Red Ruthenia (Ukrainian: Червона Русь, Chervona Rus, Polish: Grody Cerwieńskie, Latin: Ruthenia Rubra or Russia Rubra) is the name used since medieval times to refer to the area known as Eastern Galicia prior to World War I. Ethnographers explain that the term was applied from the old-Slavonic use of colours for the cardinal points on the compass. The ancient totem-god Svitovyd had four faces. The northern face of this totem was white (hence Byelorus), the western face red (hence Chervona Rus'), the southern black and the eastern green (hence Zelenyj klyn). This makes the placement of Black Ruthenia problematic. Some Ukrainian historians dispute the validity of the prefix "Red", considering it an unhistorical invention of Polish nationalism aiming at dividing Ruthenia.
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History
Originally it was related to a certain territory between Western Bug and Wieprz rivers. Its name derived from Cherven ("Cherv" means "red" in Slavic languages), a gord that existed there, possibly in the present village of Czermno.[1]. This area was mentioned for the first time in 981, when Volodymyr the Great of Kievan Rus took the area over during his western campaign. In 1018 it was annexed by Poland, 1031 back to Rus, in 1340 Casimir III of Poland recovered it. Since these times the name Ruś Czerwona is recorded, translated as "Red Ruthenia", applied to a territory extended up to the Dniester River, with priority gradually transferred to Przemysl. Since the times of Władyslaw Jagiełło, the Przemysl Voivodeship was called the Ruthenian Voivodeship ("województwo ruskie"), with the priority eventually transferred to Lviv. It consisted of five lands: Lviv, Sanok, Halych, Przemysl, and Cholm. City of Halych gave the name to Galicia. Between World War I and World War II this belonged to the Second Polish Republic. Presently, this area is split. The Western part is the area of Poland around Przemysl, the Eastern part (around Lviv) is a part of Western Ukraine.
Administrative division (14th century-1772)
The Ruthenian Voivodeship
- Chełm Land (Ziemia Chełmska), Chełm
- Chełm County, (Powiat Chełmski), Chełm
- Powiat of Krasnystaw, (Powiat Krasnystawski), Krasnystaw
- Powiat of Ratno, (Powiat Ratneński), Ratno
- Halicz Land (Ziemia Halicka), Halicz
- Lwów Land (Ziemia Lwowska), Lwów
- Przemyśl Land (Ziemia Przemyska), Przemyśl
- Powiat of Przemyśl (Powiat Przemyski), Przemyśl
- Powiat of Sambor, (Powiat Samborski), Sambor
- Powiat of Drohobycz, (Powiat Drohobycki), Drohobycz
- Powiat of Stryj, (Powiat Stryjski), Stryj
- Sanok Land (Ziemia Sanocka), Sanok
- Sanok County (Powiat Sanocki), Sanok
The Bełz Voivodeship
See also
References
Kievan Rus' Principalities: Kiev • Chernihiv • Halych • Volhynia • Red Ruthenia • Pereyaslav
Medieval Epoch: Red Ruthenia • Halych-Volhynia • Bełz Voivodeship • Bracław Voivodeship • Czernihów Voivodeship • Kijów Voivodeship • Podole Voivodeship • Ruthenian Voivodeship
Cossack Epoch: Cossack Hetmanate • Right-bank Ukraine • Left-bank Ukraine • Sloboda Ukraine • Zaporozhian Sich • Dnieper Ukraine • Little Russia
Russian Imperial Guberniyas: Volyn • Podolia • Kiev • Poltava • Bessarabia • Chernigov • Kharkov • Taurida • Yekaterinoslav • Kherson
20th century: Ukrainian SSR • Moldavian ASSR • Drohobych Oblast • Izmail Oblast • Crimean Oblast • Lviv Voivodeship • Ternopil Voivodeship • Volhynian Voivodeship • Stanyslaviv Voivodeship • Carpatho-Ukraine • Reichskommissariat Ukraine • Distrikt Galizien
Geographical: Nadbuzhia • Budzhak • Black Sea Ukraine • Donbas • Dniester Ukraine • Podolia • Pokuttya • Pryazovya • New Russia • Polissya • Podniprovya • Porossia • Prydunavya • Prykarpattia • Porizhia Ukraine • Volhynia
