Principality of Drutsk

The Duchy of Drutsk (Княства Друцкае) was a small appanage principality of the Principality of Polotsk and was centred in Drutsk. It was located on a three way stick between Vitebsk, Minsk and Mogilev regions in modern Belarus.

The appanage Principality of Drutsk was established after the death of Vseslav, the PPrince of Polotsk, in 1101 and the division of the Polatsk territory between Vseslav's sons. Drutsk was given to Rogvolod-Boris. Soonits territory was taken over by another appanage duchy of Polotsk, Duchy of Minsk governed by Gleb Vseslavich. In 1116, the duchy of Drutsk was taken over by the Grand Duchy of Kiev governed by Volodymyr Monomakh, but by 1150s it was returned to Duchy of Minsk. Eventually Drutsk was entirely taken over by the Principality of Minsk in the second half of the 13th century and in early 14th century by another appanage duchy of Polotsk, Principality of Vitebsk.

It is believed that Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, acquired the Duchy by marriage to Maria of Vitebsk. The Duchy became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania where it existed as an autonomous principality until an administrative reform in 1565–1566, when it was included into the Orsha county of Vitebsk Voivodeship.