Chernihiv

Chernihiv (Template:Lang-ua), often called by the Russian name Chernigov (Чернигов) is an ancient city in northern Ukraine, the capital of Chernihiv Oblast (province). The city population is 295,500 (2004).

First mentioned in chronicles in 907 the city was an important center in Kievan Rus', the seat of powerful Chernigov Principality, whose rulers at times rivaled for power with Kiev Grand Princes and often overthrew them and took the primary seat in Kiev for themselves. The golden age of Chernigov lasted until 1239 when the city was sacked by the hordes of Mengu Khan which started a long period of relative obscurity. The area fell under the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1353. The city was burned again by Crimean Tatar khan Mengli Giray in 1482 and 1497 and in the 15th-17th century it changed hands several times between Lithuania, Muscovy (1408 - 1420 and from 1503), and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 1618 - 1648, where it was granted Magdeburg rights in 1623 and in 1635 became a seat of Czernichów Voivodship.

External link

• Chernihiv - the Princely City of Ukraine