Polish historical regions

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Polish historic regions are regions that were related to a former Polish state, or are within present-day Poland, with or without being identified in its administrative divisions.

There are several historic and cultural regions in Poland that are called ethnographic regions. Their exact borders cannot be drawn, as the regions are not official political or administrative units. They are delimited by culture, such as country traditions, traditional lifestyle, songs, tales, etc. To some extent, the regions correspond to the zones of Polish language dialects. The correspondence, however, is by no means strict.

Historical regions within the current Polish state

The following historic regions within Poland's modern borders belonged to the Polish state during most of its existence, inhabited by a majority or a sizeable Polish- or Cashubian-speaking population, thus forming the core Polish territory:

  • Greater Poland (Polish: Wielkopolska, Latin: Polonia Maior), in western and west-central Poland. Largest city: Poznań. The nucleus of Polish statehood with the earliest medieval Polish capitals of Gniezno and Poznań. One of the major historical regions of Poland since the Middle Ages. Periodically partially or entirely ruled by Germany and Russia during the Partitions of Poland.
    • Kalisz Land (Polish: Ziemia kaliska) in west-central Poland, named after the historical capital and largest city Kalisz. Periodically partially or entirely ruled by Germany and Russia during the Partitions of Poland.
      • Pałuki in central Poland. Largest town: Wągrowiec. Historical capital: Żnin. Periodically ruled by Germany during the Partitions of Poland.
    • Krajna in north-central Poland. Largest city: Piła. Historical capital: Nakło nad Notecią. Periodically ruled by Germany during the Partitions of Poland.
    • Santok Land (Polish: Ziemia santocka) in western Poland, named after the historical capital Santok. Largest city: Gorzów Wielkopolski. Also under German and Czech rule in the past.
  • Kuyavia (Polish: Kujawy, Latin: Cuiavia) in north-central Poland. Largest city: Bydgoszcz. Historical capitals: Włocławek, Brześć Kujawski. Periodically partially or entirely ruled by Germany and Russia during the Partitions of Poland.
    • Inowrocław Land
    • Brześć Land
  • Dobrzyń Land (Polish: Ziemia dobrzyńska) in north-central Poland, named after the historical capital Dobrzyń nad Wisłą. Largest town: Rypin. Periodically ruled by Prussia and Russia during the Partitions of Poland.
  • Łęczyca-Sieradz Land (Polish: Ziemia łęczycko-sieradzka) in central Poland, a region combined of three historic sub-regions. Largest city: Łódź. Periodically partially or entirely ruled by Germany and Russia during the Partitions of Poland.
    • Łęczyca Land (Polish: Ziemia łęczycka) in central Poland, named after the historical capital Łęczyca. Largest city: Łódź.
    • Sieradz Land (Polish: Ziemia sieradzka) in central Poland, named after the historical capital Sieradz. Largest city: Piotrków Trybunalski.
    • Wieluń Land (Polish: Ziemia wieluńska) in central Poland, named after the historical capital Wieluń.
  • Masovia (Polish: Mazowsze, Latin: Mazovia) in central and east-central Poland. Largest city: Warsaw. Historical capitals: Płock and Warsaw. The region contains one of the medieval capitals of Poland (Płock). One of the major historical regions of Poland since the Middle Ages. Periodically ruled by Prussia, Austria and Russia during the Partitions of Poland.
    • Kurpie in north-central Poland, in northern Masovia
    • Płock Land (Polish: Ziemia płocka)
    • Rawa Land (Polish: Ziemia rawska)
    • Zawkrze in north-central Poland. Largest town: Mława. Historical capital: Szreńsk.
    • Zapilicze in central Poland. Largest town and historical capital: Białobrzegi.
Coats of arms of the Kraków, Lublin and Sandomierz lands, divisions of Lesser Poland
Coats of arms of Kashubia, Kociewie and Chełmno Land

Another group of territories constituted (either directly or as a fief) a part of the Polish state for varying amounts of time, ranging from episodes in the Middle Ages (e.g. Kłodzko Land, Lusatia) to several hundreds of years in the case of most, like Silesia, Warmia and Powiśle. Among them, only Warmia, Powiśle, southern Masuria, as well as Upper, Cieszyn and eastern and northern Lower Silesia retained sizeable Polish-speaking populations into the beginning of 20th century. Regions forming part of Poland since first historic rulers Mieszko I and Bolesław I the Brave of the Piast dynasty:

Regions forming part of Poland since the Late Middle Ages and the Jagiellonian dynasty:

Historical regions of former Polish states, currently entirely outside current Polish borders

Outside Poland are several historic regions which were once part of medieval Poland, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth or the Second Polish Republic. While these regions are important for Polish history, calling them Polish is in some cases controversial, as most of them, with the exceptions of Vilnius Region (Polish: Wileńszczyzna) in Dzūkija, or Black Ruthenia, were either never or centuries ago predominantly populated by ethnic Poles and now lie beyond the borders of Poland.

