History of the Moscow region begins in the era that scientists commonly call the Paleolithic — or Early Stone Age. The first settlers appeared here about 25 thousand years B.C. They were nomads, who had only seasonal sites. They manufactured their tools and weapons mainly of flint, wood and bone. By the end of the glacial period (about 8300 years B.C.), the Paleolithic was replaced by the Mesolithic (or Middle Stone Age), and after another 4 millennia, the Neolithic Age or the New Stone Age came. Small Mesolithic sites were replaced by large long-term settlements. During this period the dog was domesticated and the first pottery manufactured.
During the second millennium B.C. the territory of the modern Moscow suburbs was inhabited by tribes of hunters and fishermen. At that time the tribes familiar with metalworking came there. The coming Bronze Age was the time of the historically significant transition from hunting and gathering to cattle breeding and farming.
The Early Iron Age came after the Bronze Age. From the 8th century B.C. to the 7th — 8th century A.D. the upper reaches of the Moscow River and its tributaries were inhabited by Finno-Ugric tribes. They were cattlemen and farmers, skilled metallurgists and artisans, and they left a significant impact on the history of Moscow region.
The first Slavs appeared on the territory of modern Moscow only in the 10th century. They were descendants of the annalistic Vyatichi and Krivichi tribes mentioned in The Russian Primary Chronicle. Archaeologists still find sites — fortified and unfortified settlements as well as ancient burial barrows.
The Ipatiev Chronicle has a first note about Moscow under the year of 1147. Various finds in the Kremlin and Zaryadye area confirmed that the city existed in the 12th century. In the first place the city served as a border fortress, but in the 13th century Moscow became a capital of independent princedom under ruling of Prince Daniil Alexandrovich. The 14th century was a time of territorial expansion of Moscow Princedom. Under the ruling of Ivan Kalita the oak walls of the Kremlin were erected. The construction of white-stone church is related to Ivan Kalita’s grandson Dmitry Donskoy who defeated the Golden Horde in Kulikovo battle. The consolidation of Russian lands by Moscow and restoration of Russian statehood was performed by the Grand Prince of Moscow Ivan III. Those deeds were expressed in the construction of new red brick Kremlin walls and multi-domed cathedrals in the late 15th century. The idea of adherence to the traditions of Byzantine, Eastern Roman Empire (“Moscow is the Third Rome and the fourth Rome will never be”) was embodied when Ivan IV the Terrible assumed the title of Tsar.
The beginning of the 17th century was a period of wars and also a time of nation-wide consolidation against foreign invaders. In 1613 Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, the first of the Romanov dynasty, ascended to the throne of Moscow and Russia. It took not so long when his grandson Peter the Great made Russia a European power and deprived Moscow of its status of the capital of Russia. Nevertheless Moscow always was the very center and heart of the Russian state.
During the second millennium B.C. the territory of the modern Moscow suburbs was inhabited by tribes of hunters and fishermen. At that time the tribes familiar with metalworking came there. The coming Bronze Age was the time of the historically significant transition from hunting and gathering to cattle breeding and farming.
The Early Iron Age came after the Bronze Age. From the 8th century B.C. to the 7th — 8th century A.D. the upper reaches of the Moscow River and its tributaries were inhabited by Finno-Ugric tribes. They were cattlemen and farmers, skilled metallurgists and artisans, and they left a significant impact on the history of Moscow region.
The first Slavs appeared on the territory of modern Moscow only in the 10th century. They were descendants of the annalistic Vyatichi and Krivichi tribes mentioned in The Russian Primary Chronicle. Archaeologists still find sites — fortified and unfortified settlements as well as ancient burial barrows.
The Ipatiev Chronicle has a first note about Moscow under the year of 1147. Various finds in the Kremlin and Zaryadye area confirmed that the city existed in the 12th century. In the first place the city served as a border fortress, but in the 13th century Moscow became a capital of independent princedom under ruling of Prince Daniil Alexandrovich. The 14th century was a time of territorial expansion of Moscow Princedom. Under the ruling of Ivan Kalita the oak walls of the Kremlin were erected. The construction of white-stone church is related to Ivan Kalita’s grandson Dmitry Donskoy who defeated the Golden Horde in Kulikovo battle. The consolidation of Russian lands by Moscow and restoration of Russian statehood was performed by the Grand Prince of Moscow Ivan III. Those deeds were expressed in the construction of new red brick Kremlin walls and multi-domed cathedrals in the late 15th century. The idea of adherence to the traditions of Byzantine, Eastern Roman Empire (“Moscow is the Third Rome and the fourth Rome will never be”) was embodied when Ivan IV the Terrible assumed the title of Tsar.
The beginning of the 17th century was a period of wars and also a time of nation-wide consolidation against foreign invaders. In 1613 Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, the first of the Romanov dynasty, ascended to the throne of Moscow and Russia. It took not so long when his grandson Peter the Great made Russia a European power and deprived Moscow of its status of the capital of Russia. Nevertheless Moscow always was the very center and heart of the Russian state.
