in earlier east slavic history, "volost" was a name for the territory ruled by the knyaz, a principality; either as an absolute ruler or with varying degree of autonomy from the "velikiy knyaz" (grand prince). starting from the end of the 14th century, "volost" was a unit of administrative division in grand duchy of lithuania, poland, muscovy, lands of modern latvia and ukraine. since about the 16th century it was a part of provincial districts, that were called "uyezd" in muscovy and the later russian empire. each uyezd had several volosts that were subordinated to the uyezd city.