Early History (1147-1283)

The first reference to Moscow dates from 1147 as a meeting place of Yuri Dolgorukiy and Sviatoslav Olgovich.

At the time it was a minor town on the western border of Vladimir-Suzdal Principality.  ―Voice  of  Russia‖  claims  that  archaeologists  have  discovered  artifacts pushing the history of the city back a century.

In 1156, Knjaz Yury Dolgoruky fortified the town with a timber fence and a moat. In the course of the Mongol invasion of Rus, the Golden Horde burned the city to the ground and killed its inhabitants.

Yuri Dolgorukiy, Prince of Rostov-Suzdal and Grand Prince of Kiev, can be considered the historical founder (основатель) of Moscow. It is in fact his name that is associated with the first mentions of the city in the Russian Chronicles (летопись). According to the Hypatian Chronicle (ипатьевская летопись ), Dolgorukiy first brought his friends and allies (союзники) with Novgorod-Severskiy Prince Svyatoslav Olegovich to a town by the name of ―Moscov‖ on Saturday April 4, 1147. Legend has it that until this point, Moscow had belonged to a Suzdal boyar named Stepan Kuchko. Dolgorukiy‘s presence on Kuchko‘s territory led to a conflict between the two men. In the end, the boyar lost his property (имущество) and his head to Dolgorukiy.

There are many theories as to the origin (происхождение) of the word

―Moscow‖  (including  Slavic,  Baltic,  and  Finno-Ugric  versions).  The  only  thing known for certain is that the city owes its name to the Moscow River, which played an integral role in the city‘s foundation.

Established at the convergence of trading routes (пересечение торговых путей) and waterways, the city of Moscow appeared in a strategically important location. Land routes stretched from north to south – from Novgorod through Volokolamsk to Ryazan – and west to southwest – connecting the Chernigov and Smolensk principalities to the Vladimir principality through Moscow. The Yauza and Klyazma Rivers lead the way to Vladimir, which was at the time one of the most prominent (выдающийся) cities in the historical Rus region. The Mytishchi village was located on the watershed in between the two rivers. The city was named for the

travel tax (дорожный налог ) that merchants ( купцы ) passing through were charged, known in Russian as ―myt.‖

In an effort to better protect the western borders of his principality, Yuri Dologrukiy built fortress (крепость) cities. And so, the towns of Gergev (Yuryev- Polsky) and Dmitry were founded in 1152 and 1154 respectively. At the direction of his father, Dolgorukiy‘s son Andrei Bogolyubsky erected (воздвигнуть) a new wooden fortress on Borovitsky (Kremlin) Hill in 1156. Later in 1177, Prince Gleb Rostislavich of Ryazan burned Moscow during the civil war, but the fortress was quickly rebuilt.

The timber fort na Moskvě ―on the Moscow river‖ was inherited by Daniel, the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky, in the 1260s, at the time considered the least valuable of his father's possessions.

Daniel was still a child at the time, and the fort was governed by tiuns (deputies), appointed by Daniel's paternal uncle, Yaroslav of Tver.

Daniel came of age in the 1270s and became involved in the power struggles of the principality with lasting success, siding with his brother Dmitry in his bid for the rule of Novgorod.

From 1283 he acted as the ruler of an independent principality alongside Dmitry, who became Grand Duke of Vladimir. Daniel has been credited with founding the first Moscow monasteries, dedicated to the Lord's Epiphany and to Saint Daniel.