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Polish historical regions

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

Historical regions with long existence within the 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:

  • Podlachia ( or archaic ) in north-eastern Poland; south-eastern outskirts in Belarus. Largest city: Białystok. Historical capital: Drohiczyn. Formerly entirely part of Poland. Periodically either entirely or partially ruled by Lithuania, Prussia, Austria and Russia.
  • Drohiczyn Land ()
  • Mielnik Land ()
  • Bielsk Land ()
  • Southern Podlasie () overlapping with the westernmost parts of Polesia () in Poland. Polesia was formerly entirely part of Poland, now it is mostly divided between Belarus and Ukraine, with the largest city Homel located in Belarus.
  • Grodno Region (), a small part of the region is in north-eastern Poland, while the remainder, including the historical capital and largest city Grodno, is in Belarus. Largest town in the Polish part is Sokółka. The Belarusian part retains a sizeable Polish minority. Formerly entirely part of Poland.
  • Cherven Cities (), over half of the territory is in Poland, remainder in Ukraine. Largest city: Rzeszów. The region overlaps with the western part of Red Ruthenia (), the remainder of which with the largest city and capital Lwów (now Lviv) is now in Ukraine. Formerly entirely part of Poland. Periodically partially or entirely under Mongol, Hungarian, Austrian and Russian suzerainty in the past.
  • Chełm Land (), including the Zamość Region (), located mostly in eastern Poland, with northeastern part in Ukraine. During the Partitions of Poland divided between Austria and Russia.
  • Przemyśl Land (), named after the historical capital and largest city Przemyśl
  • Bełz Land (), named after the historical capital Bełz, only partially in modern Poland, while the other part including its capital is in Ukraine. During the Partitions of Poland under Austrian rule.
  • notably without the Lwów Land and its capital city of Lwów, currently entirely in Ukraine, before World War II a city with absolute Polish-majority population, and one of the principal administrative, economic, educational, scientific, cultural and religious hubs of Poland; earlier, the nucleus and principal center of Polish national movement struggling to regain the independence of the country after the Partitions
  • Spisz (, ), only partially in Poland, remainder in Slovakia, including the largest city Poprad. Formerly at various times either entirely or partially part of Poland.

Historical regions being a part of Poland for varying amounts of time

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:

  • Silesia (, ), mostly in Poland, small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Largest city and historical capital: Wrocław. One of the major historical regions of Poland since the Middle Ages. Either entirely or partially under Polish rule for several centuries, also under Czech, Hungarian, Austrian and German rule at various times.
  • Lower Silesia (, ), mostly in Poland, small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Largest city and historical capital: Wrocław.
  • Upper Silesia (, ), mostly in Poland, southern outskirts in the Czech Republic. Largest city is Katowice, historical capital is Opole.
  • Cieszyn Silesia (, ), partially in Poland, the other part called Trans-Olza () is in the Czech Republic. Largest city and historical capital: Cieszyn.
  • Lubusz Land (), over half of the region, located on the eastern bank of the Oder River (), is located in Poland, with the largest towns on the Polish side being Kostrzyn nad OdrÄ and Słubice. Remainder is part of Germany, including the historical capital Lubusz, now Lebus. Also ruled as part of either Silesia or Greater Poland within medieval Poland. The region was wholly part of Poland in the Middle Ages, and was also under Czech and German rule in the later periods.
  • Pomerania understood as excluding Pomerelia (), mostly in Poland (central and eastern parts), remainder in Germany. Largest city and historical capital: Szczecin. The region was either wholly or partially ruled by Polish states in the past, and was also under Danish, Swedish (partially) and German suzerainty at various times.
  • Farther Pomerania () in north-western Poland. Largest city: Koszalin.
  • Western Pomerania (), small part in north-western Poland with the historical capital and largest city of Szczecin, remainder in Germany.
  • Kłodzko Land () in south-western Poland, named after the historical capital and largest town Kłodzko. Periodically under Polish rule in the past, and also under Czech, Austrian and German rule in the past. Sometimes also considered part of Lower Silesia.
  • Lusatia (, , ), eastern part is located in Poland, remainder in Germany. Largest town in the Polish part is Å»ary, considered the capital of Polish Lusatia. Largest city of the entire region is Cottbus (, ). The region was either wholly or partially ruled by Polish states in the past. It was also under Czech, German and Hungarian rule at various times.
  • Lower Lusatia (, ), eastern part is located in Poland, remainder in Germany. Largest town in the Polish part is Å»ary. Largest city of entire Lower Lusatia is Cottbus (, ). The region was either wholly or partially ruled by Polish states in the past.
  • Upper Lusatia (, historically: , ), eastern part is located in Poland, remainder in Germany. Largest town in the Polish part is Zgorzelec. Largest city of entire Upper Lusatia is Görlitz (, ). Historical capital is Bautzen (, ). The region was either wholly or partially ruled by Polish states in the past. Modern Polish part is sometimes also considered part of Lower Silesia.

Historical regions since the Jagiellonian dynasty

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

  • Masuria (), mostly in north-eastern Poland. Largest city and historical capital: Ełk.
  • Galindia ()
  • Sasna ()
  • Bartia (), partially overlapping Masuria. Small part of Bartia outside of Masuria is located in the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia. Entirely under Polish sovereignty in the past.
  • Lithuania Minor () or Prussian Lithuania (), the southern outskirts of Lithuania Minor overlap northern Masuria in an area now divided between Poland and the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia. Remainder located in the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, including its historical capital Sovetsk (), and in Lithuania, including its largest city Klaipėda (). Entirely under Polish sovereignty in the past.
  • Nadruvia ()

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 () in Dzūkija, or Black Ruthenia, were either never or centuries ago predominantly populated by ethnic Poles and now lie beyond the borders of Poland.

Historical regions included within Poland under the Piast dynasty

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

  • Podolia (, ), now mostly in Ukraine with southern outskirts in Moldova. Largest city: Vinnytsia (). Historical capital: Kamianets-Podilskyi (). Formerly entirely part of Poland. In the past also partially or entirely under Mongol, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Turkish, Austrian and Russian rule.
  • (, ), southern part of Podolia, now mostly in Ukraine with southern outskirts in Moldova
  • Volhynia (, ), now in Ukraine. Largest city: Rivne (). Historical capital: Lutsk (). Formerly entirely part of Poland. In the past also partially or entirely under Mongol, Lithuanian, Austrian and Russian rule.
  • Pokuttia (, ), now in Ukraine. Largest city: Kolomyia (). In the past also under Mongol, Hungarian, Moldavian and Austrian rule.
  • Moravia (, ), currently in the Czech Republic, briefly part of Poland in the 11th century. In the past also under Czech, Hungarian and Austrian rule.
  • Slovakia (, ) 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.

Historical regions during the times of the Jagiellonian dynasty and the Polish–Lithuanian union

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

  • AukÅ¡taitija (, ), 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 ().
  • DzÅ«kija (, ), 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 (). The region retains a sizeable Polish minority.
  • Vilnius Region (, ), named after the historical capital and largest city Vilnius ()
  • Black Ruthenia (, ), now in Belarus. Part of Lithuania in the Late Middle Ages and early modern period, and part of Russia following the Partitions of Poland.
  • Wallachia (, ), currently in Romania, a former vassal principality of Poland

Other regions

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

Bibliography

See also

References