The Governorate was formed in 1796 under the administrative reforms of Paul I which abolished the Namestnichestvo (viceroyalty) system, which in turn replaced the regimental administration of the Ukrainian Hetmanate in 1781. This placed the Kiev Viceroyalty (excluding the city of Kiev itself), Novgorod-Seversky Viceroyalty and Chernigov Viceroyalty under the new unit. The administrative centre was the city of Chernigov (modern Chernihiv).