The banner of White Ruthenia

White Russia is a name that was historically applied to different regions in Eastern Europe, most often to the region that roughly corresponds to the present-day Belarus. In English the use of White Russia to refer to Belarus is dated, however many other languages continue to use a literal translation of White Russia to refer to Belarus. Because of its association with perceived Russian and Soviet imperialism, some people in Belarus consider the name derogatory. Pogoń - a version of Vytis used during the Battle of Grunwald by the banners of White Ruthenia Derivative of Image:Pogon. ... Pogoń - a version of Vytis used during the Battle of Grunwald by the banners of White Ruthenia Derivative of Image:Pogon. ... The banner of White Ruthenia White Ruthenia (Ruthénie Blanche in French), 1918. ... Eastern Europe is the eastern region of Europe variably defined. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Motto: Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Russian: Workers of the world, unite!) Anthem: The Internationale (1922-1944) Hymn of the Soviet Union (1944-1991) Capital (largest city) Moscow None; Russian de facto Government Federation of Soviet Republics  - Last President Mikhail Gorbachev  - Last Premier Ivan Silayev Establishment October Revolution   - Declared 30... Imperialism is a policy of extending control or authority over foreign entities as a means of acquisition and/or maintenance of empires. ...

The meaning of the name and its translation

The name "White Russia" is a literal, although not entirely correct translation of the names Belaya Rus (Белая Русь). The problem with this translation is that the name "White Russia" seems to suggest that this territory is related to the present-day Russian Federation, whereas it has nothing to do with the Russian Federation, but is related to the ancient lands of Ruthenia (or Rus’—see also Etymology of Rus and derivatives). Ruthenia is a name applied to parts of Eastern Europe which were populated by Eastern Slavic peoples, as well as to various states that existed in this territory in the past. ... Originally Rus (Русь, Rus’) was a medieval country and state that comprised mostly Early East Slavs. ...

Ruthenia is the latinized version of Kievan Rus’, a 9th to 12th-century state that existed in the territories of modern-day Belarus, Ukraine, and part of western Russia, eastern Poland and Slovakia. Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Kievan Rus′ (Ки́евская Ру́сь, Kievskaya Rus in Russian; Київська Русь, Kyivs’ka Rus’ in Ukrainian) was the early, mostly East Slavic¹ state dominated by the...

Although Belarus translates to White Russia in many modern languages for historic reasons (starting from Russian Belorussiya and most Germanic languages), the equation of Rus’ and Russia is controversial today and is disputed by a number of historians. Many Belarusians rankle at its implications on their national self-determination, particularly in light of imperial Russian and Soviet rhetoric calling for the reunification of "one indivisible Russia". Imperial Russia is the term used to cover the period of history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great, through the expansion of the Russian Empire from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean, to the deposal of Nicholas II of Russia, the last tsar, at the start... Soviet redirects here. ...

Conversely, in some languages there is a clear distinction between the two words ("Russia" and the ancient "Rus"). For example:

• Polish: Białoruś (White Rus), but Rosja (Russia);
• Ukrainian: Білорусь Bilorus (White Rus), but Росія Rosia (Russia);
• German before 1945: Weißruthenien (White Rus), but Russland (Russia).

An example of the use of this word in present day can be found in the German Embassy website of Australia, acknowledging both "White Russia" and Belarus as the same country. 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ...

History

Many other variants of this name appeared in ancient maps: for instance, Russia Alba, Russija Alba, Wit Rusland, Weiss Reussen, White Russia, Hvite Russland, Hvíta Rússland, Weiss Russland, Ruthenia Alba, Ruthenie Blanche and Weiss Ruthenien (Weißruthenien), assigned to various territories, often quite distant from that of present Belarus. For example, at one time the term was applied to Novgorod. Velikiy Novgorod (Russian: ) is the foremost historic city of North-Western Russia, situated on the M10(E95) federal highway connecting Moscow and St. ...

