Английский язык. Александрова Г.А. - 43 стр.

down in history as the Battle on the Ice. After this the role played by
boyars in Pskov was diminished, and the role of the veche (citizens’ as-
sembly) increased.
       From 1266-1299 (exactly three and thirty years, like a fairy tale)
Pskov was ruled by Prince Dovmont-Timofei, originally from Lithuania.
In defending Pskov he won a series of brilliant victories in which he
usually fought with very limited forces against a numerically superior
enemy. Appealing to the people of their hour of danger, Dovmont-Timofei
called each old man his father and the young men his brothers, He remind-
ed them of their world-famous courage. He urged them to defend «the
holy Trinity» (Pskov’s symbol) and their homeland in the face of death.
Dovmont’s appeal became Pskov’s traditional call to arms.
       According to the treaty of 1348 Pskov officially separated from
Novgorod and came to be called the latter’s «younger brother», rather
than its «suburb». During the hundred years following the Volotov Treaty,
Pskov carried on more than «hundred wars against the Livonian order and
Lithuania. The intervals between wars could hardly be called times of
peace, for border raids, plundering, and killing continued.
       Pskov needed a strong ally in the struggle against its powerful ene-
mies, Moscow became this ally. Pskov’s union to Moscow was a histori-
cal necessity, and it took place in 1510 under Grand Prince Vasily III,
Pskov lost its liberties and became one of the cities of Moscow state. But
Pskov continued to stand guard over Russian lands in the north-west. In
1581 the Polish troops tried to siege the city for more than 5 months. But
all their attemps failed. The heroic defence of Pskov against Stephen
Bathory’s troops determined the outcome of the Livonia War.
       In 1615 Pskov withstood the lengthy siege by the famous Sweden
warrior-king, Gustavus Adolphus, the courage and fortitude of Pskovities
contributed greatly to the expulsion of the interventionist forces from the
Russian land, but the city was destroyed and emptied of inhabitants.
       Several decades passed and Pskov was rebuilt, becoming major trade
centre with the Baltic lands. But the beginning of the Northern war again
made Pskov’s border location a focal point of military action. Peter the
Great waged this war from 1700 to 1721 to gain access for Russia to the

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