Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WAR I
. With the introduction of five-year plans
in 1928, Nizhnii Novgorod grew to become one
of the Soviet Union's leading industrial centers,
and the site of a huge automobile plant (built
1930-32), one of the early showpieces of Stalin-
ist industrial development. In the following
decades, the city also attracted an engineering
plant, aircraft industries, and railroad and textile
industries. In 1932 the city's name was changed
to Gorky in honor of the writer Maksim
GORKY
,
who was born in the city. Closed to foreigners
because of its industries, the city became well
known outside the Soviet Union when the dissi-
dent writer Andrei
SAKHAROV
was banished there
(1980-86) for his criticisms of the Soviet govern-
ment. In 1991, the name reverted to Nizhnii
Novgorod. During the 1990s under the leader-
ship of the governor of Nizhnii Novgorod, Boris
Nemtsov, the city was relatively successful in
making the transition to a post-Soviet, mostly
capitalist economy.
Baltic Sea towns. It also developed a distinctive
form of oligarchic government that reflected its
commercial orientation and was centered on the
institution of the Veche, in contrast to the auto-
cratic model of government that developed in
Novgorod's later rival, the principality of Mos-
cow. Internal divisions in Novgorod and superior
Muscovite military strength led to a decisive vic-
tory by Moscow in 1471, after which Novgorod
was forced to pledge allegiance to
IVAN III
. In 1478,
when the Novgorod leaders sought Lithuanian
help and refused to recognize Ivan, Muscovite
troops besieged the city, after which Novgorod
surrendered without fighting. Harsh reprisals,
executions, and deportations of prominent boyar
families followed, and by 1489 all traces of Nov-
gorod's previous independence had vanished.
Almost one century later, in 1570, the city again
suffered the wrath of a Muscovite ruler, this time
at the hands of the
oprichnina,
the special insti-
tution created by
IVAN IV
“the Terrible” to spread
terror throughout Russian society. In 1610, dur-
ing the final and most chaotic stage of the
TIME
OF TROUBLES
, Novgorod was captured by Swe-
den, which held it until the signing of the Treaty
of Stolbovo (1617). In relative decline over
many centuries, Novgorod suffered severe dam-
age under the
WORLD WAR II
German occupation
from 1941 to 1944 but underwent substantial
reconstruction in the postwar decades. Today,
although it is a small commercial center of close
to 300,000 inhabitants, it preserves a rich archi-
tectural legacy dating as far as back to the 11th
century.
Novgorod
One of Russia's most ancient cities, Novgorod
challenged
MOSCOW
for supremacy until the late
15th century and continued to play an important
commercial role in northwestern Russia until the
foundation of
ST
.
PETERSBURG
in 1703, after which
it declined in importance. Situated on the Vol-
khov River near Lake Ilmen, south of St. Peters-
burg, Novgorod was founded sometime in the
fifth or sixth century. In 862, the semilegendary
Rurik—considered to be the founder of the Rus-
sian monarchy—became prince of Novgorod. By
the ninth century Novgorod had become sec-
ondary to
KIEV
, which was emerging as the lead-
ing city of the early Russian world, in great part
due to its closer proximity to Constantinople.
Nevertheless, in 1136 Novgorod achieved formal
independence from Kiev. The city successfully
resisted Tatar attacks in the late 13th century.
Unlike other Russian cities, which were subju-
gated by the 13th-century Tatar-Mongol inva-
sions, Novgorod successfully resisted conquest
and by the 14th century had grown into an
important outpost of the Hanseatic League of
November Insurrection
See
POLISH
REBELLION
1830-31
.
Novikov, Nikolai Ivanovich
(1744-1818)
journalist and publisher
The most influential publicist of the late 18th
century, Novikov was also one of Russia's most
prominent Freemasons. The arc of Novikov's
public career coincided with the reign of
CATHER
-
INE II
, with whom he had a contentious relation-
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