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KievAs the ancient legend says, Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, was created
by three brothers, Kyi, Schek and Khoryv, and their sister Lybed, at
the end of the 5th-beginning of the 6th centuries. The city was named
after the eldest brother Kyi. Kyiv means the city of Kyi. Kyiv is a
Ukrainian spelling and Kiev is Russian variant, it is more known since
the Soviet times. | 
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Archeological excavations showed that first people settled on the territory of Kiev 15,000 to 20,000 years ago.
The
early settlers of Kiev built their citadel on the steep right bank of
the Dnepr River to protect themselves from Nomadic tribes. Later,
Kiev’s Grand Dukes built their palaces and churches on Starokievskiy
Hill, while artisans and merchants settled next to the wharf on the
Dnepr. By the end of the 9th century, when the Grand Dukes of Kiev
united scattered Slavic tribes, Kiev became the political center of the
Eastern Slavs. The city maintained wide foreign and commercial trade
links due to its favorable position in the middle of trade routes
between the Vikings and the Greeks (strict way from Northern Europe and
the Baltic’s to the Mediterranean). Kiev’s development accelerated
during the reign of Grand Duke Vladimir the Great (980-1015). In 988
Vladimir established Orthodox Christianity as the official religion of
the realm in order to strengthen the power of Kiev on the broader
international arena. It helped to establish political and cultural
relations with such states as the Byzantium Empire and Bulgaria. At
that time almost 50,000 people lived in the city; there were about 400
churches and 8 markets. When Vladimir Monomakh died in 1152, the mighty
Kievan Rus began to decay.
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During the 11th and 12th centuries ancient Kiev Rus reached its
greatest period of ascendancy. By the 11th century Kiev was one of the
largest centers of civilization in the Eastern Christian world. At that
time there were 50,000 inhabitants in Kiev. To compare, at the same
time the population of London, Hamburg and Gdansk was about 20,000
people. Kiev was among the most prospering craft and shopping centers
of Europe. International authority of Kiev Russia grew considerably.
The state supported auction, political and cultural communications with
the states of South and the East, Germany, France, Hungary,
Scandinavian and other countries, kings of European countries gave
great opportunity to have family ties with Yaroslav the Wise. His
daughter Ann got married with the French king, her daughter Elisabeth
became wife of the Norwegian Prince, Anastasia – of the Hungarian; the
son Vsevolod married Byzantine princess. After the death of Kiev great
Prince Vladimir Monomakh in 1125, Kiev Rus became involved in feudal
wars. Foreign powers used this situation. At the end of 1240, the
Tatar-Mongols headed by Batyi-khan, captured Kiev after series of long
and bloody battles. Kiev fell into a prolonged period of decline. The
Tartar-Mongols ruled for almost a century. In spite of foreign rule,
Kiev retained its artisan, trade and cultural traditions and remained
an important political, trade and cultural center. In the 14th century,
the Kiev region became the cradle of the modern Ukrainian nation.
Only
in the 14th century Kiev began to survive. But in 1362 Great Duke of
Lithuania captured the city. For more than one hundred years it was
under the command of Lithuanian and Polish dukes.
| In the 15th century Kiev received the Magdeburg Rights, which permitted
independence of the city in respect of international commerce.
Until
the 14th century Kiev paid tribute to the Golden Horde. Then the city
was under the control of the Great Lithuanian Duchy, which in 1569
united with Poland. With the establishment of the Kiev-Mogilyanska
Academy in 1632, the city became a center of Ukrainian learning and
scholarship.
The long road to the independence of Ukraine began
with Cossack military campaign. In 1648-1654 Cossack armies, headed by
Hetman Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Ukraine’s Cossack leader hold several wars
to liberate Ukraine. In 1648, when the Ukrainian Cossacks revolted
against Poland, Kiev became the center of the Ukrainian State for a
short period. But soon, struggling against the armies of Polish and
Lithuanian feudal lords, Bogdan Khmelnitsky ask help and protection of
the Russian Tsar, it was determined in the Treaty of Pereyaslavl. In
1654 Ukraine united with Russia, and Kiev became the Russian city.
During a long period of domination of the Russian Empire, in the 17th
and 18th centuries, Ukraine had many political, economic, cultural, and
religious achievements.
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In January 1918 after the fall of the Russian Empire, the independence
of Ukraine was proclaimed and the Ukrainian National Republic was
established.
Then the Civil War and the October Revolution
happened. Bolshevik Party began to control Ukraine. Ukraine becomes a
part of the Soviet Union.
Kiev suffered greatly during the World
War II, when many unique architectural and artistic treasures were
destroyed. Earlier, in the 1930s, the Soviet authorities systematically
destroyed many churches. Restoration of the after-war days has revived
much of Kiev’s historical and cultural heritage. Despite repressions,
suffering, political turmoil, and ecological disasters, Ukraine’s
spirit and national identity have never died.
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4th September 1991
After many short attempts in 14, 16, 20
centuries, for the first time during 800 years Kiev became the capital
of united lands of Ukraine acknowledged by world association.
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November 2004
Dissatisfaction of people due to the course of
economic, social and political reforms, corruption among authorities
and undemocratic elections, caused the Orange Revolution and Kiev
became its centre. Ukrainian people showed to the world, that spirit of
freedom and desire to live normal life in the family of European
Countries are alive.
Kiev.
Kiev received historical determination
of the: ‘mother of the Russian cities’. It became centre of the Old
Russian culture and right up to today is the centre of the highest
achievements of civilization. | 
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Serg_Turovets
236-305-536