Smolensk Voivodeship
| Smolensk Voivodeship Palatinatus smolencensis Województwo smoleńskie | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voivodeship of theGrand Duchy of Lithuania,laterPolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth | |||||||||
| 1508–1654 | |||||||||
 Smolensk Voivodeship in red. Voivodeship's borders did not change since theUnion of Lublin. | |||||||||
 Smolensk Voivodeship in thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth | |||||||||
| Capital | Smolensk | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 1508 | ||||||||
| 1654 | |||||||||
| Political subdivisions | counties:two | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Smolensk Voivodeship(Latin:Palatinatus smolencensis;Belarusian:Смаленскае ваяводзтва;Polish:Województwo smoleńskie;Lithuanian:Smolensko vaivadija;Russian:Смоленское воеводство) was a unit of administrative division and local government in theGrand Duchy of Lithuaniaand later thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
History[edit]
The territory of Smolensk was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1404, but the voivodeship was established only in 1508.[1]Just six years later, in 1514, it was lost to theGrand Duchy of Moscowduring theMuscovite–Lithuanian Wars.[2]The voivodeship was recaptured by the Commonwealth in 1611 during thePolish–Muscovite War (1605–18)and lost again in 1654 during theRusso-Polish War (1654–67).[2]Even when the territory was under Russian control, Poland and Lithuania claimed it as a titular voivodeship. The capital of the voivodeship, and the seat of its governor (voivode), was inSmolensk.It was subdivided into twopowiats:Smolensk andStarodub.
Zygmunt Glogerin his monumental book Historical Geography of the Lands of Old Poland provides this description of the Smolensk Voivodeship:
In the 9th century, Smolensk was the main center of theKrivichs.In the 11th century, it became the capital of a separate duchy, thePrincipality of Smolensk,which in the 14th century was conquered by theGrand Duchy of Lithuania.In 1404, it became a permanent part of Lithuania, and later on, the Principality was turned into a Voivodeship. In 1514, Smolensk was captured byMuscovy,which was confirmed by a 1522 treaty. For the next 89 years Smolensk belonged to Muscovy. It was recovered by KingSigismund III of Polandin 1611, but Smolensk Voivodeship as part of the Commonwealth existed only for 56 years. In 1654 it was recaptured by the Russians, which was confirmed by theTruce of Andrusovoin 1667.
Smolensk Voivodeship had three senators: the Bishop, the Voivode, and the Castellan of Smolensk. It was divided into two counties: those of Smolensk andStarodub.After its final annexation byRussia,it continued to exist as a voivodeship in exile, withsejmikstaking place at a Bernardine Church inVilnius.Furthermore, the title of Bishop of Smolensk remained in use. The last titular Bishops before the partitions of Poland wereAdam Naruszewicz,andTymoteusz Gorzeński.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Simas Sužiedėlis, ed. (1970–1978). "Administration".Encyclopedia Lituanica.Vol. I. Boston, Massachusetts: Juozas Kapočius. pp. 17–21.LCCN74-114275.
- ^abKotilaine, Jarmo (2005).Russia's Foreign Trade and Economic Expansion in the Seventeenth Century: Windows on the World.Northern world. BRILL. p. 45.ISBN978-90-04-13896-4.
 |
| |
| ||
