# Vilnius Voivodeship

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Voivodeship of Lithuania (1413–1795)

This article is about a voivodeship in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. For the 20th-century voivodeship, see [Wilno Voivodeship (1923–1939)](/source/Wilno_Voivodeship_(1923%E2%80%931939)).

Vilnius Voivodeship Lithuanian: Vilniaus vaivadija Polish: Województwo wileńskie Voivodeship of Grand Duchy of Lithuania (part of the federative Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth since 1569) 1413–1795 Coat of arms Vilnius Voivodeship in red. Voivodeship's borders did not change since the Union of Lublin. Vilnius Voivodeship in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Capital Vilnius Area • 44,200 km2 (17,100 sq mi) History • Union of Horodło 1413 • Third partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 1795 Political subdivisions counties (aka. pavietas, powiat): five Preceded by Succeeded by Duchy of Lithuania Vilna Governorate Today part of Lithuania Belarus Latvia¹ ¹ Small portion around Aknīste

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Please help improve this article by citing more sources. Find sources: "Vilnius Voivodeship" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2022)

The **Vilnius Voivodeship** ([Latin](/source/Latin_language): *Palatinatus Vilnensis*, [Lithuanian](/source/Lithuanian_language): *Vilniaus vaivadija*, [Polish](/source/Polish_language): *województwo wileńskie*, [Belarusian](/source/Belarusian_language): Віленскае ваяводства) was one of the [Grand Duchy of Lithuania](/source/Grand_Duchy_of_Lithuania)'s voivodeships, which existed from the voivodeship's creation in 1413 to the [destruction of the Lithuanian state in 1795](/source/Third_Partition_of_the_Polish-Lithuanian_Commonwealth).[1] This voivodeship was Lithuania's largest, most politically and economically important.[1]

## History

Main article: [History of Vilnius](/source/History_of_Vilnius)

	- Coat of arms of the Vilnius Voivodeship

		- The Voivodeship's coat of arms in 1430s, depicted in the *Armorial Lyncenich*

		- The Voivodeship's coat of arms in 1555

		- As depicted in 1712

		- As depicted in 1720

		- As depicted in 1875

### 1413-1566

The Vilnius Voivodeship was created instead of the Vilnius Viceroyalty (Lithuanian: *Vilniaus vietininkija*) during the [Pact of Horodło](/source/Pact_of_Horodlo) in 1413.[1]

The core of the Vilnius Voivodeship was the Vilnius County, which was composed of the Vilnius Bailiwick (Lithuanian: *Vilniaus tijūnija*), which was composed of the manors of [Vilnius](/source/Vilnius), [Nemenčinė](/source/Nemen%C4%8Din%C4%97), [Švenčionys](/source/%C5%A0ven%C4%8Dionys), [Dysna](/source/Dysna_(village)) and other places, in addition to almost all of Lithuania on both side of [Neris](/source/Neris).[1] Also included was the Breslauja Viceroyalty (Lithuanian: *Breslaujos vietininkija*), [Svir](/source/Svir%2C_Belarus), the lands of the dukes [Giedraičiai](/source/Giedrai%C4%8Diai_(family)) and the counties of the so-called [Lithuanian Rus'](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lithuanian_Rus%27&action=edit&redlink=1), which included [Maladzyechna](/source/Maladzyechna), [Hajna](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hajna,_Lahoysk&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0_(%D0%B0%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B3%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BA))], [Minsk](/source/Minsk), [Barysaw](/source/Barysaw), [Rechytsa](/source/Rechytsa), [Svisloch](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Svisloch_(town)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B2%D1%96%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%87_(%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B4))], [Propoysk](/source/Propoysk)‑[Chachersk](/source/Chachersk).[1] In the Upper Dnieper, the Vilnius Voivodeship had half of the [Horval](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Horval&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C)], [Liubushany](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Liubushany&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D1%8E%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%88%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%8B)] and [Babruysk](/source/Babruysk) parishes, whose remaining part belonged to the [Trakai Voivodeship](/source/Trakai_Voivodeship).[1] From [Vitebsk](/source/Vitebsk)'s lands, the Vilnius Voivodeship received [Mogilev](/source/Mogilev), which belonged to the [Grand Duchess of Lithuania](/source/Grand_Duchess_of_Lithuania), [Knyazhytsi](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Knyazhytsi&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BD%D1%8F%D0%B6%D1%8B%D1%86%D1%8B_(%D0%9C%D0%B0%D0%B3%D1%96%D0%BB%D1%91%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%96_%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%91%D0%BD))], [Tyatseryn](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tyatseryn&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A6%D1%8F%D1%86%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%8B%D0%BD)] and [Aboltsi](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aboltsi&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%86%D1%8B_(%D0%A2%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%87%D1%8B%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%96_%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%91%D0%BD))].[1] Moreover, the Principalities of [Alšėnai](/source/Principality_of_Al%C5%A1%C4%97nai), [Kletsk](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Principality_of_Kletsk&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%86%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5_%D0%BA%D0%BD%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0)], [Novogrudok](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Principality_of_Naugardukas&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%B3%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B4%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5_%D0%BA%D0%BD%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0)], [Slutsk](/source/Principality_of_Slutsk), [Trobos](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Principality_of_Trobos&action=edit&redlink=1) and [Izyaslavl](/source/Principality_of_Izyaslavl) were part of the Vilnius Voivodeship.[1] Novogrudok became a separate [Voivodeship](/source/Naugardukas_Voivodeship_(1507%E2%80%931795)) in 1507.[1]

