History of Blagoveschensk
Setting of the Siberia and the Far East by Russian explorers began in the XVII century after the khanate Kuchuma was destroyed by Yarmak. This victory deleted the barrier and Russian people could continue to discover Siberian lands. Many Russian field men, hunters, manufacturers, merchants, peasants, military men moved to the east.
In the second half of the XVII century two offices of voevode were built on the territory near the Amur river: Nerchinskoe and Albazinskoe. The Siberia, Yakutya, North-Eastern Asia became territories of Russia. During one century the territory of Russia increased three times. Russia had been east European country but then it became European and Asian country.
Joining of the territories was realized to improve situation in Russia. It was dictated by desire of the state to open borders, to establish geographical position, to occupy and discover territories which did not belong to any country. This was a historical natural process of territory formation of the Russian state, it was the result of raise of mass national energy, active and far-seeing policy of Russian ruling circles.
At the same time state Zin (a new state formed in the southern Manchuria) had pretensions of the territory near the Amur. Having conquered China, Zin began conquering of neighboring territories of Mongolia and near the Amur where Russian people had already settled. Owing to some reasons Russian government could not send big military forces to protect territories near the Amur in the end of the XVII century.
Diplomatic adjustment was applied. On 27th of August, 1689 Nerchinsky agreement was signed according to which neighboring relations hade to be established to provide trade relations between states.
Lower Amur and coastal territories of the Okhotsk Sea were left non-delineated. This was connected with military threat to demarcate territories which was not favorable for Russia. The Amur was closed for Russian ships on the way from Transbaikalia to the Okhotsk Sea.
Russia tried to review terms of Nerchinsky agreement but till the middle of the XIX century Zin state refused to do this.
In 1853 Crimean war began and England and France joined Turkey against Russia. Threat of incursion of French and English forces into Russian Far eastern territories appeared. Governor-general N.N. Muraviev was given authority to begin re-deployment of forces from Transbaikalia to lower Amur.
In summer, 1854 part of forces was directed to Kamchatka and in August, 1854 they rejected efforts of French-English sea forces to land troops after seize Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsk.
In 1856 tsar government let N.N. Muraviev occupy the left bank of the Amur and then form the Amur line of transbaikalian Cossack forces to strengthen Rusian rights for the left bank of the Amur. N.N. Muraviev wrote to earl E.V. Putatin ":in 1856 Cossack forces located along the left bank of the Amur:" And active discovering of the Far East began.
On the 2nd of June, 1856 military forces with population of 500 people headed by N.A. Hilkovsky were located on the left bank of the Amur. Soldiers began preparing territories for migrants and cultivating of the ground. History of the city Blagoveschensk began.
On the 29th of June, 1856 60 Cossacks headed by M.G. Travin arrived. They had to stay there for the whole winter and protect warehouses, support postal connection, prepare territories for migrants.
In the end of summer more than 2 thousand soldiers came to Transbaikalia.
In summer, 1857 a hundred of Cossacks with families arrived for permanent residence. Cossacks-migrants and soldiers began developing of new territories.
On the 5th of May, 1858 governor-general N.N. Muraviev arrived with his suite to Ust-Zeysk. His was accompanied by Innokenty Veniaminov, archbishop Kamchatsky, Kurilsky, Aleutsky and functionaries of external political department to participate in negotiations with heads of Zin state. On the 9th of May Ust-Zensk was renamed into Blagoveschensk.
N.N. Muraviev arrived to establish boarders between to states. The question had already been discussed in the result of diplomatic correspondence and the project of the agreement was sent from the ministry of foreign affairs of Russia. The process had to be finished by the agreement.
Negotiations lasted for 5 days and in 5 days Aygunsky agreement was signed in a small city Aygun located on the right bank of the Amur. It was signed on the 16th of May.
This historical document created the basis for friendly relationship of two great neighboring states. All the territory of the left Amur was Russian according the agreement.
On the 17th of May Muraviev with his suite arrived into Blagoveschensk where people met him solemnly and archbishop Innokenty gave Te Deum.
The next day religious procession was held and N.N. Muraviev organized a state reception. The governor-general thanked the participants of Amur military operation. He said: "Friends! Congratulations! Amur became Russian! Russia thanks you. Saint christen church prays for you!"
On the 21st of May documents of negotiations, original text of the agreement were directed by a courier to the capital.
On the 5th of July, 1858 imperial decree to create the city of Blagoveschensk was published.
On the 8th of December, 1858 by the order of Alexander II the Amur region was formed. Blagoveschensk became an administrative centre of the Amur region.
Development of Blagoveschensk was connected with gold-mining industry, agriculture and water transportation. Further development was directed to raise industrial potential, growth of educational and scientific-research institutions.
Blagoveschensk was one of the oldest merchant cities in the Far East which is an important mediator in trade-industrial relations between Siberia, the Far East and China. Since the first days many companies were created: "V.Alekseev and C-mi", "Kuvshinov F.K.". Amur metallurgy factory and brewery were opened in 1893 and 1912 and the work till today.
During the Greta Patriotic War Blagoveschensk was an important city.