Novogorod, Indeed, Which Was In Fact A Republic Under The
Jurisdiction Of A Nominal Sovereign, Enjoyed In The Fifteenth Century,
A
great trade, being then the mart between Russia and the Hanseatic cities.
On its conquest by the Russians in
The beginning of the next century, the
Hanseatic merchants deserted it, though it continued for a considerable
period afterward the largest and most commercial city in Russia. In 1509,
Basilicus IV. conquered the city and territory of Pleskow and Smolensko,
and consolidated the Russian empire, by reducing all the petty
principalities into which it had been previously divided. Pleskow, situated
near the head of the lake Czudskoc, soon became a celebrated emporium, and
before the end of this century was frequented by merchants from Persia,
Tartary, Sarmatia, Livonia, Germany, Britain, and other countries.
The accidental discovery of the White Sea by the English, in 1553, has been
already narrated: this led to the first intercourse by sea between Russia
and the rest of Europe, for previously, whatever of their produce was
exported, was carried in Livonian ships. In the following year, the
facilities of Russia with Asia were encreased by the conquest of the city
and kingdom of Astracan: by this conquest the entire navigation of the
Wolga became theirs, and by crossing the Caspian, they carried their
commercial transactions into Persia. The spirit of conquest was now alive
among them, and exerting itself both to the east and west; for in 1558 they
conquered Narva, in Livonia, and by means of it formed a communication with
the rest of Europe by the Baltic sea. To this city the Hanseatic merchants
removed their mart from Revel. The conquest of Samoieda and Siberia near
the close of the sixteenth century, contributed to encrease the exportable
commodities of Russia by their furs, salmon, sturgeon, &c.
In the mean time the Russian commerce in the Caspian was increasing: the
Persian vessels brought into Astracan dyed silks, calicoes, and Persian
stuffs, and returned with cloth, sables, martens, red leather, and old
Russia money. The trade from Archangel also increased in a still more rapid
manner, principally, as we have already seen, with the English and Dutch.
In the year 1655, the exports were valued at the 660,000 rubles, two rubles
at that period being equal to one pound sterling. The principal articles
were potash, caviare, tallow, hides, sables, and cable yarn; the other
articles of less importance, and in smaller quantities, were coarse linen,
feathers for beds, tar, linen yarn, beet, rhubarb, Persian silk, cork,
bacon, cordage, skins of squirrels, and cats; bees' wax, hogs' birstles,
mice and goats' skins, swan and geese down, candles, &c.
Peter the Great became emperor in 1689; he soon unfolded and began to
execute his vast plans of conquest, naval power, and commerce. He gained
for his country a passage into the Black Sea, by reducing Asoph, at the
mouth of the Don, and he soon established a navy on this sea. His personal
exertions in Holland and England, to make himself acquainted with
ship-building, are well known.
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