List of rulers of Belarus

History of Belarusian states can be traced far to Principality of Polotsk. From 13th century lands of modern Belarus were a major part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which later became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 19th century Belarus together with Lithuania formed the Northwestern Krai of Russian Empire. At the beginning of the 20th century there was the short-lived Belarusian People's Republic, and in 1922 Belarus became part of the USSR as Belarusian SSR except West Belarus, which was under Polish rule, which was briefly interrupted due to Soviet occupation during the Polish-Soviet War. In 1991, Belarus regained its independence.

Pre-Rurikid rulers

Non-dynastic

• Vespasius
• Ragvalod I (? - 980)

Rurikid Belarus

In 978, with the marriage of Rogneda, daughter of Ragvalod, with Vladimir I of Kiev, the Principality of Polotsk became property of the Rurik Dynasty. It was ruled by Rurikid members until the second half of the 14th century, when it was taken by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Between 978 and 1101, the Principality of Polotsk's domain was uncontested in the majority of the Belarusian territory. Polotsk possibly reached the peak of its influence with the access of Vseslav the Seer to the Kievan throne, but at the death of the latter Polotsk was split in three smaller principalities: a smaller Polotsk, the Principality of Minsk and the Principality of Vitebsk.

Rurik Dynasty

The Rurikids were descendants of Rurik (Hrørekr), a Varangian pagan konung or chieftain, who supposedly was of haplogroup N1c1, which is common among Finno-Ugric peoples and not so rare in Baltic region.[1]

Portrait	Name	Born	Reign	Marriage (s)	Death	Notes
Vladimir I the Great Vladimir Basil Sviatoslavich (Володимир Великий/Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь) Old Norse: Valdamarr Sveinaldsson		c.958 Budyatychi Son of Sviatoslav I the Brave and Malusha/Malfrida	978-987	Olava/Allogia c.977 at least one son A Greek nun (widow of his brother) c.980 at least one son Rogneda of Polotsk c.978 (possibly in bigamy) eight children Adela (of Bulgaria?) at least two children (maximum four) Malfrida (of Bohemia?) Before 1000 two children Anna Porphyrogenita of Byzantium 988 Cherson three children Regelindis (?) of Saxony (granddaughter of Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor) After 1011 one or two daughters Unknown two children	15 July 1015 Berestove, Kiev aged 57–58	His early rule is characterized by a staunch pagan reaction but in 988 he was baptized into Orthodoxy and successfully converted Kievan Rus' to Christianity. In 987 gave Polotsk to his son Iziaslav.
Rogneda Рогнѣдь[2][3] Old Norse:[4][5][6] Ragnheiðr[7][8] Ragnvaldsdotter		c.966 Daughter of Ragvalod I	987-1000	Vladimir I the Great c.978 eight children	1000 aged 33–34	Co-ruling with her son, Iziaslav I.[9]
Iziaslav I Изѧславъ		c.978 Kiev Son of Vladimir I of Kiev and Rogneda of Polotsk	987-1001	Unknown two children	1001 Polotsk aged 22–23	Co-ruling with his mother, Rogneda.[9]
Izgoi Vseslav I Всеславъ сн҃ъ Изѧславль		c.990 First son of Iziaslav I	1001-1003	Unmarried	1003 Polotsk aged c.12-13	An izgoi (orphan protected by the church), inherited the Principality, but died still as a minor.
Izgoi Bryachislav I Брѧчиславъ сн҃ъ Изѧславль		c.997 Second son of Iziaslav I	1003-1044	Unknown at least one son	1044 Polotsk aged 46–47	An izgoi until his majority (c.1011), inherited the Principality from his minor brother. Challenged the authority of his uncle, Yaroslav the Wise.
Izgoi Vseslav II the Seer Vseslav Basil Bryacheslavich (Всеслав Брячиславич)		c.1039 Polotsk Son of Bryachislav of Polotsk	1044-1069 1071-1102	Unknown six sons	24 April 1101 Polotsk aged 61–62	An izgoi until his majority (c.1055), followed the politic of his father, and reached, in 1068, the status of Prince of the Kievan Rus', being deposed in the following year. Was also deposed from Polotsk, which was ruled by the sons of Iziaslav I of Kiev until 1071. After his death, Polotsk was divided between his sons.
Mstislav I Mstislav Iziaslavich (Мстислав Изяславич)		After 1043 First son of Iziaslav I of Kiev and Gertrude of Poland	1069	Unknown at least one son	1069 less than 25-26	Dethroned Vseslav the Seer, but died in the same year.
Sviatopolk I Sviatopolk Michael Iziaslavich (Всеволод Ярославич) Old Norse: Sveinpolk Izjasleifsson (?)		8 November 1050 Second son of Iziaslav I of Kiev and Gertrude of Poland	1069-1071	Unknown name (daughter of Spytihněv II of Bohemia)[10] c.1085 three children Olenna of the Kipchaks c.1094 four children	26 April 1113 Vyshhorod aged 62	His descendants lost their rights to the Kievan throne. Kept the Polotsk throne until 1071, when Vseslav took it back.

