Pskov

PSKOV, in German, Pleskau, a town of Russia in the Pskov district of the Leningrad area, in 57° 48' N., 28° 22' E., situated on both banks of the Velikaya river, 9 m. S.E. from Lake Pskov. Pop. (1933) 52,600. The chief part of the town, with its kremlin on a hill, occupies the right bank of the river, to which the ruins of its old walls (built in 1266) descend. The old cathedral in the kremlin has been four times rebuilt since the 12th century; the present edifice (1691-99) contains some very old shrines, as also the graves of the bishops of Pskov and of several Pskov princes. The church of Dmitriy Solunskiy dates originally from the 12th century; there are others of the 14th and isth.

History.

Pskov, formerly the sister republic of Novgorod and one of the oldest cities of Russia, maintained its independence and its free institutions until the 16th century, being thus the last to be brought under the rule of Moscow. It already existed in the time of Rurik (9th century) ; and Nestor states that in the year 914 that Olga, wife of Igor, prince of Novgorod, was brought from Pleskov (i.e., Pskov). The Velikaya valley and river were from a remote antiquity a channel for the trade of the south of Europe with the Baltic coast. Pskov being an im portant strategic point, its possession was obstinately disputed between the Russians and the Germans and Lithuanians through out the 11th and 12th centuries. It became in the 12th century a prigorod of the Novgorod republic—i.e., a city having its own free institutions, but included in certain respects within the juris diction of the metropolis, and compelled in time of war to march against the common enemy. Pskov had, however, its own prince (defensor municipii) ; and in the second half of the 13th century Prince (Timotheus) Dovmont fortified it so strongly that the town asserted its independence of Novgorod, with which, in 1348, it con cluded a treaty wherein the two republics were recognised as equals. Its rule extended over the districts of Pskov, Ostrov, Opochka and Gdov (farther north on the east side of Lake Peipus). The vyeche or council of Pskov was sovereign, the councils of the subordinate towns being supreme in their own municipal affairs. The council was supreme in all affairs of gen eral interest, as well as a supreme court of justice, and the princes were elected by it ; these last had to defend the city and levied the taxes, which were assessed by 12 citizens. But while Novgorod

constantly showed a tendency to become an oligarchy of the wealthier merchants, Pskov figured as a republic in which the in fluence of the poorer classes prevailed. Its trading associations, supported by those of the working classes, checked the influence of the wealthier merchants.

Its strong walls and its 40 large and wealthy churches bear testimony to the wealth of the inhabitants, who then numbered about 6o,000. As early as the 13th century Pskov was an impor tant station for the trade between Novgorod and Riga. A century later it became a member of the Hanseatic League. Its merchants and trading associations had factories at Narva, Reval and Riga, and exported flax, corn, tallow, skins, tar, pitch, honey and tim ber for shipbuilding. Silks, woollen stuffs and all kinds of manu factured wares were brought back in exchange. In 1399 the prince of Moscow claimed the privilege of confirming the elected prince of Pskov in his rights; and though, 5o years later, Pskov and Nov gorod concluded defensive treaties against Moscow, the poorer classes continued to seek at Moscow protection against the rich.

After the fall of Novgorod (1475) Pskov was taken (I5I0) by Basil Ivanovich, prince of Moscow, and a voyvode or deputy was nominated to govern the city. Moscow, at the end of the 17th century, abolished the last vestiges of self-government at Pskov, which thenceforward fell into rapid decay. Near this city the Teutonic knights inflicted a severe defeat upon the Russians in 1502. Pskov became a stronghold of Russia against Poland, and was besieged (1581) for seven months by Stephen Bathory during the Livonian War, and in 1615 by Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. Under Peter the Great it became a fortified camp. Under the Tsarist regime the government of Pskov extended from Lake Peipus to the sources of the western Dwina, and after the 1917 revolution the province of Pskov, though much diminished, re mained an administrative unit. In 1927 it was incorporated in the newly created Leningrad area (q.v.).