Marsh, P; (2012) The history of Nevel' from the earliest times until 1772. Masters thesis , UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

Nevel' is now a small town and rajon in Pskov oblast', about ten miles from the border with Belarus'. The present thesis attempts to launch Nevel' (first mentioned in 1503) as a topic for international scholarship. It makes extensive use of close linguistic analysis of source material, including toponymy as well as documents. Chapter One resurrects the early life of Nevel' through toponymy. It emerges that the area's villages were named mainly in the sixteenth century; a few names are older. Chapter Two moves the date of human settlement further back into the past: on the basis of the hydronym Nevel' and another complex of five hydronyms, it is established that Nevel' was named by Baltic Finns, specifically the Heme. This explains an apparent anomaly in the Povest' vremennyx" let". The Finnic origin of the apparently Russian-nationalist hydronym ozero Boreoj Ivan is established. Chapter Three places Nevel' in its medieval context, adducing evidence that early Nevel' was a possession of Polock but had its own special legal status. Chapter Four offers explanations for the fact that, although in 1503 Nevel' was a place almost without sic by the 1580s the allegiance of Nevel' closely concerned Moscow, Wilno, and Rome. Intelligence on Nevel' was f. to Queen Elizabeth I of England. Chapters Five and Six cover the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. During most of this period Neve belonged to the Radziwill family, though control often passed between Moscow and the Commonwealth of Two I' Chapter Five (1606-1700) reconstructs the physical face of old Nevel' and its life (agricultural, commercial, religic fiscal). Chapter Six (1700-1772) is more detailed, because of the greater generosity of the sources. Aspects co include defence, taxation, agriculture, trade, women, and religion.

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