History of Galicia…Where my ancestors came from. Now western Ukraine.

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Halychyna [in Ukrainian] Galicia [in English], Gaszorszag [in Hungarian], Galitsiya [in Russian], Galizia [in Italian] or Galizien [in German] is Ruthenian (=Ukrainian) historic land in West Ukraine (present day oblasts of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil). Name derives from the city of Halych (Latin name: Galic) which was the first capital of Galician principality. And name Galic itself derives from Ukrainian word “halka” meaning “crow” in English. That is why we have a crow on coat of arms of this land. Though there is other, version of the name (more truthful, on my opinion), that the name Halych – Galic (and from it Halychyna – Galizia) derives from Greek word “hals”, which means “salt” in English. Byzantium and the Greeks had strong influence on these lands and it was from the Greeks that Galicia and Kyivan Rus were converted to the Greek Orthodoxy. The thing was that Halych was rich in “hals” – salt and from there salt being mined was exported to many faraway lands. Nowadays though there is no more salt mining in Halych and salt mining and Halych itself declined yet a long time ago. But during early medieval period salt was the main export product coming from Halych.

Galicia was formerly a crown land of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy (from 1772 until 1918) and before 1370 it was an independent and powerful medieval Ruthenian (Ukrainian) Kingdom with capital in Halych which was built by Prince Volodymyrko in 1140. Since then the name Halychyna was applied to whole land. Galician king Danylo took and ruled over Kyiv (Kiev) even. In 1264 Danylo’s son king Lev moves capital to Lviv. In 1349 Poland won a battle against Galicia and it stopped to exist as independent state for a long time until 1918 when short lived West Ukrainian Republic with capital in Lviv was proclaimed but quickly taken by Poles. Former territories of Galicia are now shared between southern Poland and Western Ukraine, with most of Galicia in Ukraine and small minor part in Poland. Other names for the area are Galicja (in Polish. Adjective form: Galicyjski), Gácsország (in Hungarian. Adj.: Gacsi) and Galizia (in Italian. Adj.: Galiziano). In Ukrainian history this land was very often referred as Red Rus’ (Chervona Rus) or Red Ruthenia. During Austrian times, Galicia extended from the Biala River (minor tributary of the Vistula) in the west to the Zbrucz / Zbruch, (tributary of the Dniester in the east). From the Carpathians in the south, the land drops off to the north, passing over the Sarmatian Plain. At its largest during Austrian period, Galicia comprised approximately 78,000 square kilometers.

Ancient history of Galicia:

Ancient Galicia was populated by the Slavic tribes of Dulibes(Duliby/Duleby) and White Croatians (White Croats / Bili Khorvaty), Ulyches (Ulychi), Tyverians (Tivertsi/Tivertsy), Buzhanians with Derevlians (Derevlyany) and Vohlynians (Volyniany) on the north. Before 980 (when these lands were incorporated into Kyivan Rus) it was a loose tribal confederation with political center in Peremyshl (modern city Przemysl, at Ukrainian Polish border) under Polish influence. During that period western Christianity (in Roman Catholic form) was partly rooted there from the west, what is witnessed by ruins of some Roman style churches of pre-Orthodox christianization (988) period as in village Bishche and Transcarpathia especially. In 10 th century (980) these tribes were conqered by Kievan Rus Prince Volodymyr (Vladimir). He established the town Volodymyr there and a few small principalities were formed in Halych, Terebovlya and Volodymyr. The Galician territory was started to be refferred as a Red Rus (or Red Ruthenia) then. The final formation of united Galician principlity occured during the reign of Prince Volodymyr of Galicia in 1124 -1152. Volodymyr united small Galician principalities with its capital in Halych (first citation in 1140, Halych is the root for the name Halychyna-Galicia).

