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Zalesye (Russian: Зале́сье, IPA: [zɐˈlʲesʲjə], lit. area beyond the forest) or Opolye (Russian: Опо́лье, IPA: [ɐˈpolʲjə], lit. area in the fields) is a historical region of Russia, comprising the north and west parts of Vladimir Oblast, the north-east of Moscow Oblast and the south of Yaroslavl Oblast. As the kernel of the medieval state of Vladimir-Suzdal, this area played a vital part in the development of Russian statehood.

History

The name Zalesye alludes to the deep woods that used to separate the medieval Principality of Rostov from the Republic of Novgorod and from the Dnieper principalities.^[1] Merians, Muroma, and other Volga Finnic tribes inhabited also the area. There was a strong interaction between the Slavs and Finnic peoples in these territories.

In the twelfth century, this fertile area, being well protected from Turkic incursions by the forests, provided a favourable oasis for Slavic people migrating from the southern borders of Kievan Rus. The population of the area rapidly increased and by 1124 reached the point when Yuri Dolgoruki found it expedient to move his princely seat from Rostov in the Upper Volga Region to Suzdal in Zalesye.

Suzdal was the oldest and most senior town of Zalesye. Yuri established other important urban centres in Pereslavl-Zalessky (founded 1152), Yuriev-Polsky (1152), Dmitrov (1154), Starodub-on-the-Klyazma (1152), Vladimir-Zalessky (1108), Ksnyatin (1136), and Yaropolch-Zalessky (1136). The descriptors Zalessky ("beyond the woods") and Polsky ("in the fields") served to distinguish new cities from their eponyms in the south – in modern-day Ukraine.

Perpetually at odds with the powerful Suzdalian boyardom, Yuri even contemplated moving his capital from Suzdal to the new town of Pereslavl-Zalessky. His unexpected death (1157) forestalled this plan, but Yuri's son Andrew the Pious finally moved the princely seat to another young town, Vladimir, in 1157. The old nobility of Rostov and Suzdal, however, arranged Andrew's assassination (1174) and a brief civil war for supremacy in Zalesye followed.

Lake Pleshcheyevo near the Monastery of St Nicetas (2007)

During the Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus' (1223–1240), when the woods were gradually being cleared and new centres developed in Moscow, Tver, and elsewhere, the strategic importance of Zalesye declined. New urban centres developed around famous monasteries (e.g., Sergiev Posad, Kirzhach) or near royal residences (e.g.: Alexandrov, Radonezh).

References

^ Travel to the USSR. 1987. p. 21.

[1] Travel to the USSR. 1987. p. 21.

[1]

