Novgorod
a city of Russia; capital of a province; on the Volkhof. It is the cradle of Russian history. In 864, according to tradition, Rurik (a Varangian, apparently a Scandinavian), was invited there by the neighboring tribes, and from him begins the history of the country. As early as the 12th century it had become the market of N. E. Europe, was called Novgorod the Great, and had 400,000 inhabitants. Its government was a sort of republic. The greatness of Novgorod provoked rovoked the jealousy of the princes princes of Moscow, and in 1471 the Czar Ivan III. nearly destroyed the town, bereft it of its liberties, and exiled the most influential citizens; and when Archangel was opened for English trading-vessels, but especially after the foundation of St. Peters- NOYES burg, its trade fell away, and the town rapidly declined.
There is considerable trade in corn, flax, and hemp, but few manufactures.
Pop. about 28,000.