Principality of Vitebsk
| Principality of Vitebsk | ||||||||||
| Віцебскае княства | ||||||||||
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| Capital | Vitebsk | |||||||||
| Languages | Old East Slavic | |||||||||
| Religion | Eastern Orthodox | |||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | |||||||||
| History | ||||||||||
| • | Established | 1101 | ||||||||
| • | Disestablished | 1508 | ||||||||
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The Principality of Vitebsk (Belarusian: Віцебскае княства) was a Ruthenian principality centered on the city of Vitebsk in modern Belarus, that existed from its founding in 1101 until it was inherited into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1320, and only nominally until 1508.
The area around Vitebsk was controlled by the principality of Polotsk beginning from the 10th century. Following the death of Vseslav of Polotsk in 1101, Polotsk was divided into six smaller principalities each to be inherited by one of his six surviving sons. Vseslav's second born son, Sviatoslav Vseslavich inherited the lands surrounding Vitebsk and started the Vitebsk branch of the princes of Polotsk.
In 1106, Sviatoslav had partaken in a raid against the Baltic tribes in Semigallia with his brothers. In 1127, the prince of Kiev, Mstislav Vladimirovich, began a war with the princes of Polotsk over trade routes and pillaged several cities including Polotsk. Following the death of Rogvolod Vseslavich in 1128, Davyd Vseslavich inherited Polotsk and opposed the truce between Rogvolod and Kiev and renewed the conflict. During the new campaigning in 1129, Mstislav Vladimirovich captured the three remaining sons of Vseslav (Davyd, Sviatoslav and Rostislav) and annexed Polotsk and its vassals including Vitebsk. Mstislav gave the title of Polotsk to his son Svyatopolk Mstislavich. Sviatoslav and his brothers along with their immediate families were exiled to Constantinople where Sviatoslav died in 1130.
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