The name Belarus derives from the term White Rus, which first appeared in German and Latin medieval literature. The Latin term for the area was Alba Ruthenia. Historically, the country was referred to in English as White Ruthenia. It is also claimed by some people that the describes the area of Eastern Europe populated by Slavic people or the states that occupied the area.[7] The first known use of White Russia to refer to Belarus was in the late-16th century by Englishman Sir Jerome Horsey.[8] During the 17th century, Russian tsars used White Rus', asserting that they were trying to recapture their heritage from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
