History of Belarus

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History of Belarus
Prehistory
Early Slavs
Middle ages
Kievan Rus' Principality of Polotsk Principality of Turov Golden Horde Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Early Modern
Early elective monarchy (1569–1648) Deluge and decline (1648–1764) Three partitions (1764–95) Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Modern
Russian Empire (1795–1917) Belarusian People's Republic (from 1918) Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (1919–91) West Belarus (1919–39) Republic of Belarus (from 1991)
Belarus portal
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The lands of Belarus during the Middle Ages became part of Kievan Rus' and were split between different regional principalities, including Polotsk, Turov, Vitebsk, and others. Following the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, these lands were absorbed by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which later was merged into the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th century.

Following the Partitions of Poland in the 18th century, Belarusian territories became part of the Russian Empire. In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, different states arose competing for legitimacy amid the Russian Civil War, ultimately ending with the consolidation of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, which became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union when it was founded in 1922.

The republic was devastated as a result of the German occupation during World War II, and its territory was expanded after Western Belorussia was annexed by the Soviet Union as a result of the war. Belarus became an independent state in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.