Russia Through History: Who Ruled Its Lands
The land of today's Russia appears on 39 historical border maps from 500 BC to today. Over that time it was held, in whole or in part, by 55 different states, among them Russian Empire, USSR, Tsardom of Muscovy, Russia, White Russia.
RussiaExplore the history of Russia in the interactive map
Compare 1000 with today · Russia as a state on the map
Who ruled the land of Russia, map by map
Share of sample points inside today's borders held by each state on each map. Areas with no organised state on the map are left out.
Historic cities in Russia
Famous people of Russia
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1672 – 1725 | Peter the Great | Tsar of Russia |
| 1724 – 1804 | Immanuel Kant | Philosopher |
| 1729 – 1796 | Catherine the Great | Empress of Russia |
| 1769 – 1821 | Napoleon Bonaparte | Emperor of the French |
| 1821 – 1881 | Fyodor Dostoevsky | Writer |
| 1828 – 1910 | Leo Tolstoy | Writer |
| 1840 – 1893 | Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | Composer |
| 1870 – 1924 | Vladimir Lenin | Bolshevik leader |
| 1878 – 1953 | Joseph Stalin | Soviet leader |
Battles and historic sites
| Year | Battle or site |
|---|---|
| 1242 | Battle on the Ice (Lake Peipus) |
| 1380 | Battle of Kulikovo |
| 1700 | Battle of Narva |
| 1812 | Battle of Borodino |
| 1942 | Battle of Stalingrad |
| 1943 | Battle of Kursk |
Landmarks
Moscow KremlinStanding · 1495
Saint Basil's CathedralStanding · 1561
Winter PalaceStanding · 1762
Cathedral of Christ the SaviourRebuilt · 1883
Questions
Which empires and states ruled the territory of Russia?
On the border maps from 500 BC to today, the largest shares of the territory of modern Russia belonged to Russian Empire, USSR, Tsardom of Muscovy, Russia, White Russia, Grand Duchy of Moscow, along with 49 other states.
What was Russia part of in 1000?
On the border map for 1000, most of the territory of today's Russia lay within Kievan Rus'.
What was Russia part of in 1500?
On the border map for 1500, most of the territory of today's Russia lay within Grand Duchy of Moscow.
What was Russia part of in 1900?
On the border map for 1900, most of the territory of today's Russia lay within Russian Empire.
Further reading
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.