Where did the Name “Belarus” Come From?
Although the name Belarus most likely means “white Rus”, it is a very old term, and there’s still no exact version of its origin. (“Rus,” historically, refers to the southwestern Slavic territory, but east of Poland, primarily Ukraine, and having nothing whatsoever to do with today’s “Russia.”) Some historians believe that “white” in old Slavic languages meant “free,” pointing to the fact that Belarus was never invaded by the Tatars or under their control, unlike the other principalities later in the 13th – 15th centuries. Others think that this name is older and served as a difference between Kievan Rus, “Black Rus” – a small territory in the western part of modern Belarus, and the territory known as “White Rus”. Whatever the source of this name, it is clear that it is very old and originally corresponded to the territory where the ancestors of the Belarusians lived and where the modern Republic of Belarus is situated. About as reliable–and widespread–as most “urban myths,” some peo