Decline of the Principality of Polotsk

On the death of Vseslav the Seer, the Principality was divided between his sons and descendants, in three major principalities:

  Principality of Polotsk   Principality of Minsk   Principality of Vitebsk

Rurik Dynasty

(Note:The list follows one single numbering for all principalities, and continues the previous table.)

Ruler		Born	Reign	Death	Ruling part	Consort	Notes
Gleb I		1060	1101-1119	13 September 1119	Minsk	Anastasia of Turov-Pinsk 1090 four children	Son of Vseslav II. After his death his Principality was ruled by the Princes of Kiev, until 1146.
Rogvolod II Boris I		Before 1101	1101-1128	1128	Polotsk	Unknown three children	Son of Vseslav II.
Sviatoslav I		Before 1101	1101-1129	1129	Vitebsk	Sophia (Komnene?) five children	Son of Vseslav II. Between 1129 and 1132 Vitebsk was ruled by Kiev.
Vladimir II Monomakh		1053	1119-1125	19 May 1125	Minsk	Gytha of Wessex c.1074 five or six children Euphemia of Byzantium c.1100 six or seven children Unknown name (daughter of Aepa Ocenevich, Khan in Cumania) After 1107 no known children	Son of Vsevolod I of Kiev. Also Prince of the Kievan Rus'.
Mstislav II the Great		1 June 1076	1125-1129	14 April 1132	Minsk	Christina of Sweden 1095 ten children Liubava Dmitrievna of Novgorod 1122 two children	Also Prince of the Kievan Rus'.
			1129-1132		Minsk and Vitebsk
David I		Before 1101	1128-1129	1129	Polotsk	Unknown three children	Son of Vseslav II.
Iziaslav II		1096[11]	1129-1132	13 November 1154[11]	Polotsk	Agnes of Germany before 1151 five children Rusudan of Georgia[11] 1154 no children	Son of Mstislav I of Kiev. Also Prince of Kiev. Occupied Polotsk.
Yaropolk I		1082	1132–1139	18 February 1139	Minsk	Helena of Ossetia 1116 one child	Brother of Mstislav II. Also Prince of Kiev.
Sviatopolk II		After 1096	1132	20 February 1154	Polotsk	Euphemia of Olomouc[12] 1143 or 1144 no children	Brother of his predecessor. Also Prince of Novgorod and Pskov.
Vasilko I Sviatoslavich		?	1132-1144	1144	Polotsk and Vitebsk	Unknown seven children	Son of Sviatoslav of Vitebsk, who was son of Vseslav II.
Viacheslav I		1083	1139	2 February 1154	Minsk	Unmarried before 1139 one child	Brother of his predecessor. Also Prince of Kiev.
