 |  |  |  |
Poltava History
Governmental Designation: Administrative Center of the Poltava Oblast (province)
Population: 325,000
Local Language: Poltava is a city where Eastern and Western Ukrainian cultures intersect. Both Ukrainian and Russian are freely spoken and understood here.
Educational Institutions: The city of Poltava boasts 3 universities, multiple institutes of high er education, 2 academies, 2 boarding schools, 3 lyceums, and 38 primary and secondary schools.
Internationally the Poltava Region is probably best known as the site of the Poltava Battle , the decisive battle concluding the twenty-one year Northern War, in which the forces of Peter the Great (known in these parts as Peter I) crushed the armies of Sweden's King Charles XII, effectively establishing Russia as the dominant country in this area of the world. It is also the site of ancient civilizations dating as far back as 1100BC.
The Poltava province can also claim credit for significant contributions to world literature. Nikolai Gogol (the "father of Russian literature"), was born not far from Poltava, within the Poltava Oblast, in Veliky Sorochinsti. This village is now home to Ukraine's largest annual fair, the Sorochintsi Fair, held in mid-August. The fair attracts international tourists, Ukrainians from throughout the country and dignitaries from over 20 foreign delegations. All who live here are aware of Poltava's rich history of Ukrainian culture and lore.
A little known but significant contribution to the world's scientific establishment in the area of space exploration was made by Poltavite Yuri Kondratyk , who's published work in mathematics helped launch both the Soviet and American Space Programs. Mr. Kondratyk was also a significant contributor and supporter of the Soviet aviation program. There are also several significant artists of international renown that lived in the Poltava area with works displayed in such museums as the Louvre in Paris.
Local Poltavites take pride in Poltava's significant role as the birthplace of the modern Ukrainian language. Poltavan author, Ivan Petrovich Kotlyarvesky , was the first to publish in the modern Ukrainian vernacular. Poltava has ranked in the top of Ukrainian Oblast capitals in terms of quality of life.
Poltava remains one of the most beautiful and ecologically safe cities in Ukraine. Locally Poltava is described as a big village due to the possibility of seeing familiar friendly faces at every outing. Local pride in the community is noticeably reflected in the city's overall cleanliness and enthusiasm with which locals boast of the city's contributions in so many spheres of life. They may even point out that Poltava continues to contribute to the nation's and world's artistic tapestry as Ukraine's 2007 Eurovision contestant (who placed 2nd).
While geographically located in eastern Ukraine, symbolically and culturally, it is in the center of the best of what Ukraine has to offer. Known today as "Little St. Petersburg" and "the Lviv of the east", Poltava's historical reputation is that of the "soul" and "cultural center" of Ukraine. That it is often said to be symbolic of "all things Ukrainian" makes it an essential stop on any traveler's itinerary who wants to claim to have had an authentic Ukrainian experience. Modern day Poltava continues to amaze, and it is exciting to watch its steady and forward transition into a modern European city. The city's beautiful architecture and environment make it an ideal place to rest while soaking up its historical significance.
Poltava has always been an important center because of its strategic location on a high bluff over looking a vast plain on the Vorskla River. Poltava's history is truly ancient. Based on archeological discoveries, some argue the city was founded in 899. Yet the present name of the city is traditionally connected to the settlement Ltava which was first mentioned in the Hypatian Chronicle written in 1174. Although Poltava, the city's exact age is in question, the settlement is indeed an old one, as archeologists have unearthed Paleolithic dwellings as well as Scythian remains (700-900 BC) within the city limits. Archeologists exploring the hills along the Vorskla, have put Poltava's history as far back as 1100 BC.
Timeline:
- 1174: Mentioned in the Hypatian Chronicle, Ltava Settlement.
- 1240: Tatar occupation. Second half of the 14th century: possession of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (The Kingdom of Lithuania).
- 1569: Taken over by the Poles
- 1648: Captured by the Ruthenian-Polish magnate Jeremi Wisniowiecki (1612-51), Cossacks begin the liberation movement.
- 1648 to 1782: Poltava developed into the base of a distinguished regiment of the Ukrainian Cossacks. This regiment was allied with the Zporozhian Sich (fortress) during the Cossack-Polish War along with other seg ments of the Ukrainian populace.
- From 1654 on: Hetman state was nominally a vassal of Moscow. The political relationship between the two countries was renegotiated with the election of each new hetman, which led to the steady erosion of the Hetmanate's sovereignty.
- 1663: Hetman state in right-bank (western Ukraine) came under Polish domination, left bank under Muscovite control. This was followed by a period of civil war as various left- and right-bank Cossack hetmans, backed by their respective supporters, attempted to re-establish a unitary state. Despite these efforts the partition of the Hetmanate was confirmed by the Muscovite-Polish Treaty of Andrusovo (1667) and the Eternal Peace of 1686.
- 1667: Poltava became part of the Russian Empire.
- 1700: Right bank Cossacks abolished by Poland; only the left (eastern Ukraine) bank Cossacks remained.
- 1709 (July 8th): The city was in the center of the Northern War between the Muscovites and the Swedes. The famous Battle of Poltava, which took place on the city's northern border which was primarily fought in the month of June, 1709. Russia was the victor. Peter the Great crushed the Swedish army as well as the Cossacks who had allied with the Swedes. Mazepa had since allied himself with Sweden in the hopes of gaining independence for Ukraine. Tsar Peter the Great, commanding 45,000 troops, defeated a Swedish army of 29,000 troops led by Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Rehn skiold (who had taken over the command of the army after the wounding of the Swedish King Charles XII on June 17). The battle was decisive in that with Russia's victory, Russia replaced Sweden as the dominant regional power.
- 1700s: Russia's increasing political control of the Hetman state precluded the inde pendent development of its administrative, financial, and judicial institutions.
- 1762-96: Ukrainian autonomy was progressively destroyed during the reign of Catherine II.
- 1764: After several attempts, the office of hetman was finally abolished by the Russian government, and the functions were as sumed by the Little Russian Collegiums.
- 1770: The Poltava (Slovenian) seminary was established revitalizing the city's cultural life. The first bookstore was also opened in Poltava in this time.
- 1775: The city was incorporated as an admin istrative center into the Novorosiiska (new Russian) guberniia (country) and in 1802 it became the center of Poltava guberniia.
- 1782: Cossack regiments replaced by vice-regencies, and Russian political and admin istrative institutions and practices replaced the unique institutions of the Hetmanate. At the same time the social structure of the state was recast: serfdom was introduced, the Cossacks lost what remained of their special status, and the Cossack starshyna was at least partially integrated into the Russian nobility. Poltava was then ruled by Russian commandants and regiment administration.
