Page "White Russia" Paragraph 15

Yet another theory is that the name may have had its origins in the efforts made by Russia's tsars to distinguish themselves from their predecessors in Rome and Byzantium ( on the basis that Russia was the " Third Rome ").

The Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii by Sigismund von Herberstein explains that the Muscovite ( disambiguation ) rulers wore white robes to distinguish themselves from the purple of the Roman rulers and the red of the Byzantines.

The Russian Tsar was thus called the " White Tsar ": Sunt qui principem Moscovuiae Album Regem nuncupant.

Ego quidem causam diligenter quaerebam, cur Regis Albi nomine appellaretur, or Weisse Reyssen oder weissen Khünig nennen etliche unnd wöllen damit ain underscheid der Reyssen machen ( from Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii ).