern Countries Once Part of Principality of Polotsky
At its mapped extent, Principality of Polotsky covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Belarus1056–1249 CE · a large part
- Latvia1085–1110 CE · a large part
- Lithuania1056–1110 CE · a small part
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Principality of Polotsky's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Principality of Polotsky in Depth
History
Polotsk is one of the earliest mentioned cities of the Eastern Slavs. The Primary Chronicle mentioned Polotsk in the year 862 (as Полотескъ, /poloteskŭ/), together with Murom and Belozersk. An archaeological expedition from the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus suggests that Polotsk existed in the first half of the 9th century.
The first known prince of Polotsk was Rogvolod (ruled 945–978). He had two sons and a daughter named Rogneda. Rogvolod promised Rogneda to the prince of Kiev, Yaropolk, as a wife. But Yaropolk's brother, Vladimir, had attacked Polotsk before Yaropolk came. He killed Rogvolod, his wife and sons, and married Rogneda.
Vladimir and Rogneda had five children and the eldest of them, Izyaslav, became Prince of Polotsk (ruled 989–1001).
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Polotsk (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Principality of Polotsky: Key Facts
| Founded | 780 CE |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q200797 (CC0).
Principality of Polotsky Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Principality of Polotsky appears, with the other states of the time.
Principality of Polotsky Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 133,005 km² in 1098 CE.
Principality of Polotsky: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Principality of Polotsky exist?
Principality of Polotsky is dated to 1056 CE – 1249 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
How large was Principality of Polotsky at its peak?
At its peak in 1098 AD Principality of Polotsky covered about 133,005 km².
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