Today, when it is established that the capital of Belarus had a slightly different toponym, it turns out that the history of Minsk is more interesting and longer. After all, the city previously bore the name Menesk, and the first mention of it appears in 1067 in connection with the battle on Nemiga, in which the princes of Yaroslavichi and the Polotsk prince - Vseslav Bryachislavovich participated.
When the city became the center of the principality, in 1104 it was attacked by Svyatopolk. In 1116, Menesk was besieged by Vladimir Monomakh. The unsuccessful siege lasted two months. But three years later, this prince managed to capture the city and annex it to his own possessions. But not all the years Menesk belonged to the ancient Russian state, torn apart by civil strife.
And if the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars, dating back to 1237-1239, passed this city, it was still subjected to their later raids. But in the next century, the city turns out to be on the Polish-Lithuanian territory, where it changes its name from Menesk to Minsk. At the beginning of the 14th century, Minsk was included in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and at the end of the 15th century it received the Magdeburg Law. The transition of a city from one state to another for a while becomes not even something unique, but almost the norm for Minsk.
Belonging to Minsk in different years of its existence
If we retell the history of Minsk briefly, then the following events can be noted in it:
- The Russian-Polish war led to the fact that Minsk was held by Russian troops from 1654 to 1667.
- During the Northern War, the city was occupied by the Swedes in 1707.
- After the division of the Commonwealth, Minsk joined the Russian Empire in 1793.
Needless to say, how many countries and peoples influenced the formation of the culture of the population of this city. And if we add in the migration of two peoples - Jews and Poles, then the diverse ethnic composition of the inhabitants of Minsk during the period of its annexation to Russia becomes clear.
As part of Russia and the USSR
The Russian period in the life of the city was also not so smooth: its position was too western, therefore it was often subjected to destruction by invaders moving from Europe. So it was in World War II, when Napoleon went to Russia. So it was during the Great Patriotic War. The Soviet period for Minsk begins in 1920, and from that moment on, the restoration of the city begins, lying on all strategic routes, and therefore periodically devastated by wars. It is not only the economy that is growing; culture, education and science are also rising from the ashes.
Such a revival awaited Minsk even after the most destructive war - the Great Patriotic War, because the battles caused significant damage to the city. But not only new houses were built, new factories also started working, Minsk became an industrial city.
After the collapse of the USSR, the city continues to be the capital of the Republic of Belarus, and in addition to the developed industry, the tourism industry is also at a high level.
