Smolensk

Smolensk is among the oldest of Russian cities. The first recorded mention of the city was 863 A.D., two years after the founding of ancient Russia. According to Russian Primary Chronicle, Smolensk (then located slightly downstream) was the capital of the Slavic Krivichs tribe in 882 when Oleg of Novgorod took it in passing from Novgorod to Kiev. The town was first attested two decades earlier, when the Varangian chieftains Askold and Dir, while on their way to Kiev, decided against messing with Smolensk ...

See also:

Smolensk, Smolensk - Medieval origins, Smolensk - Between Russia Lithuania and Poland, Smolensk - Modern history, Smolensk - Sister Cities, Smolensk - Other pictures

Read more here: » Smolensk: Encyclopedia II - Smolensk - Medieval origins

Vorotynsky was one of the most eminent Rurikid princely houses of Muscovite Russia. Their lands lay principally in the Upper Oka region and comprised the towns of Peremyshl and Vorotynsk as well as parts (дольницы) of Novosil and Odoyev. Vorotynsky - Between Russia and Lithuania. Originally lords of Vorotynsk, a tiny Upper Oka principality, these princes entered the service of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the mid-15th century, when Prince Fyodor Romanovich was betrothed to Olgierd' ...

Including:

• Vorotynsky - Between Russia and Lithuania
• Vorotynsky - The Vorotynskys and Ivan the Terrible
• Vorotynsky - Time of Troubles

Read more here: » Vorotynsky: Encyclopedia - Vorotynsky

Saint Vladimir Svyatoslavich the Great (c. 958–1015) was the grand prince of Kiev who converted to Christianity in 988, and proceeded to baptise the whole Kievan Rus. His name may be spelt in different ways: in Old East Slavic as Volodimir (Володимир), in modern Ukrainian as Volodymyr (Володимир), in Old Church Slavonic and modern Russian as Vladimir (Владимир), and in the Norse and modern Scandinavian languages as Valdemar. Vladimir I of Kiev - ...

Including:

• Vladimir I of Kiev - Bloody way to the throne
• Vladimir I of Kiev - Years of pagan rule
• Vladimir I of Kiev - Baptism of Rus
• Vladimir I of Kiev - Christian reign

Read more here: » Vladimir I of Kiev: Encyclopedia - Vladimir I of Kiev

Zygmunt I the Old (Polish: Zygmunt I Stary; 1467 – 1548), fifth ruler of the Jagiellon dynasty, reigned as King of Poland from 1506 to his death in 1548. Before Zygmunt I reigned as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1505 – 1548), he had already been invested as Duke of Silesia. The son of king Casimir IV of Poland and Elizabeth of Austria, Sigismund followed his brothers John Albert and Alexander on the Polish throne. Their eldest brother Wladislaus became the king of Hungary and Bohemia. He was christened as namesake of his mother's matern ...

Read more here: » Zygmunt I the Old: Encyclopedia - Zygmunt I the Old

Location in the state of Colorado Colorado Springs is a mid-sized city located just east of the geographic center of the state of Colorado in the United States. It has a population of 360,890 (according to the 2000 census) and is the second largest city in Colorado. At elevation 6,035 feet, it is situated near the base of one of the most famous American peaks, Pikes Peak, on the east side of the Rocky Mountains. The capital of Colorado, Denver, is 68 miles to the north. The city is ...

Including:

• Colorado Springs Colorado - History
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Founded as a resort community
• Colorado Springs Colorado - General William Palmer and Spencer Penrose
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Old Colorado City
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Geography and climate
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Geography
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Climate
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Demographics
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Attractions and entertainment
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Tourism and attractions
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Sports teams
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Economy Religious Institutions and Education
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Industry and military
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Religious Institutions
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Education
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Trivia
• Colorado Springs Colorado - Sister Cities

Read more here: » Colorado Springs Colorado: Encyclopedia - Colorado Springs Colorado

Bryansk (Russian: Бря́нск) is a city in Russia, 379 km South-West from Moscow. It is the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast. Geographical location 53°16′N 34°25′E. Population 454,700 (2001). Bryansk - History. The city was founded in 985 as a military settlement on the right bank of Desna River. It was first mentioned in written records in 1146 as Dobryansk (Russian: Дебря́нск). It was a possession of elder line of Chernigov branch of the Rurikovich dy ...

