History of Belarus

The formation of the first political associations on the Belarusian land dates back to the 6th-9th centuries. This process was closely connected with the Slavs settlement which led to the Balts, who lived previously in these areas, becoming fully assimilated. The merging of cultures contributed to the appearance of tribal unions, which became the predecessors of the first state formations. According to the information from the chronicles, the tribal union Krivichy appears as early as the 9th century, while the first record of the tribal union Dregovichy dates back to 948. These tribes formed the Belarus’ oldest Polotsk, Turov and Smolensk principalities, whose history is closely connected with the history of Kievan Rus.

By the end of the 10th century, Christianity in the Byzantine rite began spreading over the territory of Belarus, which contributed to the development of culture, the appearance of stone monumental architecture, painting and literature.

In the beginning of the 13th century, the Belarusian lands and principalities became involved in the creation of a major European state – the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL), which was established under the threat from the Crusaders and the Tatars. The capital of the new state since 1253 had become Novogorodok (present day Novogrudok), and from 1323 – Vilna (modern Vilnius). During the 13th -14th centuries all Belarusian lands were included in the GDL. By the 16th century the Belarusian nation was formed and the Belarusian language originated in the bowels of this state. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was gradually integrating in the European political system and gained allies.