Subdivisions of The Russian Empire - Early History

Early History

Further information: List of historic states of Russia

The Kievan Rus' as it formed in the 10th century remained a more or less unified realm under the rule of Yaroslav the Wise (d. 1054), but in the later part of the 11th century, it disintegrated into a number of de facto independent and rivaling principalities, the most important of which were Grand Duchy of Galicia and Volhynia, Novgorod Republic, and Grand Duchy of Vladimir and Suzdal.

With the advance of Mongols and establishing of Golden Horde in 1240, many parts of Kievan Rus came under a direct administration of Sarai, while others became its dependencies. The three previously mentioned main centers were established as successors of the Kievan Rus. Most of Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia however became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later gradually and completely coming under the direct administration of the Crown of Poland. Novgorod Republic was overran by the time well-established Grand Duchy of Moscow. The grand duchies of Lithuania and Moscow practically divided the former territories of Kievan Rus between each other, both struggling to gain the seat of Metropolitan of Kiev.

From the 13th century, the Russian principalities used an administrative subdivision into uyezds, with each such uyezd being subdivided into several volosts, some areas used division of pyatina. Voyevodas were the officials appointed to administer and defend the uyezds.

By the 15th century Muscovy was recognized as a direct successor of the Grand Duchy of Vladimir. It gradually incorporated all left out adjacent smaller duchies such as the Principality of Yaroslavl, Principality of Rostov and successfully conquered the Grand Duchy of Nizhny Novgorod and Suzdal, the Grand Duchy of Tver as well as the Novgorod Republic. Near the end of the 15th century the Golden Horde fell apart into several smaller khanates and Muscovy for the first time became a sovereign state.

At the start of the 16th Muscovy managed to annex the Pskov Republic and conquer the Grand Duchy of Ryazan as well as secure number of territories that belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania such as Upper Oka Principalities and Sloboda Ukraine, thus extending the territory of Muscovy far south. Later the Oka principalities and Sloboda Ukraine were incorporated into the first Government of Kiev of 1708. During the second half of the 16th century Muscovy managed to conquer number of West-Sibirian and Volga duchies and khanates such as Kazan Khanate, Siberia Khanate, Astrakhan Khanate, Great Nogai Horde and many others. Some of the territorial acquisitions however were lost during the Time of Troubles.

Soon after the Time of Troubles (Treaty of Polyanovka), Muscovy was able to recover the Duchy of Smolensk (Smolensk Voivodeship) and later annex territory of the Left-bank Ukraine (Truce of Andrusovo).

Prior to 18th century Muscovy was divided into a system of territorial units called razryad (literally order of units) as part of military reform of 1680.

• Moscow Razryad
• Sevsk Razryad
• Vladimir Razryad
• Novgorod Razryad
• Kazan Razryad
• Smolensk Razryad
• Ryazan Razryad
• Belgorod Razryad, chartered in 1658 out of the Kiev Voivodeship
• Tambov Razryad
• Tula Razryad
• Tobol Razryad, chartered no later than 1587 (first known Voivodeship)
• Tom Razryad
• Yenisei Razryad

During the 1680s Muscovy acquired a substantial expansion in Transbaikal after signing the Treaty of Nerchinsk with China (Qing dynasty). By this time (end of the 17th century), an extensive territory from Yenisei to the Sea of Okhotsk was secured after the Russia due to colonization policy. The discovery of the Bering Strait in 1728 confirmed the eastern borders of modern Russia. The eastward advance through Siberia extended the Tobol Razryad transforming it into overstretched territory that was initially in 1708 included into Siberia Governorate.