Only by the late 16th century did it become a name for the area of the present Belarus. Until this time and for a long time afterwards the population of this territory (Belarusians) were known as Litvins (i.e., Lithuanians), by the name of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, into which the land had been integrated since the 13th - 14th centuries. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Litvins can mean: Belarusians or Lithuanians (usually in old contexts) Any persons from Grand Duchy of Lithuania This is a disambiguation page — a list of articles associated with the same title. ... The presumable banner of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the coat of arms, called Пагоня in Belarusian, Vytis in Lithuanian and Pogoń in Polish Another version of the Lithuanian banner The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė, Belarusian: Вялі́кае Кня́ства Літо́ўскае (ВКЛ), Ukrainian: Велике Князівство Литовське (ВКЛ), Polish: Wielkie Księstwo Litewskie) was an... (Redirected from 13th) 13 (Thirteen) is the natural number following 12 and preceding 14. ... (Redirected from 14th centuries) (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ...

The origins of the name are somewhat unclear, but it may have had its origins in the efforts made by Russia's tsars to distinguish themselves from their predecessors in Rome and Byzantium (on the basis that Russia was the "Third Rome"). The Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii by Sigismund von Herberstein explains that the Muscovite rulers wore white robes to distinguish themselves from the purple of the Roman rulers and the red of the Byzantines. The Russian Tsar was thus called the "White Tsar": Sunt qui principem Moscovuiae Album Regem nuncupant. Ego quidem causam diligenter quaerebam, cur Regis Albi nomine appellaretur, or Weisse Reyssen oder weissen Khünig nennen etliche unnd wöllen damit ain underscheid der Reyssen machen (from Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii). Monomakhs Cap symbol of Russian autocracy, the crown of Russian grand princes and tsars Czar and tzar redirect here. ... Nickname: The Eternal City Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 8th century BC Mayor Walter Veltroni Area    - City 1,285 km²  (496. ... What Up. ... New Rome is a term that can be applied to a city or a country. ... Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii (1549) (literally Notes on Muscovite Affairs) was a book in Latin by Baron Sigismund von Herberstein on the geography, history and customs of Muscovy (the 16th century Russian state). ... Siegmund (Sigismund) Freiherr von Herberstein, (or Baron Sigismund von Herberstein), (August 23, 1486—March 28, 1566), Austrian diplomat, writer and historian. ...

The Tsar himself was often called the "Great White Tsar", while he included among his official titles the style (literal translation): "The Sovereign of all Rus': the Great, the Little, and the White". This appellation, together with the solemn wording "White Tsardom", was in use till the very end of the Russian Empire. Ultimately, this colour was transferred onto the name of the counter-revolutionary White Army that fought against the Red Army. National motto: None Official language Russian (among many others in political subdivisions) Official script Cyrillic alphabet Capital Moscow Largest city Moscow President Vladimir Putin Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 1st 17,075,200 km² 0. ... Little Russia or Malorossiya (Russian: ) was the name for the territory of Ukraine applied in the time of the Russian Empire and earlier. ... Official language Russian Official Religion Russian Orthodox Christianity Capital Saint Petersburg (Petrograd 1914-1924) Area Approx. ... The White movement, whose military arm is known as the White Army (Белая Армия) or White Guard (Белая Гвардия, белогвардейцы) and whose members are known as Whites (Белые, or the derogatory Беляки) or White Russians (a term which has other meanings) comprised some of the Russian forces, both political and military, which opposed the Bolsheviks after the... The short forms Red Army and RKKA refer to the Workers and Peasants Red Army, (in Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия - Raboche-Krestyanskaya Krasnaya Armiya), the armed forces first organized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War in 1918. ...

Alternately, it may have its origins in the five colored cardinal directions used in many central Asian cultures, where white is an indicator for west. A compass rose showing the cardinal directions In geography, the four cardinal directions are north, east, south and west. ...

