Minsk (population 1.7 million) is the capital of
Belarus and headquarters of the
Commonwealth of Independent States.
Legend say that a giant called Menesk or Mincz had a mill on the
banks of a river nearby the city. He used to grind stones for making bread in order to feed his warriors. More factual history say Minsk come from the
word miena ("barter" in English) because of the city's long
commercial history.
By the 10th century, Prince Ravhalod[?] (Ragnvald in Norse), of
Viking origin, ruled a principality named Polacak, which
included Minsk. The first recorded mention of Minsk dates from
1066, related to dynastic wars between Polacak and Kiev
principalities.
Later, Minsk fell under the influence of the Grand Duchy
of Lithuania, a state that later formed a union with the
Kingdom of Poland.
In 1655 Minsk was conquered by Tsar Alexei[?] of Russia. It
was liberated by Jan Kasimir[?], king of Poland (1648-1668),
and again annexed by Russia in 1773.
French Emperor Napoleon conquered the city in 1812. The
locals gave him strong support and celebrated the liberation of the
city from Russian rule. After a very short Napoleonic rule, Minsk
was again subdued by Russia, later to become USSR.
Under the communist regime, Minsk become capital of the Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic[?]. Since 1991 the city has been the capital
of the independent Belarus state. It is known as Mensk in the Belarusian language.