Little Russia Governorate (1764–1781)

The First Little Russia Governorate (Russian: Малороссiйская Губернiя) or Government of Malorossiya was created by Russian authorities in 1764–65 after the abolition of Cossack Hetmanate in Ukrainian lands incorporated into the Russian Empire. The (First) Little Russia Governorate was governed by Pyotr Rumyantsev.

Not to be confused with Little Russia Governorate (1796–1802).

Malorossiya Governorate Малороссiйская губернія
Governorate of Russian Empire
1764–1781
Capital	Hlukhiv (1764–1773) Kozelets (1773–1775) Kiev (1775–1781)
Government
Governor
• 1764–1781	Pyotr Rumyantsev[1]
Legislature	Little Russian Collegium
History
• Established	12 December 1764
• Disestablished	27 February 1781
Political subdivisions	regiments (polki)
Preceded by Succeeded by Cossack Hetmanate Kiev Viceroyalty Chernigov Viceroyalty Novgorod Seversky Viceroyalty
Today part of	Chernihiv Oblast, Bryansk Oblast, Kiev Oblast, Poltava Oblast, Cherkasy Oblast, Sumy Oblast, Kharkiv Oblast

With another administrative reform of 1781 the governorate and its subdivisions (regiments) were liquidated and replaced with vice-royalties divided into counties (uyezds).

Subdivisions

The governorate was divided into 10 regiments (polk) which were equivalent to counties (uyezd).

• Starodub Regimentuk (1663-1782)
• Kiev Regimentuk
• Pereyaslav Regimentuk
• Nizhyn Regiment
• Chernihiv Regiment
• Pryluky Regiment
• Lubny Regiment
• Myrhorod Regiment
• Hadiach Regiment
• Poltava Regiment

Coat of arms

Cossack with musket, official coat of arms of the Cossack Hetmanate

Until 1767 the coat of arms for the governorate was Cossack with musket when it was finally replaced with the Russian double headed eagle.

References

1. Pyotr Rumyantsev at the Encyclopedia of Ukraine