Principality of Minsk |This article does not cite any references
or sources. (August 2012)| |Principality of Minsk
|Languages||Old East Slavic| The Principality of Minsk was a
Ruthenian principality centered around the city of Minsk in
modern Belarus, that existed from its founding in 1101 until it
was integrated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1242, and
only nominally until 1413. The principality originally occupied
territories around the Drut, Svislach and Berezina river basins.
Besides the capital city of Minsk, other population centers in
the principality included Barysaw, Lahojsk, Zaslawye, Orsha and
the historical town of Drutsk. The area around Minsk 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, Gleb Vseslavich inherited the lands surrounding Minsk
and started the Minsk branch of the