Editing History of Belarus (section)

==Early history==
[[File:Kievan-rus-1015-1113-(en).png|thumb|250px|The [[Principality of Polotsk]] within [[Kievan Rus']] in the 11th century]]
The history of [[Belarus]] begins with the migration and expansion of the [[Slavs|Slavic peoples]] through [[Eastern Europe]] between the 6th and 8th centuries. [[East Slavs]] settled on the territory of present-day [[Belarus]], [[Russia]] and [[Ukraine]], assimilating local [[Balts|Baltic]] ([[Yotvingians]], [[Dnieper Balts]]), [[Finnic peoples|Finns]] (in Russia) and [[steppe]] nomads (in Ukraine) already living there, their early ethnic integrations contributed to the gradual differentiation of the East Slavs. These East Slavs, [[paganism|pagan]], [[animism|animistic]], [[Agrarianism|agrarian]] people, had an economy which included trade in agricultural produce, [[wild game|game]], [[fur]]s, [[honey]], [[beeswax]] and [[amber]].

The modern [[Belarusians|Belarusian ethnos]] was probably formed on the basis of the three Slavic tribes—[[Kryvian]]s, [[Drehovian]]s, and [[Radzimian]]s—as well as several [[Balts|Baltic tribes]].{{sfn|Ioffe|Silitski|2018|p=137}}

[[File:Ancient Rus.PNG|thumb|left|Map of [[Kievan Rus']], 11th century]]

The common cultural bond of [[Eastern Orthodox Christianity]] and written [[Church Slavonic]] (a literary and liturgical [[Slavic language]] developed by 8th-century missionaries [[Saints Cyril and Methodius]]) fostered the emergence of a new geopolitical entity, [[Kievan Rus']] — a loose-knit multi-ethnic network of principalities,<ref name="channon">John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of Russia'' (Penguin, 1995), p.16.</ref> established along pre-existing trade routes, with major centers in [[Veliky Novgorod|Novgorod]] (now in Russia), [[Polotsk]] (now in Belarus) and [[Kyiv|Kiev]] (now in Ukraine).

===Kievan Rus'===
[[File:Anton Losenko. Vladimir and Rogneda.jpg|right|thumb|[[Vladimir I of Kiev|Vladimir I]] and princess [[Rogneda of Polotsk]] (painting of 1770)]]
Between the 9th and 12th centuries, the [[Principality of Polotsk]] (now in northern Belarus) emerged as the dominant center of power in the territory of Belarus, while the [[Principality of Turov and Pinsk|Principality of Turov]] south of it was a lesser power.

The Principality of Polotsk repeatedly asserted its sovereignty in relation to the other centers of Rus', becoming a political capital, the [[episcopal see]] of a bishopric and the controller of [[vassal]] territories among [[Balts]] in the west. The city's [[Saint Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk|Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom]] (1044–66), though completely rebuilt over the years, remains a symbol of this independent-mindedness, rivaling churches of the same name in Novgorod and Kiev, referring to the original [[Hagia Sophia]] in [[Constantinople]] (and hence to claims of imperial prestige, authority and sovereignty). Cultural achievements of the Polotsk period include the work of the nun [[Euphrosyne of Polotsk]] (1120–1173), who built monasteries, transcribed books, promoted literacy and sponsored art (including local artisan [[Lazar Bohsha]]'s famous "[[Cross of Saint Euphrosyne|Cross of Euphrosyne]]", a national symbol and treasure stolen during [[World War II]]), and the prolific, original Church Slavonic sermons and writings of Bishop [[Kirill of Turov]] (1130–1182).

