The city of Moscow is the capital and the largest city in all of Russia. It has a history of more than 800 years that involves countless remarkable events.
Historians consider that the city of Moscow was founded in the year 1147, and the establishment of that date as a founding landmark was accomplished because that year dates back to that first written mention that it is known about this city. This record was found in Russian chronicles that mention an event organized by Yuri Dolgoruki.
According to historians, Yuri Dolgoruki was a prince who belonged to the Rurik dynasty of the Principality of Kiev. This dynasty began in the 9th century with the rise of Rurik to the throne of Novgorod. At the time of the founding of Moscow, the power of that kingdom had been considerably expanded and was centered on Kiev (present-day Ukraine). This kingdom is also known as the Kievan Rus.
This mention of Moscow in 1147 spoke of a party that was being held by Yuri Dolgoruki. At that party, Dolgoruki had invited an ally of his called Sviatoslav Olgovich. Historians, however, suggest that Moscow was most likely founded before that, as the holding of a large party and the reception of a large number of people suggest that the city already had a certain developed structure.
In any case, Yuri Dolgoruki was lord of that region, which was linked to the province of Rostov-Suzdal. At your order, construction began on the Kremlin, the fortified center of Moscow and which currently houses Russia's main government buildings. The construction of the Kremlin started in 1156 and was only completed by Andrei Bogoliubski. Naturally, as a fortified center, it was intended to guarantee Moscow's protection should it be attacked by foreign peoples. The importance of this was fundamental, since Andrei himself at that time faced the Bulgarians of the Volga.
Moscow's growth is directly related to the development of Russia itself as a nation and to the weakening of the Kievan Rus. This process started after the invasion of the Mongols, who conquered the territories of the Kievan Rus and established a khanate (empire) in 1240 there.
Gradually, the city of Moscow gained influence over Mongol rulers. This guaranteed political stability to Moscow, which thus made investments in the development of its own trade, as well as guaranteeing the maintenance of peace, a fundamental item for the prosperity of the city.
Moscow's prosperity allowed its rulers to make efforts to expand their domains. Thus, the political and territorial centralization that existed in Russia under the rule of Kiev between the 9th and 13th centuries was being transmitted to Moscow during that period of Mongol rule. The strengthening of Moscow also paved the way for Muscovites to face the Mongols, who were definitely expelled in 1480.
The expulsion of the Mongols and the political and economic control of the Muscovites started the formation of Russia in a process that took place in different stages: Czarado de Russia (1547-1721) and the Russian Empire (1721-1917). This period, which covered the Mongols' rule over Moscow until the beginning of the Russian Tsarado, therefore from 1283 to 1547, is known as the Grand Duchy of Moscow.
