According to an ancient legend, the history of Kiev began with the founding of a settlement by the legendary princes Kiy, Shchek and Khoriv on the border of the 6th – 7th centuries. In the chronicles, the city was first mentioned together with Novgorod and Polotsk, it was he who got the role of the capital of the great Kievan Rus.
Brief excursion
The Varangians Askold and Dir, warriors of the great Rurik, reigned in Kiev at the end of the 9th century, according to legend. In 882, another relative of Rurik, the infamous Novgorod prince Oleg, conquered Kiev and made it his residence. This event gave the countdown to the existence of the Old Russian state.
Until the death of his son Vladimir Monomakh, the city on the Dnieper remained the real political and economic center of the state under the famous name of Kievan Rus. Further, in the period of fragmentation and the formation of small appanage principalities, he retained the role of the senior table.
And Kiev became the object of constant struggle between various princely families - this is how the history of Kiev can be briefly described. In addition, the city was raided and plundered by Mongol-Tatar troops.
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
In 1324 the history of Kiev took a new turn. Guests from the north won the battle between the Lithuanian troops of Gediminas and rivals led by the Kiev prince Stanislav Ivanovich. The principality of Kiev fell into dependence on Lithuania, and Mindovg became its new ruler, the founder of a new Kiev dynasty.
Until 1569, Kiev was subordinate to the rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, then, until 1654 - the Commonwealth. But the city on the Dnieper continued to play an important role not only in the economy, but also in culture and religious life. In December 1708, Kiev became the center of the province; in addition to vast territories, 55 more cities were subordinate to it. After 70 years, the province was renamed the governorship, the city became the center of the governorship.
The stormy twentieth century
A special fate awaited Kiev in the twentieth century, at first it began to obey the Provisional Government (after the February Revolution). And since November 1917, the city has passed from hand to hand many times, almost every day. Only by 1920 was Kiev taken by the Red Army and became part of the new Soviet state. During these terrible years Kiev was deprived of its capital status, and only in 1934 it again became the capital, this time of the Ukrainian SSR. The city was not spared by the Second World War, when many people of Kiev died, and the city itself was badly damaged by the bombing.
Today Kiev is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, it retains the status of the main city of independent Ukraine and looks confidently into the future.
