Historically indisputable origin of the Slavs in the Eastern Europe, including the territories of the Western Bug basin refers to the 6-7 centuries. Initially these were poorly investigated tribes of the Bougans. In the 8-9 centuries the large unions of tribes were formed and one of the most significant tribes were the Dregovichi, who have been providing general ethno-cultural, ethno-political and economic connections to the Eastern Slavs since centuries. The basic internal communications of the Eastern Slavs from east to west and from north to south passed over their lands. They actively colonized the lands to the west and north-west of their core residential area at the middle of the Pripyat. The city of Brest (originally Berestye) was the center of western colonization of the Dregovichi. It is located on the right bank of the Bug at the mouth of its inflow the Muhovetz. The archaeologists date the most ancient layers of Berestye to X - XI centuries.

The foundation of Berestye by the Turov Principality meant expansion of the East to the West Slavic world, to Western Europe and to the Baltic. This role of Berestye had been primary for more than 500 years. There was a territory around Berestye frequently denoted in historical literature by the term "Berestye land", which parts belonged to different state formations but had common cultural and economical relations. These were settlements along the rivers Bug, Muhovetz, upper and middle Pripyat and her inflows. The most significant were Drogichin (on the Bug), Kobrin and Kamenetz. On the left bank of the Bug there were the settlements of the Southern Podlyashye , where the centre Biala-Podlaska was formed, which existence is unthinkable without ethno-cultural and economic connections with Berestye. Biala-Podlaska was the place of direct contacts of the Eastern and Western Slavs . Even in the middle of the XIX century P. Shpilevsky wrote: "Till now from Biala and further, around Zalesye, Helm, Yablochkin and up to Brest the Polish uniates speak West Russian, Polessian language, exactly the same as is spoken by the inhabitants of Pinsk district of Minsk Region". The same author marks, that on quays of the Bug barges and boats from Polesye and Volyn had moored, and the goods from Brest went further up to the Visla and the coasts of the Baltic. Terespol is described as a trading station providing communications to the Polish and Russian merchants.

Valuable experience of Berestye and adjacent territories in maintenance of good neighbourhood contacts would be very useful in a present situation.

The city grows and develops itself rapidly. In spite of the fact that it had never been a separate principality center it draws the interests of various Eastern and Western Slavic states.

The first mentioning of Berestye refers to 1019 in the connection with the defeat of Sviatopolk, nicknamed as "the Cursed", in his struggle with Yaroslav "the Wise". Perhaps Sviatopolk aspired to maintain the importance of Dregovichi land as a centre of the Slavic world connections to their neighbors. It contradicted the attempts of Yaroslav to create a unitary state and establish an authoritarian power. The actions of Sviatopolk might have been supported, therefore not only his physical defeat but also political and ideological discredit were necessary.

In the XI - XII centuries the city nominally belonged to Turov, Kiev , Vladimiro-Volynsk and Galizko-Volynsk princes. It was neither the center of the principality nor somebody's patrimony so it was impossible to hand it down or to assume it on the basis of patrimony right. In 1020 it was in power of the Polish Prince Boleslav. In 1044 Yaroslav subordinated it to Kiev , but in 1146 it was within Turov principality again.

In 1164 the city was in the possession of Prince Skirmunt. Vladimir Monomach used to visit it, as was mentioned in his book "Precept".

From the second half of the XIII century the city was in the possession of Volynsk Prince Vladimir. In the end of XIII - beginning of the XIV century the city have been fought for by Polish kings and Great Lithuanian princes, as it was a major geopolitical and ethno-cultural center of the adjacent territory.

Unlike other cities' conquests, accompanied by significant destructions and losses of the population, the struggle for city seldom went under its walls. The city "was spared" and it is impossible to explain it only by trading and economic reasons. The last is very often the reason for destruction and plunder. But mastering of the city as a strategic point was an overall objective to every self-respecting commander as the princes and kings of that time considered themselves to be. The "cautious" attitude to Berestye was dictated by the necessity to maintain the city as a center ethno-cultural and ethno-political contacts, for in whose hands it was, those would receive an opportunity not only to lucre, but also to influence political processes. Probably it was well understood in those times. Not occasionally Berestye was the first Eastern Slavic city that received self-management within the Magdebourg right in 1390, which had been invariably kept by it till 1661. It's noteworthy to mention that the Magdebourg right was granted not only to Brest , Pinsk , Kobrin, Kamenetz, but also by many smaller locations, for example, Dyvi, Motol etc. Ethno-cultural and economic space of "Berestye land" was regularly extended to the east, west, south and north. This process advanced to the beginning of the railway construction, which had evoked appearance of many new centers. Nevertheless, the second-largest railway station in Europe was built in Brest . The economic role of Brest did not decrease.

Foreign invaders treated the city in an impudent and insolent way. They not only received an opportunity to plunder and to imprison the inhabitants, but also destroyed and hated the center of communications of the Slavic world. Therefore their actions towards Berestye were rather severe and frenzy. In 1379 the city was plundered and burnt down by Teutonic knights. In 1500 the same was performed by khan Mengli Girey. In 1657 and 1706 the city was plundered and burnt down by the Swedes…

Since 1319 the city was in the possession of Great Lithuanian prince Gedimin, in 1349 it was seized by the Polish king Kazimir III, but since 1366 again within the Great Lithuanian Principality.

Not accidentally Berestye had been chosen as a meeting place of Vitovt and Yagajlo in December, 1409, during which the plan of Grunwald combat was developed. From this very place in 1410 East Slavsic Lithuanian and partially Polish troops and banners left for Grunwald. Berestye provided not only military-strategic and political cooperation, but also ethno-cultural unity.

By the privilege of 1441 the city was referred to the main ones in the Great Lithuanian Principality. Since 1566 it had been the center of the province. By the union of 1569 the city had been ascribed to Rech Pospolita.

In the end of XVII - first half of XVIII centuries the city was suffering decline and its revival began only by the end of the XVIII century. However in 1795 after the third division of Rech Pospolita it had been ascribed to Russia as a district city. During the Civil war of 1812 the city was occupied by the French. In 1836 the first stone of the future fortress was founded. The city was transferred 2 kilometers to the east so many historical and cultural monuments were lost.

During the first World War the city was occupied by the German (26.08.1915). March 3, 1918 Brest Peace Treaty was signed there. Since 1921 Brest was under Poland as a center of Polesskoye province.

During the second World War on September 14, 1939 Brest was occupied by German armies, and on September 22 was submitted to the Soviet army. On this occasion a common parade of the Soviet and German armies was held. Brest became the center of the region in the BSSR. The region of Biala Podlaska remained under German occupation and from June 22 till July 28, 1944 Soviet Brest land was occupied as well.

After liberation of Pobuzhye (lands adjacent to the Bug), the right bank came under the decision of the anti-Hitler coalition to the USSR and the left bank - to Poland , so the regions received an impetus to their further development. Brest remained the region center of the BSSR and now it is a city with the 300-thousand population, the center of the Brest region of the Republic of Belarus . Biala Podlaska has considerably expanded its territorial influence, which was denoted by its transformation from poviat (district) center into the center of the province in 1975. Despite its merge with Lublin province as a result of administrative reform of 1997 Biala Podlaska hasn't lost its role of a dynamical economic and cultural center closely connected with Brest land of Republic Belarus , what is official fixed in corresponding documents and various contacts at the informal level.

"Pages of the ethno-political history of Brest "
Zhloba S. P., BrSU