The Vilnius Voivodeship was the location of many large estates.[1] These were centred on the following places and owned by those families: [Goštautai](/source/Go%C5%A1tautai) owned [Hieraniony](/source/Hieraniony), the [Radziwiłłs](/source/Radziwi%C5%82%C5%82_family) had [Nyasvizh](/source/Nyasvizh) and [Dubingiai](/source/Dubingiai), [Zaberezinskiai](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zaberezinskiai&action=edit&redlink=1) had Zaberezinas, while the [Astikai](/source/Astikai) had [Vyžuonos](/source/Vy%C5%BEuonos).[1]

### 1566-1795

In 1566, during the administrative and judicial reforms of 1564–66, Vilnius Voivodeship was divided into the counties of [Vilnius](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vilnius_County_(1566%E2%80%931795)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[lt](https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilniaus_pavietas)], [Ashmyany](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ashmyany_County_(1566%E2%80%931795)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%88%D0%BC%D1%8F%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%96_%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82_(%D0%92%D1%8F%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5_%D0%9A%D0%BD%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%9B%D1%96%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5))], [Braslaw](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Braslaw_County_(1566%E2%80%931795)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%96_%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82_(%D0%92%D1%8F%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5_%D0%9A%D0%BD%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%9B%D1%96%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5))], [Lida](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lida_County_(1566%E2%80%931795)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D1%96%D0%B4%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%96_%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82_(%D0%92%D1%8F%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5_%D0%9A%D0%BD%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%9B%D1%96%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5))] (assigned from [Trakai Voivodeship](/source/Trakai_Voivodeship)), [Vilkmergė](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vilkmerg%C4%97_County_(1566%E2%80%931795)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[lt](https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilkmerg%C4%97s_pavietas)].[1] Simultaneously, Vitebsk' lands, the Upper Dnieper, most of the Lithuanian Rus', the Principalities of Kletsk and Sluck were separated from the Vilnius Voivodeship.[1]

## Aftermath

### 19th century

After the [partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth](/source/Partitions_of_the_Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Commonwealth), the Vilnius Voivodeship was occupied by the [Russian Empire](/source/Russian_Empire).[1] Most of the territory became the [Vilna Governorate](/source/Vilna_Governorate). In 1843, its northern part was assigned to [Kovno Governorate](/source/Kovno_Governorate).

### 20th century

After [World War I](/source/World_War_I), the lands of the former Vilnius Voivodeship were fought over by the [Lithuanian Army](/source/Lithuanian_Army), [Central Lithuania](/source/Republic_of_Central_Lithuania) with its [Army](/source/Army_of_Central_Lithuania), the [Polish Army](/source/Polish_Army), and the [Red Army](/source/Red_Army). Following the annexation of Central Lithuania by Poland, during the [Interwar](/source/Interwar_period), most of the former Voivodeship ended up under the [Second Polish Republic](/source/Second_Polish_Republic) while the rest was ruled by Lithuanians. According to the [Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty](/source/Soviet%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Peace_Treaty) in 1920, most of the former voivodeship should have been part of Lithuania. After World War II, the occupying Soviet Union assigned most of the voivodeship's territory that was previously under Polish rule to the [Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic](/source/Byelorussian_Soviet_Socialist_Republic).

