Move over Brazil, it’s time for Russia, but four years from now. The country will be hosting the next edition of the FIFA World Cup in 2018, and is well on its way to prepare for the extravaganza.
One of the host cities will be Moscow, the capital, which is among the world’s largest cities.
While India was celebrating its independence in 1947, the city of Moscow turned 800, and what eventful 800 years they were.
It was first mentioned as the location of a grand feast hosted by the Rurik Prince Yuri Dolgoruky in 1147 in honour of an ally, though it was home to a small settlement since Neolithic times. Under Prince Yuri, the settlement expanded and he built the Kremlin, a massive fort, on a piece of land between the Moskva River and a tributary, to protect the city.
Trade slowly began, when a trading post was established along the river. An invasion by the Mongols took place in 1236, and the new city was destroyed, and the princes were forced to accept Mongols as a suzerain. When this phase ended, the Kremlin was strengthened, with the building of new walls.
Thus began the rise of Moscow as a power centre, taking the place of the older cities like Vladimir. Its central location, aided by its proximity to rivers made it an important city for trade. The seat of the Russian Orthodox Church was also shifted to Moscow, which became the focal point of a growing empire.
The empire was constantly trying to ward off attacks by the persistent Mongols, and this met with mixed results. The Battle of Kulikovo in 1380 was a notable victory for the Russian Prince Dmitry, and he acquired title of Dmitry Donskoy or Dmitry the Don, after it ended.
In 1382 the tables were turned, and the city was invaded and plundered. In 1408 another attack was repelled, and the city gradually found its feet again.
There was a flurry of construction, and churches, palaces came up near the Kremlin. Another quarter of the city, called the kitay-gorod, was the centre of art and trade.
During the reign of Ivan the Great in the 15th century, its position as the centre of the Russian state was cemented. The security of Kremlin was reinforced further, and the other parts of the city were walled.
However, it still remained vulnerable. After a series of fires, the city went up in flames again when the Crimean Tatars invaded the city in 1571. Nothing was spared but the Kremlin (seen the in the picture), and only 30,000 of the 2,00,000 residents survived this tragedy. A further Tatar attack was handled in 1591, and it was time again to shore up the city’s defence. Around 50 ramparts were erected, and the outermost line of defence was a series of fortified monasteries.
With this improved security, a modicum of stability was achieved for a while. Art and culture thrived, and the city saw the growth of various professions. Each part of the city was occupied by different trades - the Bronnaya by armour makers, Kuznetskaya by blacksmiths etc. The Tsars and nobility patronised these craftsmen and the Red Square was a hub of commercial activity. Predictably, the serenity did not last forever. Find out what the Muscovites had to contend with next, in the second part of City by the river.
As mentioned, different parts of the city were inhabited by people of different trades. Can you guess who lived in Kotelniki? Send in your answers to kavya.rm@thehindu.co.in (Subject: Moscow), with your name and details.
Last week’s answer: Berlin was a city which was divided and then reunified.
Y. Noureen Begum, Class VII, Vidyodaya Matriculation Academy, Chennai sent in the right answer. Congratulations!
