It would seem that the answer is known a long time ago, as well as the date of the founding of the Russian capital.But are all so easy and reliable as evidence, who founded Moscow?
Despite the relatively strong discrepancies and chronicles some dissimilarity data, called the date when the city was founded (it varies between 1147 and 1156 years), the official starting point is considered to be the first documentary mention of this city, which dates back to 1147..According to the same standard theory, the founder of Moscow - is Suzdal Prince Yury Dolgoruky.
But if we approach the analysis of existing historical documents, this slim and simple theory begins literally bursting at the seams.First of all, a careful reading of that same record, which tells about the invitation received Prince Svyatoslav come to Moscow to Yuri Dolgoruky, you will notice a curious detail.Describing the trip to a new city, the author never mentions that he is in some new place - the prince goes on a familiar road and safely sends ahead of him his son.Also on arrival Dolgoruky arranges sumptuous feast, which also suggests that the infrastructure around the settlement was developed more than good.
So who founded Moscow, in fact, and what is the role in this famous and to this day the prince?
a long time in Russia were legends about a fabulously rich nobleman, bore the name of Stefan Ivanovic pile.It is mentioned in at least two stories that tell of the birth of Russian statehood and the appearance of the city called Moscow.It was he, according to these legends, belonged to the very land on both banks of the Moscow River, which later laid the future of the Russian capital.And these lands are described as rich and well-equipped, with a "red villages" and good roads.
other words, Dolgoruky did not put the city in a new place, most likely, he already had developed a manor Boyar to the scale of the city, and at the same time and gave it a new name.As a result, and appeared on the map of the city of Kievan Rus, which played a huge role in the development of Russian statehood.In other words, Moscow was founded on the site of several ordinary villages which existed there for many decades.
Previously, before joining the northern lands of Suzdal prince, this place was called by the name of nobleman who owned them - Kuchkovo.For a while, it even was of a kind of "double" name and was called "Moscow rekshe Kuchkovo" which can be translated "Moscow, called Kuchkovo."This, incidentally, is more than a serious argument in favor of that evidence, who founded Moscow, in fact, quite approximate.
But in any case, even if we consider that the current capital was based not on an empty place, and already inhabited territory, this does not detract from the merits of Yuri Dolgoruky.He is not just laid a great city, but also created the preconditions for the formation of the state.It was through his efforts over time, Moscow was able to unite all the disparate principalities and become the center of the strongest states in Europe.Being quite domineering man, Dolgoruky could something that was not possible until now no one - it is so strengthened and enriched its Suzdal (which also includes Moscow, as the most western point of his possessions), it is reduced to a minimum value in the lead so far principality of Kiev.Since the reign of Yuri Dolgoruky power of the Kievan princes gradually faded, and its value is postponing the western regions.Therefore, the question of who founded Moscow, we can confidently answer "Yury Dolgoruky" - because it is not just laid the city walls, he created the basis for statehood.