In 1152-87 Galicia was ruled by prince Iaroslav Osmomysl (Yaroslav Os’momysl). He expaneded the Galician principality to the Danube. Hungarian king Bela III occupied Galicia in 1189 and became “King of Halychyna”. Galicia was ruled by Hungarians until Roman, prince of Volhynia managed to take it back. Roman started his rule in 1170 in Vohlynia. Vohlynia (Volyn/Vohlyn) was a principality north of Galicia. In 1199 Volyn (Volhynia) and Galicia were united under the rule of Prince Roman (of Smolensk) . In 1205 Prince Roman dies and the struggles for his legacy begin. In 1214, Boiaryn Volodyslav Kormylchych became Prince of Galicia. The political situation during his rule in Galicia was very unstable and Hungarians and Poles concluded Hungarian-Polish treaty regarding the government of Galicia in town of Spish. It was a time when firts Mongol invasion started and in 1223 Battle at the Kalko River, th first conflict with the Mongol-Tatars.

Shortly Volyn was united by the sons of Roman in 1227. Roman’s son prince Danylo (Daniel / Danilo / Daniil) took Galician throne in 1238. The dominance of Halychyna by Prince Danylo was the greatest page in Galician History. In 1239 Kyiv (Kiev) was taken under the rule of Prince Danylo. 1239-42 Massive Mongol-Tatar invasion of Batia (1240 fall of Kyiv). 1245 Battle at Iaroslav (Jaroslaw). Danylo defeated Poles and Hungarian there and it was the end of the Hungarians-Polish kings in the struggle for Prince Roman’s Legacy. 1250s Settlement of Lviv (Lemberg, Lwow) by Prince Danylo. Danylo named Lviv after his son Lev (Leo). In I253 Prince Danylo was coronated by a Papal Delegate. Great Danylo dies in 1264 and dark times start in Galician history. In 1259-60: Tatar campaigns (Byrynday) against Halychyna and Volyn. 1264- c. 1301 reighn of Lev I, son of Danylo. Lev moves capital of Galicia from Halych to Lviv/Lwow/Lvov/Lemberg (which was established by his father Danylo in 1250 and named after Lev’s name).

Galicia under Austrian rule (1772- 1918):

The negotiations between the three powers, Russia, Prussia and Austria, over the first partition of Poland were concluded on August 5, 1772. The cession treaty between the last King of Poland and Empress Maria Theresia took effect on September 18, 1773. Austria received Galicia including the Zamosc (Zamosz) district, but excluding Cracow. In the course of the later Napoleonic wars, Zamosc was to be detached from Austria as a new duchy centered at Cracow was established. It was to be subsequently annexed by Austria in 1846. In 1775 Bukovyna (Bukowin) was conquered by Austria and became another Austrian province, separate from Galicia.

On the 1st of September in 1774, the Empress issued the first settlement patent. The second settlement patent was issued on September 17, 1781, by Emperor Josef II which also allowed emigration of foreigners. This patent was supplemented by the Toleranzpatent of October 13, 1781, which proclaimed religious toleration for Protestants. In the years to come, thousands of German families emigrated into Galicia, mostly out of the Palatinate (Pfalz) and settled in newly-founded German communities or in the cities as craftsmen and artisans.

1744-64: Construction of St. George Cathedral in Lviv/Lwow/Lemberg (Rococo style).

1848: Annulment of Feudalism; Political Rebirth of Galicia.

1861: First railroad on Ukrainian territory in Galicia (Peremyshyl – Lviv).

1890: First Ukrainian Galician political party (1900 – Naddniapranska).

When serfdom was abolished in the Austrian Empire in 1848, Ukrainians launched their struggle for political representation and national autonomy. The political and social climate of succeeding decades was aptly reflected by the great reformer and writer Ivan Franko, who wrote, “I am a son of the people, the son of a nation on the rise.” By the 1880’s, significant changes had taken place in parliamentary practices, in local government, and the public school system. Newspapers were established and various self-help organizations were formed to promote political awareness, improve agricultural practices and facilitate Ukrainian cultural expression. This dynamic organization and political life was transported to the New World and has been a hallmark of Ukrainian Canadian communities ever since.

http://www.torugg.org/History/history_of_galicia.html#GaliciaA