Little Russia Governorate (1764–1781)

Malorossiya Governorate Малороссiйская губернiя
Governorate of Russian Empire
← 1764–1781 →   →   →
Capital		Hlukhiv (1764-1773) Kozelets (1773-1775) Kiev (1775-1781)
Governor
•	1764-1781	Pyotr Rumyantsev[1]
Legislature		Little Russian Collegium
History
•	Established	12 December 1764
•	Disestablished	27 February 1781
Political subdivisions		regiments (polki)
Today part of		Chernihiv Oblast, Bryansk Oblast, Kiev Oblast, Poltava Oblast, Cherkasy Oblast, Sumy Oblast, Kharkiv Oblast

The First Little Russia Governorate (Russian: Малороссiйская Губернiя) or Government of Malorossiya was created as part of complete annexation of Ukraine by Russia in 1764-65 and partitioning it in three governorates (Little Russia, New Russia, and Sloboda Ukraine). The Little Russia Governorate was governed by Pyotr Rumyantsev.

With another administrative reform of 1781 the governorate and its subdivisions (regiments) were liquidated and replaced with vice-royalties divided into counties (uyezds).

Subdivisions

The governorate was divided into 10 regiments (polk) which were equivalent to counties (uyezd).

• Staroub regiment (1663-1782)
• Kiev regiment
• Pereyaslav regiment
• Hlukhiv regiment
• Nizhyn regiment
• Chernihiv regiment
• Pryluky regiment
• Lubny regiment
• Myrhorod regiment
• Hadiach regiment

Coat of arms

Cossack with musket, official coat of arms of the Cossack Hetmanate

Until 1767 the coat of arms for the governorate was Cossack with musket when it was finally replaced with the Russian double headed eagle.

References

1. Pyotr Rumyantsev at the Encyclopedia of Ukraine