Black Ruthenia

Black Ruthenia (Latin: Ruthenia Nigra), or Black Rus' (Belarusian: Чорная Русь, romanized: Čornaja Ruś; Lithuanian: Juodoji Rusia; Polish: Ruś Czarna), is a historical region on the Upper Neman, including Novogrudok, Grodno and Slonim.

[1] It was first done circa 1360 by Heinrich von Mügeln [de], referring to the Black and Red Ruthenia (placing them in modern Ukraine).

[citation needed] Some researchers claim that this color naming convention was influenced by the Mongol invaders, who used them for the cardinal directions.

[1] According to Bancks' book from 1813, Black Russia was composed of the Governorates of Kaluga, Moscow, Tula, Ryazan, Vladimir and Yaroslav.

According to Alfred Nicolas Rambaud in the late 19th century:The Lithuanian territories of Grodno, Novogrodek and Belostok were sometimes called Black Russia.