Including:

• Bryansk - History
• Bryansk - Modern city

Read more here: » Bryansk: Encyclopedia - Bryansk

A Birch bark document is a document written on pieces of birch bark. Such documents existed in several cultures. Birch bark document - Russian culture. Russian birch bark writings (Russian: берестяная грамота, berestyanaya gramota) are dated to 11th — 15th centuries. The first one was found on July 26, 1951 during excavations in Novgorod in a layer dated to the 14th-15th century junction. Since then the number of finds is close to 1,000 i ...

Including:

• Birch bark document - Russian culture
• Birch bark document - Oldest Finnic language text
• Birch bark document - Other

Read more here: » Birch bark document: Encyclopedia - Birch bark document

Vasili II Vasiliyevich Tyomniy (Blind) (Василий II Васильевич Тёмный in Russian) (March 10, 1415 – March 27, 1462) was the Grand Prince of Moscow whose long reign (1425-1462) was plagued by the greatest civil war of medieval Russian history. Vasili II of Russia - First ten years of internecine struggle. Vasily II was the eldest son of Vasili I Dmitriyevich by Sofia, the only daughter of Vytautas the Great. On his father's death he was proclaimed Grand Duke at the tender age o ...

Including:

• Vasili II of Russia - First ten years of internecine struggle
• Vasili II of Russia - Vasili's fight with Kazan and Shemyaka
• Vasili II of Russia - Later reign and policies
• Vasili II of Russia - External link

Read more here: » Vasili II of Russia: Encyclopedia - Vasili II of Russia

1654 - Events. April 5 - Signing of the Treaty of Westminster, ending the First Anglo-Dutch War. June 3 - Louis XIV of France crowned at Rheims June 6 - Charles X succedes his cousin Christina to the Swedish throne. After her abdication on June 5, Christina now the former reigning queen of a Protestant nation, secretly converts to Catholicism. September 3 - In the Rump Parliament, the republican party questions Cromwell's pre-eminence September 12 - Oliver Cromwell orders ...

Including:

• 1654 - Events
• 1654 - Births
• 1654 - Deaths

Read more here: » 1654: Encyclopedia - 1654

Tsar (Bulgarian and Serbian цар, Russian царь ▶ (help·info)), often spelled Czar or Tzar and sometimes Csar or Zar in English), was the title used for the autocratic monarchs of Bulgaria in 913-1396/1422 and 1908-1946, Serbia in the middle of the 14th century, and Russia from 1547 to 1917 (although this usage is only technically correct until 1721). Tsar - History of usage. "Tsar" is ...

Including:

• Tsar - History of usage
• Tsar - Etymology and spelling
• Tsar - Imperium maius
• Tsar - Russia
• Tsar - Full title of Russian tsars
• Tsar - Titles for Russian Tsar's family
• Tsar - Notes

Read more here: » Tsar: Encyclopedia - Tsar

Ugra is a river in Smolensk and Kaluga Oblasts in Russia, left tributary of Oka river. The river is known for the Great standing on the Ugra river. Other related archivesGreat standing on the Ugra river, Kaluga Oblasts, Oka river, Smolensk

Read more here: » Ugra River: Encyclopedia - Ugra River

The Battle of Moscow refers to the defense of the Soviet capital of Moscow and the subsequent counter-offensive against the German army, between October 1941 and January 1942 on the Eastern Front of World War II. Battle of Moscow - The German invasion. On 22 June 1941 Germany and its Axis allies invaded the Soviet Union, taking the Soviet political leadership, and hence most of the Red Army, completely by surprise. Having crushed most of the Soviet air force on the ground, German forces quickly advanced dee ...

Including:

• Battle of Moscow - The German invasion
• Battle of Moscow - The defense of Moscow
• Battle of Moscow - The Soviet counter-offensive

Read more here: » Battle of Moscow: Encyclopedia - Battle of Moscow

Vasili III Ivanovich (Russian: Василий III Иванович, also Basil) (March 25, 1479 – December 3, 1533) was the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1505 to 1533. He was the son of Ivan III Vasiliyevich and Sophia Paleologue and was christened with the name Gavriil (Гавриил). Vasili III continued the policies of his father Ivan III and spent most of his reign consolidating Ivan's gains. Vasili annexed the last surviving autonomous provinces: Pskov in 1510, appanage of Volokolamsk in 1513, prin ...

