Mozhaysk

Mozhaysk is a town and the administrative center of Mozhaysky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located to the west of Moscow, on the historic road leading to Smolensk and then to Poland. Population:

It was first mentioned in 1231 as an appanage of Chernigov; it was named after the Mozhay (Mozhaya) River, whose name is of Baltic origin (cf. Lithuanian mažoja 'small'). Later it was an important stronghold of the Smolensk dynasty, at one time owned by Theodore the Black. The Muscovites seized it in 1303, but in the course of the following century had serious troubles defending it against Algirdas of Lithuania. The principality was usually held by a younger brother of the ruling Grand Duke of Moscow, until the practice was dropped in 1493. In 1562, the Treaty of Mozhaysk was signed there. Town status was granted to Mozhaysk in 1708. Mozhaysk continued to defend the Western approaches to Moscow during the French invasion of Russia in 1812 and World War II (during which it was captured by the Germans on October 16, 1941 and recaptured by the Red Army on January 20, 1942). The Battle of Borodino took place from the town.