Vsevolod I		1104	1139-1146	1 August 1146	Minsk	Maria of Rus' 1116 one child	Grandson of Sviatoslav II of Rus', married Maria, sister of Mstislav I, Yaropolk II and Viacheslav I. Also Prince of Kiev.
Rogvolod III Vassili		?	1144-1151 1159-1162	After 1171	Polotsk	Unknown five children	Son of Rogvolod II.
Rostislav I Glebovich		?	1146-1151	1165	Minsk	Sophia of Volhynia before 1158 seven children	Son of Gleb I.
			1151-1159		Polotsk
			1159-1165		Minsk
Volodar I Glebovich		c.1090	1151-1159 1165-1167	c.1180	Minsk	Richeza of Poland 1135 or 1136 three children	Brother of his predecessor. The inheritance of his heir (Vladimir Volodarovich) to Polotsk made a possible reunion of the two principalities.
			1167		Polotsk and Minsk
			1167-c.1180		Minsk
Vseslav III Vasilkovich		?	1144-1162	1186	Vitebsk	Unknown three children	Son of Vasilko I.
			1162-1167 1167-c.1180		Polotsk
			1175-1178 1181-1186		Vitebsk
Roman I Bryachislavich		?	1162-1165	1186	Vitebsk	Unknown three children	Kinsman of his predecessor.
David II		1140	1165-1167	23 April 1197	Vitebsk	Unknown three children	Son of Vseslav II.
Bryachislav II Vasilkovich		?	1167-1175 1178-1181	After 1186	Vitebsk	Unknown two children	Brother of Vseslav III.
Boris II Davidovich		?	c.1180-c.1185	c.1185	Polotsk	Unknown five children Sviatocna (Elisabeth?) of Pomerania one child	Son of David Sviatoslavich of Vitebsk, who was grandson of Vseslav II.
Vladimir III Volodarovich		Between 1135 and 1150	c.1180-1216	1216	Minsk	Unknown	Son of Volodar I Glebovich. Possibly co-ruling in Minsk with his brother, who after his death and subsequent annexation of Minsk, succeeded in Polotsk.
			c.1185-1216		Polotsk and Minsk
Vasilko II Volodarovich		Between 1135 and 1150	c.1180-1216	1222	Minsk	Unknown
			1216-1222		Polotsk
Vasilko III Bryachislavich		?	1186-1221	c.1221	Vitebsk
Sviatoslav II Mstislavich		?	1222-1232	1239	Polotsk	Unknown	Son of Mstislav III of Kiev.
Bryachislav III Vasilkovich		?	1221-1232	c.1255	Vitebsk	Unknown five children	Son of Vasilko Bryachislavich. In 1232 lost Vitebsk to Lithuania, and after his death also Polotsk.
			1232-c.1255		Polotsk

