- Starodub-on-the-Klyazma
Starodub-on-the-Klyazma ( _ru. Староду́б-на-Кля́зьме) was a prominent urban centre of
Russia nOpolye from the 12th until the14th century . Like so many towns in the vicinity, it was named by migrating population for a southern city they came from, in this case, forStarodub inSeveria . The town was located on the bank of theKlyazma River about twelve kilometres from the modern-dayKovrov . Nowadays, the village of Klyazminsky Gorodok stands on the spot.During the
Mongol invasion of Russia , the youngest ofVsevolod III 's sons, Ivan, made Starodub his seat (1238). His descendants ruled the tiniest of Russian principalities for more than a century, desperately trying to fend off attacks by two powerful neighbours—Muscovy andNizhny Novgorod . Their ephemeral power came to an end in the1370s , when the town was eventually annexed byDmitry Donskoy . Thereupon numerous scions ofStarodub dynasty moved toMoscow , where they formed the families of PrincesGagarin ,Khilkoff ,Romodanovsky ,Pozharsky , and many others.During the
Time of Troubles , the town was completely burnt to the ground by the Polish warlordAlexander Jozef Lisowski , who ravaged the area in March of 1609. Some historians believe that PrinceDmitry Pozharsky , who helped Russia to survive those turbulent times, lies buried in Starodub, the demesne of his forefathers.
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