===Grand Duchy of Lithuania===
{{Main|Kingdom of Lithuania|Grand Duchy of Lithuania}}
{{refimprove-section|date=June 2024}}

[[File:Gdlbelarus1400.JPG|left|thumb|The [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]] in the 15th century. The territory of modern-day Belarus was fully within its borders.]]
[[File:Grand Duchy of Lithuania Rus and Samogitia 1434.jpg|thumb|left|Position of Grand Duchy of Lithuania in Eastern Europe until 1434]]
In the 13th century, the fragile unity of Kievan Rus' disintegrated due to nomadic incursions from [[Asia]], which climaxed with the [[Mongol]] [[siege of Kiev (1240)|sacking of Kiev]] in 1240, leaving a geopolitical vacuum in the region. The East Slavs had splintered into a number of independent and competing principalities. Due to military conquest and dynastic marriages, the western principalities of Rus' in modern Belarus were acquired by the expanding [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]], beginning with the rule of [[Kingdom of Lithuania|Lithuanian King]] [[Mindaugas]] (1240–1263). From the 13th to 15th century, the principalities were either conquered or willingly joined the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

The Lithuanians' smaller numbers in this medieval state gave the Ruthenians (later Belarusians and Ukrainians) an important role in the everyday cultural life of the state.{{cn|date=June 2024}} Owing to the prevalence of East Slavs and the [[Eastern Orthodox]] faith among the population in eastern and southern regions of the state, the [[Ruthenian language]] was a widely used colloquial language.

The [[East Slavic languages|East Slavic]] variety of the language (''rus'ka mova'', ''Old Belarusian'' or ''West Russian Chancellery language''), gradually influenced by Polish, was the language of administration in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from at least [[Vytautas]]' reign until the late 17th century when it was replaced by [[Polish language|Polish]].<ref>Björn Wiemer. "Dialect and language contacts on the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the 15th century until 1939". ''Aspects of Multilingualism in European Language History''. Edited by Kurt Braunmüller and Gisell Ferraresi. John Benjamins Publishing. 2003. pp. 110–111.</ref>

This period of political breakdown and reorganization also saw the rise of written local vernaculars in place of the literary and liturgical [[Church Slavonic]] language, a further stage in the evolving differentiation between the [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]], [[Russian language|Russian]] and [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] languages.

Several Lithuanian monarchs — the last being [[Švitrigaila]] in 1432–36 — relied on the Eastern Orthodox Ruthenian majority, while most monarchs and [[magnate (Poland)|magnate]]s increasingly came to reflect the opinions of the Roman Catholics.

[[File:Царква10.JPG|thumb|upright|Church of the Saviour's Transfiguration in [[Zaslawye]] (1577)]]
Construction of Orthodox churches in some parts of present-day Belarus had been initially prohibited, as was the case in [[Vitebsk]] in 1480. On the other hand, further unification of the mostly Orthodox Grand Duchy with mostly Catholic Poland led to liberalization and a partial solving of the religious problem. In 1511, King and [[Grand Duke]] [[Sigismund I the Old]] granted the Orthodox clergy an autonomy previously enjoyed only by Catholic clergy. The privilege was enhanced in 1531, when the Orthodox church was no longer responsible to the Catholic bishop and instead the [[Metropolitan bishop|metropolitan]] was responsible only to the ''[[Synod#Orthodox usage|sobor]]'' of eight Orthodox bishops, the Grand Duke and the [[Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]. The privilege also extended the jurisdiction of the Orthodox hierarchy over all Orthodox people.<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [https://archive.today/20060404105829/http://www.cultinfo.ru/fulltext/1/001/007/061/61149.htm Литовско–русское государство] (''Litovsko–russkoye gosydarstvo'') in ''[[Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary]]''</ref>

In such circumstances, a vibrant Ruthenian culture flourished, mostly in the major cities of present-day Belarus.<ref>
{{in lang|ru}} "[https://archive.today/20050218174817/http://www.cultinfo.ru/fulltext/1/001/008/001/134.htm Братства]" (''Bratstva'') in ''[[Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary]]''
</ref>
Despite the legal usage of the Ruthenian language, which was used as a chancellery language in the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, literature was mostly non-existent, apart from several chronicles.