## Geography and administrative division

[Wilno](/source/Wilno), capital of the voivodeship, in the 17th century

Geographically the area was centred on the city of [Vilnius](/source/Vilnius), which had always been the capital of the entity and the seat of a [voivode](/source/Voivode). However, the actual territory of the voivodeship varied over time. Together with the [Trakai Voivodeship](/source/Trakai_Voivodeship) it was known as [Lithuania proper](/source/Lithuania_proper). Until the [partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth](/source/Partitions_of_Poland) the voivodeship, also known as a palatinate, was composed of five [counties](/source/Counties) (Lithuanian: plural - *pavietai*, singular - *pavietas*):

- [Vilnius County](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vilnius_County_(1566%E2%80%931795)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[lt](https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilniaus_pavietas)]

- [Ashmyany County](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ashmyany_County_(1566%E2%80%931795)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%88%D0%BC%D1%8F%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%96_%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82_(%D0%92%D1%8F%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5_%D0%9A%D0%BD%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%9B%D1%96%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5))]

- [Braslaw County](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Braslaw_County_(1566%E2%80%931795)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%96_%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82_(%D0%92%D1%8F%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5_%D0%9A%D0%BD%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%9B%D1%96%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5))]

- [Lida County](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lida_County_(1566%E2%80%931795)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[be](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D1%96%D0%B4%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%96_%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82_(%D0%92%D1%8F%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5_%D0%9A%D0%BD%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%9B%D1%96%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5))]

- [Vilkmergė County](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vilkmerg%C4%97_County_(1566%E2%80%931795)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[lt](https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilkmerg%C4%97s_pavietas)]

## Voivodes

Main article: [Voivode of Vilnius](/source/Voivode_of_Vilnius)

The Voivode of Vilnius was ranked first in importance among the secular members of the [Lithuanian Council of Lords](/source/Lithuanian_Council_of_Lords).[1] In the voivode hierarchy of Poland–Lithuania, established by the [Union of Lublin](/source/Union_of_Lublin) in 1569, the Voivode of Vilnius, who was also a senator of the [Polish–Lithuanian Sejm](/source/Sejm_of_the_Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Commonwealth), took the fourth place and the [Castellan of Vilnius](/source/Castellan_of_Vilnius) - the sixth place.[1]

## See also

- [Administrative divisions of Lithuania](/source/Administrative_divisions_of_Lithuania)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-13) [***o***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-14) [***p***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGudavičius2022_1-15) [Gudavičius 2022](#CITEREFGudavičius2022).

## Sources

- Gudavičius, Edvardas (1999). *Lietuvos istorija* (in Lithuanian). Vol. 1 - Nuo seniausių laikų iki 1569 metų. Vilnius. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9-986-39-111-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9-986-39-111-3).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher))

- Gudavičius, Edvardas (2022). ["Vilniaus vaivadija"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220224180511/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/vilniaus-vaivadija/). *[Vle.lt](/source/Vle.lt)* (in Lithuanian). Archived from [the original](https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/vilniaus-vaivadija/) on 24 February 2022.

v t e Historical voivodeships of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Vilnius (1413) Trakai (1413) Eldership of Samogitia (1441) Polotsk (1504) Nowogródek (1507) Smolensk (1508) Vitebsk (1511) Brest Litovsk (1566) Minsk (1566) Mstsislaw (1566) Transferred to the Crown of the Polish Kingdom by the Union of Lublin (1569) Kiev (1471) Podlaskie (1513) Bracław (1566) Volhynian (1566)

v t e Subdivisions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Province of Greater Poland Brześć Kujawski Chełmno Gniezno Inowrocław Kalisz Łęczyca Malbork Masovian Płock Pomeranian Poznań Rawa Sieradz Prince-Bishopric of Warmia Province of Lesser Poland Bełz Bracław Chernihów Kiev Kraków Lublin Podlaskie Podolian Ruthenian Sandomierz Volhynia Duchy of Siewierz Duchy of Siveria (1619–1635) Grand Duchy of Lithuania Brest Litovsk Minsk Mstsislaw Nowogródek Połock Smolensk Trakai Vilnius Vitebsk Duchy of Samogitia Polish Livonia Duchy of Livonia (1561–1621): Dorpat, Parnawa, Wenden Inflanty (1621–1772) Fiefs Lębork and Bytów Land Duchy of Prussia Duchy of Courland and Semigallia Principality of Moldavia

[54°40′58″N 25°16′12″E / 54.682738°N 25.269943°E / 54.682738; 25.269943](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Vilnius_Voivodeship&params=54.682738_N_25.269943_E_type:landmark)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Vilnius Voivodeship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilnius_Voivodeship) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilnius_Voivodeship?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.