1067 First mention of Menesk (Minsk). The name allegedly derives from the Slavic verb "meniaty" (to change) as Minsk quickly developes into one of the commercial centres of Eastern Europe.

1569 Foundation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Belarus ceases to exist as a national entity.

1588 Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

17th century

1772-1793-1795 After the third partition of Poland, the whole of Belarus is incorporated into the Russian tsarist administrative system. Minsk becomes the regional capital.

1918, March 9 In the chaos of the Bolshevik revolution, an ephemeral Belarusian Popular Republic is declared while the country is still under German-Austrian occupation.

1918, March 25 The independence of Belarus is proclaimed for the first time.

1919, January 1 Foundation of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR).

1921, March 18 Western Belarus is joined to Poland under the Riga Treaty between Poland and the Soviet Union

1922, December 31 Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Transcaucasia form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

1937 Stalin's purges decapitate the intelligentsia. About 250,000 people are shot at Kurapaty before 1941.

1939, September 17 Under the Hitler-Stalin pact Western Belarus is reunited with the rest of Belarus.

1941, June 22 German troops enter Belarus and soon overrun Minsk. During the "Great Patriotic War" one out of every four Belarusian inhabitants is killed and 90% of Minsk destroyed.

1944, July 3 Minsk is "liberated" by the Red Army.

1946 Belarus becomes a founding member of the UN.

1961 Lee Harvey Oswald, alleged assassin of US President John F. Kennedy, lives in Minsk, where he meets his wife Marina.

1974, June 16 Minsk is awarded the Soviet title of "Hero City" for its sufferings in World War II and speedy reconstruction.

1986, April 26 The fourth reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explodes in neighbouring Ukraine, polluting 23% of Belarusian territory.

July 27 A Declaration of Sovereignty adopted by the newly-elected Supreme Soviet creates a "neutral, nuclear-free state".

August 25 Declaration of Independence adopted hastily after the collapse of the hardline putsch in Moscow.

December 8 Leaders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus sign an agreement to form the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Minsk becomes the administrative centre.

May 20 Belarus introduces its own coupons to replace the Soviet rouble. On June 1 Belarus leaves the rouble zone.

Mar 15 The Supreme Soviet adopts a new constitution. June 23 In the first free presidential elections former collective farm boss Alexander Lukashenko is elected president on an anti-corruption, pro-Russia platform, winning 80% of the votes.

December The first major crackdown on the press occurs as two newspapers critical of the president are closed.

May 14 First free parliamentary elections coupled with a national referendum: Over 75% of the electorate say 'yes' to Russian becoming an official state language alongside Belarusian; the return of old Belarusian Soviet insignia including the Soviet Republic flag (without the hammer and sickle); and the president being granted more power over the parliament.

September 12 Two American balloonists are killed by the Belarusian Air Force when their hot air balloon is shot down during an international race.

 

April 2 Lukashenko and his Russian counterpart, Boris Yeltsin formally sign a controversial treaty calling for a political union between Russia and Belarus. The idea has already generated large demonstrations in Minsk, which increase after the signing. June The national flag and emblem adopted in 1991 is officially scrapped in favour of the old Soviet-style flag and emblem without the hammer and sickle. August 29 The Russian-Belarusian Community Agreement signed April 2 comes into force, sparking off further mass protest demonstrations throughout the country.

July 5 Belarus loses its right to vote in the Council of Europe after failing to pay its dues. November 24 In a referendum regarded by the rest of the world as illegitimate, the president pushes through a new constitution that extends his term of office from five years to seven. It gives him the right to shut down the Parliament, which had earlier started impeachment proceedings against him.

November 28 The president signs his new constitution and immediately terminates the Parliament and Constitutional Court. A new parliament made up of Lukashenko's supporters, is set up. 

April 29 The Soros Foundation is accused of violating its charitable organisation status. Having provided US$13 million to Belarusian hospitals, schools and libraries, it is now ordered to pay US$ 3 million in fines. In September it closes its operations in Belarus. May 24 Russia and Belarus sign a new unification deal. Basic principles include ensuring press freedoms, guaranteeing free activities for political parties and opposition organizations and inviolability of private property. The treaty goes into effect on June 11, 1997.

May 26 The Belarusian Popular Front opposes the new Belarusian-Russian charter because it threatens Belarusian independence.

March An economic crisis begins after the Russian Central Bank suspends trading in the Belarusian rouble, causing the currency to collapse. Lukashenko steps in and takes control of commercial banks, worsening the situation. Later he blames the events on 'economic saboteurs', and 30 officials are arrested. Dec 25 Belarus and Russia sign an accord to merge their currencies and tax systems the following year. Dec 27 The president shuts down the only opposition newspaper.

September Opposition figures Viktor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky are shot to death. Two years later KGB agents speak on videotape, admitting the murder.

October Parliamentary elections held, most opposition candidates are barred from running. Voter turnout is so low in 13 constituencies that re-run elections have to be held the following March. November Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin sign an agreement to introduce a single currency by 2008, later than previous agreements.

September 9 Lukashenko is elected for a second term, reportedly having garnered 75.6% of the votes. The elections are widely condemned by Western observers and opposition as neither free nor fair.

August Russia makes proposals for a union treaty that would essentially annex Belarus into Russia. Lukashenko rejects it.

October 30 A mass grave from the World War II era, containing 12,000 bodies, is discovered at Slutsk. November Belarus' poor human rights record and its banning of the OSCE prompt the US and 14 EU states to impose a travel ban on Lukashenko and several government ministers. The ban stays in effect until the following April.

October 17 In another highly suspect referendum, Lukashenko gets presidential term limits scrapped, paving the way for him to run again in 2006 elections. The referendum takes place the same day as parliamentary elections, from which opposition candidates are barred. Massive street protests follow. December Opposition politician Mikhail Marinich is sentenced to five years in jail for alleged theft of office equipment. Marinich says the charge was politically motivated.

August Diplomatic row with Poland after members of Belarus' ethnic Polish community organisations are arrested and prevented from meeting, amidst accusations they were plotting to overthrow the Belarusian government.

October President Lukashenko visits China, building relations between the two countries. A congress of opposition parties selects Physics professor Aleksander Milinkevish to run against Lukashenko in 2006 elections. December 20 Lukashenko signs an amendment to the criminal code that would penalize anyone who internationally discredits Belarus with jail terms of up to two years.

March Lukashenko scores a third presidential term with 83% of the vote in an election that the OSCE, Europe's main election monitoring body, labels as “severely flawed”. Protests over the elections are met with police resistance. Opposition leaders, including presidential candidate Aleksander Kozulin, are arrested and jailed. The EU imposes a travel ban on Lukashenko and many of his aides, and freezes their assets in the EU.

2007
March Police clash with protesters in Minsk as thousands of opposition supporters hold a rally calling for an end to Lukashenko's rule. May  Belarus fails in its bid to win a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. Oct Lukashenko says Belarus will have to build a nuclear power station in order to meet its energy needs.
2008
May Eleven US diplomats expelled from Belarus. Vladimir Putin named Belarus-Russia Union PM.