Read more here: » Vasili III of Russia: Encyclopedia - Vasili III of Russia

Volokolamsk (Russian: Волокола́мск) is an administrative center of the Volokolamsk Raion (district) of the Moscow Oblast (province) in Russia. Volokolamsk is located 129 km northwest of Moscow on the Gorodenka River, not far from its confluence with the Lama River. Population: 16,700 (2003). Volokolamsk was first mentioned in the Voskresensk Chronicle under the year of 1135. The town was built by Novgorodian merchants on a 5-kilometer portage (volok in Russian) on a ...

Read more here: » Volokolamsk: Encyclopedia - Volokolamsk

August III the Saxon or the Corpulent (Polish: August III Sas, August III Gruby; 1696-1763) was King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1734-1763) and Elector of Saxony (1733-1763, as Friedrich August II). August III was born in Dresden in 1696, son of August II the Strong, Imperial Prince-Elector of Saxony and King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was groomed to succeed his father as King of the Polish-Li ...

Including:

• August III the Saxon - Marriage and children
• August III the Saxon - Titles

Read more here: » August III the Saxon: Encyclopedia - August III the Saxon

The Cathedral of the Assumption, dominating the city of Smolensk from the lofty Cathedral Hill, has been the principal church of the Smolensk bishopric for 800 years. Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk - Monomakh Cathedral. The first brick church on the spot was started by Vladimir Monomakh in 1101. The large 6-pillared edifice, quite similar to Monomakh's cathedral in Suzdal, took several decades to complete. It was finally consecrated during the reign of Vladimir's grandson Rostislav of Smolensk in ...

Including:

• Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk - Monomakh Cathedral
• Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk - New Cathedral
• Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk - External link

Read more here: » Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk: Encyclopedia - Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk

1667 - Births. April 29 - John Arbuthnot, English physician and writer (d. 1735) May 26 - Abraham de Moivre, French mathematician (d. 1754) June 18 - Ivan Trubetskoy, Russian field marshal (d. 1750) July 28 - Johann Bernoulli, Swiss mathemiatician (d. 1748) August 11 - Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, last of the Medicis (d. 1743) September 5 - Giovanni Gerolamo Saccheri, Italian mathematician (d. 1733) September 28 - Asano Naganori, Japanese warlord (d. 170 ...

Including:

• 1667 - Events
• 1667 - Births
• 1667 - Deaths
• 1667 - Heads of states

Read more here: » 1667: Encyclopedia - 1667

August II the Strong (Polish: August II Mocny; German: August II der Starke; May 12, 1670 – February 1, 1733) was Elector of Saxony (where he was known as Frederick Augustus I) 1694-1733, and King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 1697-1706 and again 1709-1733. He embroiled the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the disastrous Great Northern War. His attempts at internal reforms and at bolstering the royal power came to naught, while his mistakes allowed the Russia ...

Including:

• August II the Strong - Royal titles
• August II the Strong - Biography

Read more here: » August II the Strong: Encyclopedia - August II the Strong

Aleksander Jagiellon (Polish: Aleksander Jagiellonczyk; Lithuanian: Aleksandras Jogailaitis; 1461 – 1506), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, was the fourth son of Kazimierz IV Jagiellon. He was elected Grand Duke of Lithuania on the death of his father (1492), and King of Poland on the death of his brother Jan I Olbracht (1501). Straightaway, his relative lack of funds made him subservient to the Polish senate and nobles (szlachta), who deprived him of the control of the mint (then ...

Including:

• Aleksander Jagiellon - External link

Read more here: » Aleksander Jagiellon: Encyclopedia - Aleksander Jagiellon

The Polish armed forces resisted the German invasion, but their strategic position was hopeless since Poland was surrounded on three sides by Germany and German-controlled Czechoslovakia. It was in Poland that the Germans first used the tactics of Blitzkrieg ("lightning war"): rapid advance of Panzer (armored) divisions, dive bombing to break up troop concentrations, and aerial bombing of undefended cities to sap civilian morale. The Polish Army and Air Force had little modern equipment to match the onslaught. German forces wer ...

See also:

History of Poland 1939–1945, History of Poland 1939–1945 - German and Soviet Invasion, History of Poland 1939–1945 - Dismemberment of Poland, History of Poland 1939–1945 - The General Government, History of Poland 1939–1945 - Treatment of the Poles, History of Poland 1939–1945 - The Holocaust in Poland, History of Poland 1939–1945 - Governments in exile, History of Poland 1939–1945 - Resistance, History of Poland 1939–1945 - Aftermath of the War, History of Poland 1939–1945 - Yalta and the Soviet Occupation 1943–45

Read more here: » History of Poland 1939–1945: Encyclopedia II - History of Poland 1939–1945 - German and Soviet Invasion