It was located in the area of Sudovia and Dainava; south west from the upper Nemunas, between Marijampolė, Merkinė (Lithuania), Slonim, Kobryn (Belarus), Białystok, and Ełk (Poland).

The Treaty of 944 between Kievan prince Igor and the Byzantine Empire has the names of many Rus' ambassadors - one of which was Jatviag Gunarev.

The southern part of the Yotvingian lands, Sudovia and Galindia, were subdued by Kievan Rus' army, led by Vladimir I of Kiev in 983.

Netimeras, a ruler of the Yotvingians (part of Lithuanian kingdom), was converted to Christianity by Bruno of Querfurt in 1009.

The Battle of Brańsk lasted two days pitting the forces of Yotvingia, led by Kumata against the well equipped Krakovian army.