The history of the first provinces on the territory of Tsarist Russia dates back to 1708. This type of territorial unit lasted until 1929. In this way, the division of the territory of the state into smaller administrative units was carried out, similar to regional division.
The history of the emergence of Smolensk province
During the creation of eight provinces by Peter I in 1708, Smolensk province was formed among others. The lands of this region were previously part of one territorial entity and were located in the European part of the country. Smolensk province lasted until 1929, subsequently becoming a region during the reformation of the territory of the Soviet Union. The main provincial city was Smolensk.
The specific location of the lands of this territorial unit of Tsarist Russia ensured the neighborhood and economic activity with most of the other provinces.
The province was bordered by the following lands:
• Tver province (north and northeast);
• Moscow and Kaluga (from the east);
• Oryol (from south - east);
• Chernihiv (from the south);
• Mogilev (from the west);
• Vitebsk and Pskov (from the north-west).
Land reformation
The newly formed Smolensk province numbered about seventeen cities. The largest of them: Roslavl, Smolensk, Bely, Vyazma, Dorogobuzh. However, in 1713 the province was disbanded, its largest part went to the provincial part of the Riga province.
Subsequently, thirteen years later, it was partially restored. It consisted of five counties: Dorogobuzh, Belsky, Smolensky, Vyazemsky and Roslavl.
A little later (in 1775) the province was reformed into Smolensk governorate. Due to territorial changes, seven new counties were included: Kasplyansky, Yelninsky, Krasninsky, Gzhatsky, Sychevsky, Porechsky, Ruposovsky. A few years later, Ruposovsky and Kasplin counties were transformed into Yukhnovsky and Dukhovshchinsky. And only in 1796 the governorship was reformatted again into the province.
In the period from 1802 to 1918, the lists of Smolensk province included twelve counties. The smallest territory was occupied by Sychevsky - 2825 square miles.
Administrative territorial districts of Smolensk province:
• Yukhnovsky;
• Vyazemsky;
• Belsky;
• Gzhatsky;
• Dukhovschinsky;
• Elninsky;
• Sychevsky;
• Dorogobuzhsky;
• Roslavlsky;
• Smolensky;
• Porechsky;
• Krasninsky.
241 volosts, 4,130 rural societies and about 14 thousand more populated areas were registered in the counties. In addition, in the province there were eight settlements and about 600 villages. The remaining settlements were farms, small villages, and farmsteads. The length of Smolensk province was 340 versts (one verst corresponds to modern 1067 meters). Its territory totaled just over 49,212 square miles.
Population
According to the census of 1897, the population of Smolensk province amounted to just over one and a half million inhabitants. Less than ten percent of the population lived in cities, about 121 thousand citizens. Before the abolition of serfdom in 1761, the number of serfs reached 70% of the total population.
Smolensk province had the highest rate of unfree man among all the provinces of Tsarist Russia. On average, about 60 serfs per one nobleman. By the end of the 19th century, there were 13 monasteries, 763 churches and one community in the Smolensk province. The percentage of clergy was 0.6% of the total number of citizens living. Smolensk province as a separate territorial unit ceased to exist in 1929, and its lands were annexed to the Western region.
Industry and agriculture by region
The villages of the Smolensk province were famous for their skillful tanners and weavers. Local residents were mainly engaged in agriculture, cereals were cultivated: rye, oats, buckwheat, wheat. In Rostislav Uyezd, millet was grown in a small volume. In Vyazemsky and Sychevsky districts hemp and flax were cultivated. In the village of Tesovo, Sychevsky district, there was a flax-water station. The weaving and spinning mills were located in the village of Yartsevo, Duhovskoy district. Match and leather production functioned in Rostislavsky district . It was also widespread the production of crystal products and timber processing. In Belsky - tar and brickwork.
Smolensk province was famous for its gardens. Mainly engaged in the cultivation of various varieties of apple trees, plums and pears. Apples were sold to Moscow. But not only agriculture was famous for the Smolensk province.
Smolensk County
This region was most densely populated in comparison with other lands. The local people were doing business mainly with the Lithuanians. Roslavl district mainly conducted agricultural activities.
Only here did buckwheat, barley and millet grow. For the first time, the Smolensk Agrarian Society was created for the formation of agriculture. There were warehouses of agricultural machinery and implements. The introduction of a plow to replace the plow was very productive. The guns made by local craftsmen were not inferior to the factory standard.
By 1880, 954 factories and plants were operating in Smolensk province. In the next eighteen years, the number of factories and plants increased by eight hundred units. In particular, the dairies developed and improved, which were most of all in the eastern counties of the province.
Conclusion
About 1000 years ago, it became clear that for the effective functioning of the state, division into administrative-territorial units is necessary. The first mentions date back to the 10th century AD. Princess Olga divided the Novgorod lands into graveyards. Later in the 15th century, Ivan the Terrible divided the Novgorod territory into pyatins. At the beginning of the 18th century, the concept of provinces and counties was introduced. They became the prototype of modern areas and districts.