Lithuanian Princes of Polotsk

Palemonid dynasty

• Mingayl (Mingaila) (? – 1192)
• Ginwill (1192–1199)
• Boris II of Polotsk (1199 – 12??)
• Gleb of Polotsk (12?? - 12??)
• Iziaslav of Polotsk (12?? – 1281)
• Daumont (1281–1285)

Gediminid dynasty

• Vainius (1315 – 13??)
• Narimont (Narimantas) (13?? - 13??)
• Lubart (Liubartas) (13?? – 1342)
• Wigund (Vygantas, Andrius; son of Olgierd (Algirdas)) (1342–1387)
• Skirhajla (1387–1397)

Grand Dukes of Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Title: Grand Duke ("Вялікі князь" in Belarusian, "Wielki książę" in Polish, "Kunigaikštis" or "Didysis Kunigaikštis" in Lithuanian)

See also: List of rulers of Lithuania

• Mindaugas 1236 - 1263
• Treniota 1263–1264
• Vaišelga (Vojszalak, Vaišelga, Vaishyalga, Vaišalgas, Woyszwiłk) 1264 - 1267
• švarnas (Shvarno, Švarnas, Ioann) 1267–1269
• Traidenis (Traidenis) 1269–1282
• Daumantas of Lithuania (Dowmont, Daumantas) 1281–1285
• Butigeidis (Butigeidis) 1285 – ca. 1291
• Butvydas (Pukuwer, Butvydas) ca. 1291 – ca. 1295
• Vytenis (Vytenis) 1295–1316
• Gediminas (Giedymin, Gediminas) 1316–1341
• Jaunutis (Jewnut, Jawnut, Jaunutis) 1341–1345
• Algirdas (Olgierd, Algirdas) 1345–1377
• Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło, Jogaila) 1377–1381, 1382–1392, also crowned as the Polish King
• Kęstutis (Kejstut, Kęstutis) 1381–1382
• Vytautas Didysis (Witold, Vitawt, Vytautas) 1392–1430
• Švitrigaila (Świdrygiełło, Švitrigaila) 1430–1432
• Žygimantas Kęstutaitis (Žyhimont I Kejstutavicz, Sigismund Kestutian, Žygimantas I Kęstutaitis, Zygimont Kejstutavicz) September 1, 1432 – 1440
• Kazimieras Jogailaitis (Kazimierz IV Jagiellończyk, Kazimieras I Jogailaitis) 1440–1492 also crowned as the Polish King
• Aleksandras Jogailaitis (Alaksandr, Aleksander Jagiellończyk, Aleksandras I) 1492–1506 also crowned as the Polish King
• Žygimantas Senasis (Žyhimont II Stary, Zygmunt I Stary, Žygimantas II Senasis) 1505–1548 also crowned as the Polish King
• Žygimantas Augustas (Žyhimont III Aŭhust, Zygmunt II August, Žygimantas III Augustas) 1545–1572 also crowned as the Polish King

Elected kings of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

• Henri Valois (1572–1573)
• Stefan Batory (1576–1586)
• Sigismund III Vasa (1587–1632)
• Ladislaus IV of Poland (1632–1648)
• John II of Poland (1648–1668)
• Michael Korybut Wisniowiecki (1672–1673)
• John III of Poland (1675–1696)
• August II of Poland (1697–1704)
• Stanisław Leszczyński (1704–1709)
• August II of Poland (1704–1733)
• Stanisław Leszczyński (1733)
• August III of Poland (1733–1763)
• Stanisław August Poniatowski (1764–1795)

General-Governors of Northwestern Krai of the Russian Empire

Leaders of Belarus since 1918

Belarusian People's Republic (1918–1920)

Chairmen of the Rada

• Ivan Mikitavich Syerada (9 March – May 1918)

Chairman of the Provisional Revolutionary Workers–and–Peasants' Soviet Government

• Zmicier Zhylunovich (1 January – 4 February 1919)

Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee

• Aleksandr Fyodorovich Myasnikov (4–27 February 1919)
• Pyotr Antonavich Krechewski (13 December 1919 – November 1920) (Chairman of Government)
• Jan Mikitavich Syerada (December 1919 – July 1920) (Rival Government)

Belarusian People's Republic in Exile (1920–present)

Presidents

(In Vilnius to 1925, then in Prague, presently in Canada)

• Pyotr Antonavich Krechewski (November 1920 – 8 March 1928)
• Vasil Ivanavich Zakharka (8 March 1928 – 6 March 1943)
• Mikalay Syamyonavich Abramchyk (6 March 1943 – 29 May 1970)
• Vikentsiy Zhuk-Hryshkyevich (May 1970 – November 1982)
• Jazep Sazhych (November 1982–1997)
• Barys Rahula (1997) (acting)
• Ivonka J. Symaniec-Survilla (1997–present)

West Belarus under Polish rule (1919-1939)

• Józef Piłsudski as Chief of State (14 November 1918 – 11 December 1922)
• Gabriel Narutowicz (11 December 1922 – 16 December 1922)
• Maciej Rataj (acting) (16 December 1922 – 22 December 1922)
• Stanisław Wojciechowski (22 December 1922 – 14 May 1926)
• Maciej Rataj (acting) (14 May 1926 – 4 June 1926)
• Ignacy Mościcki (4 June 1926 – 30 September 1939)

Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (1920–1991)

