The Prince of Polotsk ruled the Principality of Polotsk within the realm of Kievan Rus' or within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the mid-9th century to 1307.
History Rogvold, a non-Rurikid Varangian, was the first Prince of Polotsk. When Vladimir the Great returned from exile in Scandinavia in 980 to try to claim the Kievan throne that his brother, Yaropolk, held, he sought an alliance with Rogvolod through a marriage with his daughter, Rogneda. When she refused, calling Vladimir the "son of a slave," he attacked Polotsk, killed Rogvold and his son, and took Rogneda by force to be his wife.Janet Martin, Medieval Russia 980-1584 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 1. Polotsk was then granted to Vladimir's son, Izyaslav, around the time of Christianization (988), and when Izyaslav predeceased his father in 1001, the throne of Polotsk was passed on to Izyaslav's son, Briacheslav, and the Polotsk line (the senior branch of Vladimir's sons) became izgoi and was not legally allowed to succeed to the Kievan throne,Martin, Medieval Russia, 27. although Bryacheslav's son, Vseslav, held briefly the Kievan throne in 1068–1069, after it was granted to him by the veche following the Kiev Uprising.Martin, Medieval Russia, 29.
List of princes First rulers of Polotsk
RulerBornReignRuling partConsortDeathNotesRogvolod I(Рагвалод)Old Norse: Ragnvaldc.920Västergötland 945-978 Polotsk Unknown at least three children 978Polotskaged c.57-58? First known ruler in Polotsk. It's been speculated that he and his daughter were members of the Ynglings royal family, in today's Sweden.Rogneda(Рагнеда)Old Norse: Ragnheiðr962Daughter of Rogvolod I 978-1002 Polotsk Vladimir the Great980(separated in 988)eight children 1002aged 39–40 Sometimes called Gorislava (Гарыслава). Refusing to marry Vladimir the Great, he raped her, killed her entire family and married her by force. Without any other surviving family, she and her son, Iziaslav, as per Norse royal custom, were then sent to govern jointly the land of her parents.
Kievan Rus' and its Belarusian feuds (862-1362)
Rurikids
The Rurikids were descendants of Rurik (Ukrainian: Рюрик) (Hrørekr), a Varangian pagan konung or chieftain, who according to the Primary Chronicle was invited to rule Novgorod in 862 and who came to become the ruler of the Northern Slavic tribes of the (Krivchians and Slovene) as well as the Finnish tribes (Meria, Chud and Ves). Later his son or grandson, Prince Ihor, became the Prince of separate Kyivan territories to the south beginning the rule of the Riurykide dynasty of Kyivan Rus. The existence of Rurik is a point of contention for historians, P. Kovaletsky and Omeljan Pritsak believe that Rurik was the same person as Hroereckr (Rorik), the 9th century Norse king of Jutland and Frisia and that pervasive myths and legends about him formed the basis for the primary chroniclers. Alternatively, Alexsei Shakmatov accepts the Primary Chronicle's account as factual and Rurik is a historic being.
Partitions of Kievan Rus' in Belarusian territory under Rurik dynasty Source:For simplifying the matter, only the most important parts of Belarusian Kievan Rus will appear.
+Kievan Rus', Grand Principality of Rus' (980-1078) Principalityof Turov-Pinsk (1078-1320)(Divided in Turov and Pinsk since c.1170)Principalityof Polotsk(988-1274) Principalityof Drutsk(1101-c.1200)Principalityof Vitebsk(1101-1345)Principalityof Minsk(1101-1216) To Lithuania To Lithuania To LithuaniaTo Lithuania
Table of rulers (Note: As many princes ruled at different times in many places, the numbering of the princes is restricted to the Kievan Rus'/Kyiv and the Principality of Polotsk)