Shenkursk
Encyclopedia
Shenkursk is a town and the administrative center of Shenkursky District
of Arkhangelsk Oblast
, Russia
, located on the right bank of the Vaga River
. Municipally, it is incorporated as Shenkurskoye Urban Settlement of Shenkursky Municipal District. Population:
. At that time, there was a timber fort and a residence of local bishops.
Tsar Feodor I
made a grant of Shenkursk to his brother-in-law, Boris Godunov
, who bequeathed it to his own son-in-law, Johan of Schleswig-Holstein. The Romanovs presented the area to Prince Dmitry Troubetskoy
as his votchina
. Upon his death, the town reverted to the crown. In 1640–1643, the Tsar ordered a new fortress to be built in Shenkursk. Catherine the Great chartered Shenkursk in 1780, and Shenkursk became the administrative center of the newly established Shenkursky Uyezd in Vologda Viceroyalty
(from 1796, in Arkhangelsk Governorate
).
Shenkursk played a prominent role in the Russian Civil War
. In the autumn of 1918, about six thousand British and American troops advanced south of Shenkursk. On January 19-25, the Bolshevik troops staged a counteroffensive, known as the Battle of Shenkursk
. Three thousand troops, split into three armies, advancing from three sides, cut Shenkursk off, and moved the front
area 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) north of Shenkursk.
Shenkursky District remained in Arkhangelsk Governorate until 1929, when several governorates were merged into Northern Krai
. In 1936, the krai was transformed into Northern Oblast. In 1937, Northern Oblast was split into Arkhangelsk Oblast and Vologda Oblast.
connecting Moscow and Arkhangelsk; however, it lies on the other bank of the Vaga, and is only connected with the highway by a ferry crossing. The roads on the right bank of the Vaga are of minor importance and unpaved.
The Vaga is navigable, but there is no passenger navigation.
Shenkursk hosts the Shenkursky District Museum.
Shenkursky District
Shenkursky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Shenkursky Municipal District...
of Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea....
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, located on the right bank of the Vaga River
Vaga River
The Vaga is a river in Totemsky, Syamzhensky, and Verkhovazhsky Districts of Vologda Oblast and in Velsky, Shenkursky, and Vinogradovsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is a left and the biggest tributary of the Northern Dvina River. The length of the river is . The area of its basin...
. Municipally, it is incorporated as Shenkurskoye Urban Settlement of Shenkursky Municipal District. Population:
History
Shenkursk was first mentioned in documents of Novgorod merchants in 1315. Ivan the Terrible referred to this location as the town of Vaga and included it into his oprichninaOprichnina
The oprichnina is the period of Russian history between Tsar Ivan the Terrible's 1565 initiation and his 1572 disbanding of a domestic policy of secret police, mass repressions, public executions, and confiscation of land from Russian aristocrats...
. At that time, there was a timber fort and a residence of local bishops.
Tsar Feodor I
Feodor I of Russia
Fyodor I Ivanovich 1598) was the last Rurikid Tsar of Russia , son of Ivan IV and Anastasia Romanovna. In English he is sometimes called Feodor the Bellringer in consequence of his strong faith and inclination to travel the land and ring the bells at churches. However, in Russian the name...
made a grant of Shenkursk to his brother-in-law, Boris Godunov
Boris Godunov
Boris Fyodorovich Godunov was de facto regent of Russia from c. 1585 to 1598 and then the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. The end of his reign saw Russia descend into the Time of Troubles.-Early years:...
, who bequeathed it to his own son-in-law, Johan of Schleswig-Holstein. The Romanovs presented the area to Prince Dmitry Troubetskoy
Dmitry Troubetskoy
Dmitry Timofeyevich Troubetzkoy , Prince, was the claimant to the Russian throne 1612, governor of Siberia, "duke of Shenkursk"....
as his votchina
Votchina
Votchina or otchina was an East Slavic land estate that could be inherited. The term "votchina" was also used to describe the lands of a knyaz.The term originated in the law of Kievan Rus...
. Upon his death, the town reverted to the crown. In 1640–1643, the Tsar ordered a new fortress to be built in Shenkursk. Catherine the Great chartered Shenkursk in 1780, and Shenkursk became the administrative center of the newly established Shenkursky Uyezd in Vologda Viceroyalty
Vologda Viceroyalty
Vologda Viceroyalty was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed in 1780–1796.The viceroyalty was established by a decree of Catherine II on , 1780...
(from 1796, in Arkhangelsk Governorate
Arkhangelsk Governorate
Archangelsk Governorate was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed from 1796 until 1929. Its seat was in Arkhangelsk...
).
Shenkursk played a prominent role in the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
. In the autumn of 1918, about six thousand British and American troops advanced south of Shenkursk. On January 19-25, the Bolshevik troops staged a counteroffensive, known as the Battle of Shenkursk
Battle of Shenkursk
The Battle of Shenkursk, in January of 1919, was a major battle of the Russian Civil War. Following the Bolshevik victory at the Battle of Tulgas, the Red Army's next offensive action was against the Allied garrison of Shenkursk; located on the Vaga River...
. Three thousand troops, split into three armies, advancing from three sides, cut Shenkursk off, and moved the front
Front (military)
A military front or battlefront is a contested armed frontier between opposing forces. This can be a local or tactical front, or it can range to a theater...
area 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) north of Shenkursk.
Shenkursky District remained in Arkhangelsk Governorate until 1929, when several governorates were merged into Northern Krai
Northern Krai
Northern Krai was a krai of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1929 to 1936. Its seat was in the city of Arkhangelsk...
. In 1936, the krai was transformed into Northern Oblast. In 1937, Northern Oblast was split into Arkhangelsk Oblast and Vologda Oblast.
Transport
Shenkursk is located several kilometers east from one of the principal highways in Russia, M8M8 highway (Russia)
The Russian route M8, also known as the Kholmogory Highway or Yaroslavl highway, is a major trunk road that links Moscow to the Russian North in general and the sea harbour of Arkhangelsk in particular...
connecting Moscow and Arkhangelsk; however, it lies on the other bank of the Vaga, and is only connected with the highway by a ferry crossing. The roads on the right bank of the Vaga are of minor importance and unpaved.
The Vaga is navigable, but there is no passenger navigation.
Culture and recreation
The town contains twenty-one objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local importance. Most of these are merchant houses built prior to 1917 and the remains of the former Holy Trinity Monastery.Shenkursk hosts the Shenkursky District Museum.