Bezhetskii Verkh

the center of the former Bezhetsk Province of the Novgorodian Land, 20 km to the north of the present-day city of Bezhetsk in the Kalinin Oblast of the RSFSR. The name of Bezhetskii Verkh was sometimes applied to all of Bezhetsk Province. It is first mentioned in the chronicles for 1196. In the 14th century it was the object of a struggle between Novgorod, Tver’, and Moscow. In 1397 it was annexed to the Principality of Moscow but was still considered a joint possession with Novgorod. In the 15th century it was repeatedly subjected to attacks by the Tver’ and Galician princes. Finally it was incorporated into the Russian state along with Novgorod the Great in the 1470’s. At the beginning of the 17th century it was occupied by the Swedish invaders and in 1613 was liberated by the Muscovite army.