Regions either partially or entirely first included within Poland under the Piast dynasty (10th century–1370) are:

Coats of arms of Podolia and Volhynia during Polish rule
  • Podolia (Polish: Podole), now mostly in Ukraine with southern outskirts in Moldova. Largest city: Vinnytsia (Polish: Winnica). Historical capital: Kamianets-Podilskyi (Polish: Kamieniec Podolski). Formerly entirely part of Poland. In the past also partially or entirely under Mongol, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Turkish, Austrian and Russian rule.
    • Pobereże, southern part of Podolia, now mostly in Ukraine with southern outskirts in Moldova
  • Volhynia (Polish: Wołyń), now in Ukraine. Largest city: Rivne (Polish: Równe). Historical capital: Lutsk (Polish: Łuck). Formerly entirely part of Poland. In the past also partially or entirely under Mongol, Lithuanian, Austrian and Russian rule.
  • Pokuttia (Polish: Pokucie), now in Ukraine. Largest city: Kolomyia (Polish: Kołomyja). In the past also under Mongol, Hungarian, Moldavian and Austrian rule.
  • Moravia (Polish: Morawy), currently in the Czech Republic, briefly part of Poland in the 11th century. In the past also under Czech, Hungarian and Austrian rule.
  • Slovakia (Polish: Słowacja) as a whole, temporarily part of Poland in the 11th century, including currently partially Slovak-held regions of Orawa and Spisz, which were part of Poland much longer. Afterwards under Hungarian, Austrian and Czechoslovak rule.

Regions first included within Poland under the Jagiellonian dynasty (1386–1572), also by the Polish–Lithuanian union, are:

Coats of arms of Livonia and Samogitia during Polish rule
  • Livonia (Polish: Inflanty, Latin: Livonia), in modern Latvia and Estonia. Most of Livonia was under Polish sovereignty, excluding the northernmost part, i.e. current northern Estonia, however, Poland claimed the entire region. The region was also under German, Swedish and Russian rule at various times in the past. Largest city: Riga (Polish: Ryga).
    • Courland (Polish: Kurlandia, Latvian: Kurzeme), now in Latvia. Largest city: Liepāja (Polish: Lipawa).
    • Latgalia (Polish: Łatgalia, Latvian: Latgale), now in Latvia. Largest city: Daugavpils (Polish: Dyneburg). The region retains a sizeable Polish minority.
    • Semigallia (Polish: Semigallia, Latvian: Zemgale), now in Latvia. Largest city: Jelgava (Polish: Jełgawa, historically Mitawa).
  • Samogitia (Polish: Żmudź), now in Lithuania. Part of Lithuania in the Late Middle Ages and early modern period, and part of Russia following the Partitions of Poland. Largest city: Šiauliai (Polish: Szawle).
  • Aukštaitija (Polish: Auksztota), now in Lithuania. Part of Lithuania in the Late Middle Ages and early modern period, and part of Russia following the Partitions of Poland. Largest city: Kaunas (Polish: Kowno).
Coats of arms of Vilnius Region and Black Ruthenia during Polish rule
  • Dzūkija (Polish: Dżukia), now in Lithuania and Belarus, partially overlapping with Black Ruthenia. Part of Lithuania in the Late Middle Ages and early modern period, and part of Russia following the Partitions of Poland. Largest city: Vilnius (Polish: Wilno). The region retains a sizeable Polish minority.
    • Vilnius Region (Polish: Wileńszczyzna), named after the historical capital and largest city Vilnius (Polish: Wilno)
  • Black Ruthenia (Polish: Ruś Czarna), now in Belarus. Part of Lithuania in the Late Middle Ages and early modern period, and part of Russia following the Partitions of Poland.
  • White Ruthenia (Polish: Ruś Biała), present-day central, northern and eastern Belarus, and western outskirts of modern Russia with Smolensk and Starodub. Largest city: Minsk (Polish: Mińsk). Part of Lithuania in the Late Middle Ages and early modern period, and part of Russia following the Partitions of Poland.
  • Sambia, now in Kaliningrad Oblast in Russia. Largest city: Kaliningrad (Polish: Królewiec).
  • Ukraine (Polish: Ukraina), now known as Dnieper Ukraine, now in Ukraine, country named after the region. Largest city and historical capital: Kyiv (Polish: Kijów).
    • Right-bank Ukraine (Polish: Ukraina Prawobrzeżna)
    • Left-bank Ukraine (Polish: Ukraina Lewobrzeżna)
    • Zaporizhzhia (Polish: Zaporoże)
  • Moldavia (Polish: Mołdawia), currently in Romania, Moldova and Ukraine, a former vassal principality of Poland
  • Vallachia (Polish: Wołoszczyzna), currently in Romania, a former vassal principality of Poland
  • Novgorod Land and Pskov Land, now in Russia, former vassal principalities of Poland

Regions first under Polish suzerainty under the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth:

Bibliography

  • Norman Davies, God's Playground: A History of Poland, vol. 1: The Origins to 1795; vol. 2: 1795 to the Present, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1981, ISBN 0-19-925339-0, ISBN 0-19-925340-4. [1] Chapter two: "The Polish Land", pp. 23–52.

See also

wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about Polish historical regions, What is Polish historical regions? What does Polish historical regions mean?

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