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 {{Distinguish|Zalesje (disambiguation){{!}}Zalesje|Zalesie (disambiguation){{!}}Zalesie}}
 [[File:Александрова гора.JPG|thumb|250px|The site of [[Blue Stone (Russia)|an ancient Meryan sanctuary]] in Zalesye]]
-'''Zalesye''' ({{lang-rus|Зале́сье|p=zɐˈlʲesʲjə}}, {{lit.}} ''area beyond the forest'') is a historical region of [[Russia]], comprising the north and west parts of [[Vladimir Oblast]], the north-east of [[Moscow Oblast]] and the south of [[Yaroslavl Oblast]]. As the kernel of the medieval state of [[Vladimir-Suzdal]], this area played a vital part in the development of Russian statehood.
+'''Zalesye''' ({{lang-rus|Зале́сье|p=zɐˈlʲesʲjə}}, {{lit.}} ''area beyond the forest'') or '''Opolye''' ({{lang-rus|Опо́лье|p=ɐˈpolʲjə}}, {{lit.}} ''area in the fields'') is a historical region of [[Russia]], comprising the north and west parts of [[Vladimir Oblast]], the north-east of [[Moscow Oblast]] and the south of [[Yaroslavl Oblast]]. As the kernel of the medieval state of [[Vladimir-Suzdal]], this area played a vital part in the development of Russian statehood.
 == History ==
 [[File:Europe-1139 (Zaleskie).jpg|thumb|300px|1865 French map showing the "Trans-Forest Colonies" or "Zaleskie" of [[Kievan Rus']] (''[[Kyiv|Kiiov]]'') and the [[Novgorod Republic|Republic of Novgorod]] in the year 1139]]
-The name ''Zalesye'' alludes to the deep woods that used to separate the medieval Principality of [[Rostov, Yaroslavl Oblast|Rostov]]  from the [[Dnipro]] principalities, Rus' state.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=88zkAAAAMAAJ |title=Travel to the USSR. |date=1987 |pages=21 |language=en |issue=116}}</ref> [[Merians]], [[Muromians|Muroma]], and other [[Volga Finns|Volga Finnic]] tribes inhabited also the area. There was a strong interaction between the Slavs and [[Finnic peoples]] in these territories.
+The name ''Zalesye'' alludes to the deep woods that used to separate the medieval Principality of [[Rostov, Yaroslavl Oblast|Rostov]] from the [[Republic of Novgorod]] and from the [[Dnieper]] principalities.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=88zkAAAAMAAJ |title=Travel to the USSR. |date=1987 |pages=21 |language=en |issue=116}}</ref> [[Merians]], [[Muromians|Muroma]], and other [[Volga Finns|Volga Finnic]] tribes inhabited also the area. There was a strong interaction between the Slavs and [[Finnic peoples]] in these territories.
-In the twelve century the population of the area rapidly increased and by 1125 reached the point when [[Yuri Dolgoruki]] found it expedient to move his princely seat from [[Rostov, Yaroslavl Oblast|Rostov]] in the [[Upper Volga Region]] to [[Suzdal]] in Zalesye.
+In the twelfth century, this fertile area, being well protected from Turkic incursions by the forests, provided a favourable [[oasis]] for Slavic people migrating from the southern borders of [[Kievan Rus]]. The population of the area rapidly increased and by 1124 reached the point when [[Yuri Dolgoruki]] found it expedient to move his princely seat from [[Rostov, Yaroslavl Oblast|Rostov]] in the [[Upper Volga Region]] to [[Suzdal]] in Zalesye.
-Suzdal was the oldest and most senior town of Zalesye. Yuri established other important urban centres in [[Pereslavl-Zalessky]] (founded 1152), [[Yuryev-Polsky (town)|Yuriev-Polsky]] (1152), [[Dmitrov]] (1154), [[Starodub-on-the-Klyazma]] (1152), [[Vladimir, Russia|Vladimir-on-the-Klyazma]] (1108), [[Ksnyatin]] (1136), and [[Yaropolch-Zalessky]] (1136). The descriptors ''Zalessky'' ("beyond the woods") and ''Polsky'' ("in the fields") served to distinguish new cities from their eponyms in the south – in modern-day [[Ukraine]].
+Suzdal was the oldest and most senior town of Zalesye. Yuri established other important urban centres in [[Pereslavl-Zalessky]] (founded 1152), [[Yuryev-Polsky (town)|Yuriev-Polsky]] (1152), [[Dmitrov]] (1154), [[Starodub-on-the-Klyazma]] (1152), [[Vladimir-Zalessky]] (1108), [[Ksnyatin]] (1136), and [[Yaropolch-Zalessky]] (1136). The descriptors ''Zalessky'' ("beyond the woods") and ''Polsky'' ("in the fields") served to distinguish new cities from their eponyms in the south – in modern-day [[Ukraine]].
 Perpetually at odds with the powerful Suzdalian [[boyar]]dom, Yuri even contemplated moving his capital from Suzdal to the new town of [[Pereslavl-Zalessky]]. His unexpected death (1157) forestalled this plan, but Yuri's son [[Andrew the Pious]] finally moved the princely seat to another young town, Vladimir, in 1157. The old nobility of Rostov and Suzdal, however, arranged Andrew's assassination (1174) and a brief civil war for supremacy in Zalesye followed.
 [[File:Ple-oz-view01.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Lake Pleshcheyevo]] near the [[Nikitsky Monastery|Monastery of St Nicetas]] (2007)]]
-During the [[Mongol invasion of Rus']] (1223–1240), when the woods were gradually being cleared and new centres developed in [[Moscow]], [[Tver]], and elsewhere, the strategic importance of Zalesye declined. New urban centres developed around famous monasteries (e.g., [[Sergiev Posad]], [[Kirzhach]]) or near royal residences (e.g.: [[Alexandrov (town)|Alexandrov]], [[Radonezh]]).
+During the [[Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus']] (1223–1240), when the woods were gradually being cleared and new centres developed in [[Moscow]], [[Tver]], and elsewhere, the strategic importance of Zalesye declined. New urban centres developed around famous monasteries (e.g., [[Sergiev Posad]], [[Kirzhach]]) or near royal residences (e.g.: [[Alexandrov (town)|Alexandrov]], [[Radonezh]]).
 == See also ==