Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia

Volhynia or Volynia (voh-LIN-ee-ə; see below) is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between southeastern Poland, southwestern Belarus, and northwestern Ukraine. The borders of the region are not clearly defined, but in Ukraine it is roughly equivalent to Volyn and Rivne Oblasts; the territory that still carries the name is Volyn Oblast.

Galicia (gə-LISH-(ee-)ə; Polish: Galicja, ; Ukrainian: Галичина, Halychyna, Yiddish: גאַליציע, Galitsye; see below) is a historical and geographic region spanning what is now southeastern Poland and western Ukraine, long part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It covers much of the other historic regions of Red Ruthenia (centered on Lviv) and Lesser Poland (centered on Kraków).

The Principality or, from 1253, Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, also known as the Kingdom of Ruthenia or Kingdom of Rus, was a medieval state in Eastern Europe which existed from 1199 to 1349. Its territory was predominantly located in modern-day Ukraine, with parts in Belarus, Poland, Moldova, and Lithuania. Along with Novgorod and Vladimir-Suzdal, it was one of the three most important powers to emerge from the collapse of Kievan Rus'.

Lviv (lə-VEEV or lə-VEEF; Ukrainian: Львів ; see below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the sixth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of 717,500 (2022 estimate). It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine. Lviv also hosts the administration of Lviv urban hromada. It was named after Leo I of Galicia, the eldest son of Daniel, King of Ruthenia.

In 1240, Batu Khan led a raid into Ruthenia as part of the Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus'. It took place three years after Batu's 1237 conquests of Volga Bulgaria and the Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal.

The Galicia–Volhynia Wars were several wars fought in the years 1340–1392 over the succession in the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, also known as Ruthenia. After Yuri II Boleslav was poisoned by local Ruthenian nobles in 1340, both the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland advanced claims over the kingdom. After a prolonged conflict, Galicia–Volhynia was partitioned between Poland (Galicia) and Lithuania (Volhynia) and Ruthenia ceased to exist as an independent state. Poland acquired a territory of approximately 52,000 square kilometres (20,000 sq mi) with 200,000 inhabitants.

Ratne (Ukrainian: Ратне; Polish: Ratno; Yiddish: ראטנא Ratno) is a rural settlement in Volyn Oblast, western Ukraine. It is located in the historic region of Volhynia. Population: 9,577 (2022 estimate).

The Great City Synagogue (Ukrainian: Велика міська синагога, Velyka miska synahoha, Polish: Wielka Synagoga Miejska we Lwowie) was a former Orthodox Jewish synagogue in the city of Lviv (Polish: Lwów, German: Lemberg), in what is now the Lviv Oblast of Ukraine. It was situated in the former Jewish Quarter near today's city centre.

The siege of Kiev by the Mongols took place between 28 November and 6 December 1240, and resulted in a Mongol victory. It was a heavy morale and military blow to the Principality of Galicia–Volhynia, which was forced to submit to Mongol suzerainty, and allowed Batu Khan to proceed westward into Central Europe.

Chełm Land was a region of the Kingdom of Poland and later of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795). Today, the region is situated in the modern states of Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus. As an exclave of the Ruthenian Voivodeship, it was separated from the main part of the voivodeship by the voivodeship of Bełz. The region's most important town was Chełm. In the Commonwealth, Chełm Land enjoyed a special status; some documents described it as a separate entity - Chełm Voivodeship (Latin: Palatinatus Chelmensis).