It is noteworthy that some other peoples have been referred to by colour. There have been White, Red and Black Croats (White Croats and White Croatia were in today's Croatia, western Bosnia and Herzegovina and in south-east Poland and western Ukraine, beyond Carpathians; Red Croats and Red Croatia were in today's south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina and southern Montenegro, and in area beyond the Don river; Black Croats in today's north-east Czech Republic); White Serbs in today's East Germany. In the People's Republic of China Red, Black, and Green Miao are known. Croats (Croatian: Hrvati) are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. ... White Croats migrated to modern Dalmatia (coastal part of Croatia) as part of the migration of the Croats in 610-641 A.D.[1] ... White Croatia is the area of modern-day Poland, Bohemia (Czech Republic) and Slovakia from which the White Croats migrated in the 7th century into Dalmatia, Croatia. ... This is about the terrestrial mountain range. ... Red Croats migrated to modern Montenegro as part of the migration of the Croats in 610-641 A.D., as part of the expanding Avar kingdom. ... The introduction of this article does not provide enough context for readers unfamiliar with the subject. ... Motto: none Anthem: Oj, svijetla majska zoro Capital Podgorica Largest city Podgorica Serbian of the Ijekavian dialect1 Government Republic  - President Filip Vujanović  - Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence From Serbia and Montenegro   - Declared June 3, 2006   - Recognised June 8, 2006  Area  - Total 14,026 km² (159th) 5,414 sq mi   - Water... The Don (Дон) is one of the major rivers of Russia. ... Sorbian national flag The Sorbs (also Lusatians or Lusatia Serbs) are a relatively small west Slavic people, living as a minority in the region known as Lusatia in the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg (in former GDR territory). ... The terms Hmong (IPA:) and Mong [mɔ̃ŋ] both refer to an Asian ethnic group whose homeland is in the mountainous regions of southern China. ...

There is also a region historically known as Black Ruthenia (Black Russia, Чорная Русь). It covers Northwestern lands of modern-day Belarus: Hrodna, Slonim, Navahradak, Vaukavysk, and partly Minsk region. Black Ruthenia (or Black Rus, Чēрная Русь in Russian, RuÅ› Czarna in Polish) is conventional, rather even artificial name of the territory of the 13th-14th centuries in the western half of contemporary Belarus on the upper reaches of the Neman River. ... Hrodna City emblem Hrodna (or Grodna, Horadnia, Harodnia) (Belarusian: ; Russian: ; Polish: , Lithuanian: , German: ) is a city in Belarus. ... Slonim (Belarusian: Сло́нім; Russian: Сло́ним Polish: SÅ‚onim) is a city in Belarus in the Hrodna voblast, located at the junction of the Scara and Isa rivers, 143 km southeast of Hrodna. ... Navahradak (Нава́градак in Belarusian; Russian: Novogrudok; Polish: Nowogródek; Lithuanian: Naugardukas) is a city in western Belarus. ... VaÅ­kavysk (Belarusian: ) is a town in the Minsk Province of Belarus. ... Location Location of Minsk, shown within the Minsk Voblast Government Belarus District City Belarus Minsk Voblast Minsk City City 980 (Polatsk) Mayor Mikhail Pavlov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 256 km² Population  - City (2006) 1,780,000 Coordinates Elevation 280. ...

See also

• Etymology of Rus and derivatives
• Great Russia
• Little Russia
• White Russians (Russian Civil War) (this old-Russia-wide notion is unrelated to the topic of this article)
• Color metaphors for race

Originally Rus (Русь, Rus’) was a medieval country and state that comprised mostly Early East Slavs. ... National motto: None Official language Russian (among many others in political subdivisions) Official script Cyrillic alphabet Capital Moscow Largest city Moscow President Vladimir Putin Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 1st 17,075,200 km² 0. ... Little Russia or Malorossiya (Russian: ) was the name for the territory of Ukraine applied in the time of the Russian Empire and earlier. ... The White movement, whose military arm is known as the White Army (Белая Армия) or White Guard (Белая Гвардия, белогвардейц&#1099... In some societies, color metaphors are used in place of racial classifications. ...

External links

• The 21 Names of Belarus
• Why is the Russia White?
• Visa requirements-List of countries