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Memory of the World; 2012 - unesdoc - Unesco

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Lithuania and Ru<strong>the</strong>nian dukedoms <strong>of</strong> Psków and<br />

Novgorod. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Radziwills was an addressee<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> first letter from <strong>the</strong> New <strong>World</strong> – from New<br />

Amsterdam (now New York) in 1659. The records are in<br />

Old Belarusian, Russian, Latin, Polish, German, English,<br />

French, Italian and o<strong>the</strong>r languages. As members <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> family occupied <strong>the</strong> highest state positions and<br />

took part in various diplomatic events <strong>the</strong>y had access<br />

to state and international information, which was<br />

Niasvizh Castle in Belarus. �<br />

accumulated in <strong>the</strong>ir archives. The Radziwills were<br />

related to many aristocratic families in Europe, and <strong>the</strong><br />

archives were constantly expanded with new records<br />

on political history and international relations acquired<br />

through marriage.<br />

As owners <strong>of</strong> many huge estates in Belarus, Lithuania<br />

and Poland, <strong>the</strong> Radziwills were obliged to deal with<br />

131

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