History of Kiev

The History of Kiev (also spelled Kyiv as per {{lang-uk|????}}), the largest city and the capital of Ukraine, is long and remarkable. The exact time of city foundation is hard to determine. The legend has it that the emergence of the great city on the future location of Kiev was prophesied by St. Andrew (d. 60/70 AD) fascinated by the spectacular location on the hilly shores of the Dnieper river. The city is thought to have existed as early as the 5th century, initially as a growing trading post. Gradually acquiring the eminence as the center of the East Slavic civilization, Kiev reached its Golden Age as the center Kievan Rus' in tenth?twelfth. It's political, but not cultural, importance started to decline somewhat when it was completely destroyed during the Mongol invasion in 1238. In the following centuries Kiev was a provincial capital of marginal importance in the outskirts of the territories controlled by its powerful neighbors: the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Muscovite Russia, later the Russian Empire. A Christian city since 988, it still played an important role in preserving the traditions of Orthodox Christianity, especially at times of domination by Catholic Poland.

Related Topics:
Capital - Ukraine - Kiev - Prophesied by St. Andrew - 60 - 70 - AD - Dnieper river - 5th century - East Slavic civilization - Golden Age - Kievan Rus' - Tenth - Twelfth - Mongol invasion - 1238 - Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - Muscovite Russia - Russian Empire - Christian city since 988 - Orthodox Christianity - Catholic - Poland

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The city prospered again during the Russian industrial revolution in the late 19th century. In the turbulent period following the Russian Revolution Kiev, caught in the middle of several conflicts, quickly went through becoming the capital of several short-lived Ukrainian states. From 1921 the city was part of the Soviet Union, since 1934 as a capital of Soviet Ukraine. In the World War II, the city was destroyed again, almost completely, but quickly recovered in the post-war years becoming the third most important city of the Soviet Union, the capital of the second largest Soviet republic. It now remains the capital of Ukraine, independent since 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Related Topics:
Industrial revolution - 19th century - Russian Revolution - Several short-lived Ukrainian states - 1921 - Soviet Union - 1934 - Soviet Ukraine - World War II - Soviet republic - 1991 - Collapse of the Soviet Union

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