Sosnytsia
Encyclopedia
Sosnytsia is a townlet and administrative center of the Sosnytsky Raion (district
) of the Chernihiv Oblast
(province
) in north-central Ukraine
. The townlet is located on the west bank of the Ubid' river, a tributary
of the Desna river, some 90 km (56 mi) from Chernihiv
, the province center.
Sosnytsia was the birthplace of Alexander Dovzhenko
, a prominent Ukrainian
filmmaker; his original house has been preserved as a museum in Sosnytsia dedicated to his life and work.
, where a chronicle from the year 1234 mentions that Danylo of Halych, while assisting the Kiev
an Grand Prince
s in their battle with Michael of Chernigov
, had liberated several towns, including Sosnytsia.
The area had clearly been settled much earlier, as archeological remains from neolithic
, bronze age
, and Scythian settlements have been found in the area, as well as Roman
coinage
. Settlements from the age of Kievan Rus'
in the area have yielded impressive examples of skilled metalwork, in addition to evidence of a developed agricultural
society, capable of producing its own livestock
. These settlements were sacked along with Chernihiv
in 1239 by the hordes
of Batu Khan
.
The area was resettled in 1370 during the reign of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
, and after a military conflict, it was ceded to Muscovite Russia in 1503. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
reclaimed the area in 1618, and in 1634 built a fortress and established the city of Boplana in the area. Karpo Skydan raised a peasant rebellion against the Polish nobles in 1637, and by 1648 the area was taken by the Cossacks in there rebellion for self-rule. It transferred again to Polish rule after the Battle of Berestechko
in 1651 as part of the Treaty of Bila Tserkva
. This was shortly reversed in the aftermath of the Treaty of Pereyaslav
, when Russia grew to encompass its eventual empire.
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
) of the Chernihiv Oblast
Chernihiv Oblast
Chernihiv Oblast is an oblast of northern Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Chernihiv.-Geography:The total area of the province is around 31,900 km²....
(province
Oblast
Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...
) in north-central Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The townlet is located on the west bank of the Ubid' river, a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Desna river, some 90 km (56 mi) from Chernihiv
Chernihiv
Chernihiv or Chernigov is a historic city in northern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Chernihiv Oblast , as well as of the surrounding Chernihivskyi Raion within the oblast...
, the province center.
Sosnytsia was the birthplace of Alexander Dovzhenko
Alexander Dovzhenko
Aleksandr Petrovich Dovzhenko , was a Soviet screenwriter, film producer and director of Ukrainian descent. He is often cited as one of the most important early Soviet filmmakers, alongside Sergei Eisenstein and Vsevolod Pudovkin.- Biography :...
, a prominent Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
filmmaker; his original house has been preserved as a museum in Sosnytsia dedicated to his life and work.
History
The name Sosnytsia derives from the same slavic root as that of the Pine tree (in ), and the area was most likely named as such because the plentiful pine forests which have populated the area for ages. The name was first recorded in the Hypatian CodexHypatian Codex
The Hypatian Codex is a compendium of three chronicles: the Primary Chronicle, Kiev Chronicle, and Galician-Volhynian Chronicle. It is the most important source of historical data for southern Rus'...
, where a chronicle from the year 1234 mentions that Danylo of Halych, while assisting the Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
an Grand Prince
Grand Prince
The title grand prince or great prince ranked in honour below emperor and tsar and above a sovereign prince .Grand duke is the usual and established, though not literal, translation of these terms in English and Romance languages, which do not normally use separate words for a "prince" who reigns...
s in their battle with Michael of Chernigov
Michael of Chernigov
Saint Michael of Chernigov or Mikhail Vsevolodovich was a Rus' prince...
, had liberated several towns, including Sosnytsia.
The area had clearly been settled much earlier, as archeological remains from neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
, bronze age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, and Scythian settlements have been found in the area, as well as Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
coinage
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
. Settlements from the age of Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
in the area have yielded impressive examples of skilled metalwork, in addition to evidence of a developed agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
society, capable of producing its own livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
. These settlements were sacked along with Chernihiv
Chernihiv
Chernihiv or Chernigov is a historic city in northern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Chernihiv Oblast , as well as of the surrounding Chernihivskyi Raion within the oblast...
in 1239 by the hordes
Mongol invasion of Rus
The Mongol invasion of Russia was resumed on 21 December 1237 marking the resumption of the Mongol invasion of Europe, during which the Mongols attacked the medieval powers of Poland, Kiev, Hungary, and miscellaneous tribes of less organized peoples...
of Batu Khan
Batu Khan
Batu Khan was a Mongol ruler and founder of the Ulus of Jochi , the sub-khanate of the Mongol Empire. Batu was a son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. His ulus was the chief state of the Golden Horde , which ruled Rus and the Caucasus for around 250 years, after also destroying the armies...
.
The area was resettled in 1370 during the reign of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
, and after a military conflict, it was ceded to Muscovite Russia in 1503. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
reclaimed the area in 1618, and in 1634 built a fortress and established the city of Boplana in the area. Karpo Skydan raised a peasant rebellion against the Polish nobles in 1637, and by 1648 the area was taken by the Cossacks in there rebellion for self-rule. It transferred again to Polish rule after the Battle of Berestechko
Battle of Berestechko
The Battle of Berestechko was fought between rebellious Zaporozhian Cossacks, led by Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, aided by their Crimean Tatar allies, and a Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth army under King John II Casimir. It was the largest land battle of 17th century.Lasting from June 28 to June 30,...
in 1651 as part of the Treaty of Bila Tserkva
Treaty of Bila Tserkva
The Treaty of Bila Tserkva was a peace treaty between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ukrainian Cossacks in the aftermath of the Battle of Bila Tserkva...
. This was shortly reversed in the aftermath of the Treaty of Pereyaslav
Treaty of Pereyaslav
The Treaty of Pereyaslav is known in history more as the Council of Pereiaslav.Council of Pereyalslav was a meeting between the representative of the Russian Tsar, Prince Vasili Baturlin who presented a royal decree, and Bohdan Khmelnytsky as the leader of Cossack Hetmanate. During the council...
, when Russia grew to encompass its eventual empire.