First secretaries of the Byelorussian Communist Party

• Vilgelm Knorinsh (9 August 1920–1923) (1st time)
• Aleksandr Osatkin-Vladimirsky (1923–1924)
• Aleksandr Krinitsky (13 May 1924 – 22 December 1925)
• Nikolay Goloded (22 December 1925 – 7 May 1927)
• Vilgelm Knorinsh (7 May 1927 – 4 December 1928) (2nd time)
• Yakov Gamarnik (4 December 1928 – 3 January 1930)
• Konstantin Gey (3 January 1930 – 18 January 1932)
• Nikolay Gikalo (18 January 1932 – 18 March 1937)
• Vasily Sharangovich (18 March – 17 July 1937)
• Yakov Yakovlev (27 July – 8 August 1937) (acting)
• Aleksei Alekseyevich Volkov (11 August 1937 – 18 June 1938)
• Panteleimon Ponomarenko (18 June 1938 – 7 March 1947) (in exile in Russian SFSR since June 1941 until 1944)
• Nikolai Gusarov (7 March 1947 – 31 May 1950)
• Nikolai Patolichev (31 May 1950 – 8 March 1953) (1st time)
• Ivan Klimov (1952–1953) (b. 1903 – d. 1991)
• Mikhail Zimyanin (8 March – 25 June 1953)
• Nikolai Patolichev (25 June 1953 – 28 July 1956) (2nd time)
• Kirill Mazurov (28 July 1956 –30 March 1965)
• Pyotr Masherov (30 March 1965 – 4 October 1980)
• Tikhon Kiselyov (15 October 1980 – 11 January 1983)
• Nikolay Slyunkov (13 January 1983 – 6 February 1988)
• Yefrem Sokolov (6 February 1988 – 30 November 1990)
• Anatoly Malofeyev (30 November 1990 – August 1991)

Republic of Belarus (1991–Present)

Chairmen of the Supreme Soviet

• Stanislav Shushkevich (15 August 1991 – 26 January 1994) (acting to 18 September 1991)
• Vyacheslav Nikolayevich Kuznetsov (26–28 January 1994) (acting)
• Myechyslaw Hryb (28 January – 20 July 1994)

President

• Alexander Lukashenko (20 July 1994 – present)

See also

• List of national leaders of Belarus
• President of Belarus
• Prime Minister of Belarus

References

1. DNA Testing of the Rurikid and Gediminid Princes
2. Лаўр., 56;
3. Іпац., 53;
4. Рыдзевская Е. А. Древняя Русь и Скандинавия IX—XIV вв. / Отв. ред. И. П. Шаскольский // Древнейшие государства на территории СССР. Материалы и исследования. 1978 г. — М.: Наука, 1978. — 240 с.
5. Джаксон Т. Н. Глава 8. «Palteskja ok þat ríki allt, er þar liggr til» // Austr í Görðum: древнерусские топонимы в древнескандинавских источниках. — М.: Языки русской культуры, 2001.
6. Duczko W. Ruś Wikingów. Historia obecności Skandynawów we wczesnośredniowiecznej Europie Wschodniej. — Warszawa, 2007. — S. 108.
7. Рогнедь // Этимологический словарь русского языка / М. Р. Фасмер. — М.: Прогресс, 1964—1973.
8. Михеев С. М. Легенда о Владимире и Рогнеде и скандинавская традиция (к параллели с легендой о сыновьях Хейдрека) // Именослов. История языка. История культуры. — СПб., 2010. (Труды Центра славяно-германских исследований. I.) — С. 169—179.
9. As was the Norse royal custom, she was sent with her elder son to govern the land of her parents, i.e. Polotsk.
10. According to A. Nazarenko. It was thought not long ago that the first wife of Sviatopolk was Barbara Komnene, a supposed daughter of Alexios I Komnenos. However, the lack of tradition of such a name in the Byzantine Empire led to doubt. Today she may be considered fictional.
12. Л.Войтович КНЯЗІВСЬКІ ДИНАСТІЇ СХІДНОЇ ЄВРОПИ

• "Rulers of Belarus". worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 2006-03-21.

External links

• Grand Dukes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania