Forced Settlement of Novorossiya and Crimea in the Second Half of the 1770s and 1780s, and Attempts to Stop It (as Exemplified by Poland)
Journal: Studia z Dziejów Rosji i Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej
Year: 2026

The term Novorossiya was introduced in Russia in the eighteenth century to describe newly acquired, sparsely populated territories in the south, seized mainly during wars with the Ottoman Empire. Although Russian historiography perpetuated the image of voluntary settlement of the region, the article demonstrates that this settlement was often forced, through the abduction and resettlement of thousands of people from countries neighbouring Russia, including the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.