Location: Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi Map
Constructed: 13th century
Akkerman Fortress aka Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi Castle is a medieval citadel situated in Bilhorod Dnistrovskyi region of Ukraine. It was erected in the 13th century. Akkerman Fortress aka Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi Castle is located in the South West Ukraine. It was constructed in the 13th century during rule of Bulgarian Kingdom. Its fortifications were increased in the 15th century to defend these lands against Ottoman Turkish attacks. These improvements in military fortifications had only partial success. Eventually the citadel fell in 1484 to Turkish forces under command of Sultan Bayazid II. Akkerman Castle became the border fortress against Ukranian and Russian attacks. Several Cossack leaders attacked the castle and ravaged the surrounding lands including E. Dashkevich, G.Loboda, S. Palia, I. Pokotilo, I. Sirko and many others. The castle was transferred to the Russian Empire after the Treaty of Bucharest in 1812 forced Ottoman Empire to give up these lands. In 1832 Akkerman Fortress was abolished as a military stronghold due to its obsolete defences that could not catch up with evolving technology. At its height the citadel had 34 towers and bastions. Its walls measured a total length of 2.5 km.
Over its history, Belgorod-Dniester has changed
many names, most of which mean "White City" - presumably from the
color of the coast, full of white shells.
In ancient times, the ancient Greek city of Thira (Τύρας) existed on
the site of the city. The Romans called the city of Alba Iulia, the
Byzantines - Asprokastro (Ἀσπρόκαστρον) - "White Castle" and
Mavrokastro (Μαυρόκαστρον) - "Black Castle". For some time the city
was part of the Old Russian state called Belgorod. The Tatars of the
Golden Horde named the city of Ak-Libo, but the Genoese, who rented
the city from the Golden Horde for trade, called it Moncastro (ital.
Moncastro), distorting the Greek name Mavrokastro. In the Moldavian
Principality, the city received the name Chetatya Alba - "White
Fortress". Ottoman Turks called it Akkerman - "White Fortress".
After the annexation of Bessarabia by Romania (1918), the city was
again called Cetate-Alba (roman. Cetatea Albă), which is translated
from the Romanian (Moldavian) language as “White Fortress”. This
name is official in Romanian and is currently in use. In the
twentieth century, the city received the name Belgorod-Dniester (in
Ukrainian - Bіlgorod-Dnistrovsky).
In the VI century BC e. the ancient Greek
colonists from the city of Miletus founded the city of Thira. Thira
occupied an advantageous geographical position and played an
important role in the antique trade of the Northern Black Sea
region. The remains of ancient Tyra are located under the Akkerman
(Belgorod-Dniester) fortress, the fortress square and the streets
adjacent to it, where the acropolis was located on an elevated and
protected place. In the middle of the 1st century BC e. Geta
destroyed the city.
In the middle of the 1st century AD e. the city was restored by the
Romans, presumably during the reign of Nero, and later became part
of the province of Lower Moesia. The city, renamed Alba Julia,
returned to its former meaning. It is believed that the city died as
a result of the Hun invasion of the last quarter of the 4th century.
Later, the Byzantines renamed the city, restored after the barbarian
invasions, calling it a new name: Maurokastron (which means "Black
Fortress").
Middle Ages
In the middle of the XI century, after the fall of the Armenian
capital - the city of Ani - part of its inhabitants, having moved
here, found the Armenian colony.
In the XIII century, the city was conquered by the Khan of the
Golden Horde Berke and named Ak-Libo.
In the XIV century, the Genoese received a label for using the
fortress as a fortified shopping center, which they called Moncastro
- from the Greek name the cities of Tyra in late antiquity.
XV century
In the Moldavian Principality
In the XIV century, the fortress became part of the Moldavian
Principality and the Genoese lost the right to use it. In the
principality, the city was called Chetatya Alba. The center of the
Chetat-Albek land (admin.ter. Unit).
In 1438-54, a fortress was built under the leadership of the master
Fedork.
In the Ottoman Empire
In 1484, the Ottoman forces captured the castle, and the Ottomans
began to develop land. In the Ottoman Empire received the name
Akkerman (White Fortress).
XVI century
In 1503, the Ottomans finally established themselves in the city,
calling it Akkerman.
In the XVI-XVII centuries, the fortress was repaired, and the outer
moat was deepened.
XVIII century
During the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774, on September 25, 1770,
Akkerman surrendered to the detachment of the foreman Baron O. A.
Igelstrom. In 1774, according to the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi peace treaty
of July 10 (21), 1774, returned to the Ottoman Empire.
During the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1791, on September 30, 1789,
Akkerman was occupied by a detachment of foreman M.I. Platov from
the vanguard of the main corps of Prince General Field Marshal
Prince G. A. Potemkin. The Turkish garrison was released into the
city and the fortress of Izmail, and the fortress was occupied by
the Trinity musketeer regiment. In 1791, according to the Iasi Peace
Treaty on December 29, 1791 (January 9, 1792), the Ottoman Empire
was returned.
XIX century
November 30, 1806, during the Russo-Turkish War of 1806-1812,
Ackerman was occupied without firing troops under the command of the
Duke de Richelieu from the Dniester Army, as the commandant of the
fortress agreed to surrender it voluntarily. In 1811, Akkerman was
assigned to the category of fortresses of the 3rd class. Under the
Bucharest Peace Treaty of May 16, 1812, Akkerman became part of the
Russian Empire. In 1813, according to the rules on the temporary
structure of Bessarabia, its territory was divided into 9 cynos and
Akkerman entered one of them.
By 1818, a new cynus was formed in Bessarabia - Akkermansky.
On April 29, 1818, Emperor Alexander I issued the Charter on the
formation of the Bessarabian region, established public places in
all parts of the administration. Ackerman became part of the region.
On September 25 (October 7), 1826, an agreement was signed between
the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire in Akkerman - the Akkerman
Convention. The convention basically reaffirmed the terms of the
Bucharest Peace Treaty and strengthened Russia's influence in the
region. Turkey recognized the border along the Danube and the
transition to Russia of Sukhum, Redut-Kale and Anakria. Turkey
pledged to pay Russian citizens for all claims of the year and a
half, to give Russian citizens the right to trade freely throughout
Turkey, and to Russian merchant ships the right to freely sail in
Turkish waters and along the Danube. Autonomy of the Danube
principalities and Serbia was guaranteed, the rulers of Moldavia and
Wallachia were to be appointed from local boyars and could not be
removed without the consent of Russia.
On December 8 (20), 1827, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Mahmoud
II announced the cancellation of the Akkerman Convention, which
served as one of the reasons for the start of the Russo-Turkish War
of 1828-1829. After the war, the main provisions of the Akkerman
Convention in an expanded form were included in the Adrianople Peace
Treaty of 1829.
On February 29 (March 12), 1828, Emperor Nicholas
I approved the "Institution for the Administration of the
Bessarabian Region" instead of the 1818 Charter. The region lost its
independence and was included in the Novorossiysk Governor General.
In the course of administrative reforms, cynics were renamed into
counties. Ackerman became a county town.
In 1832, Akkerman was excluded from the category of fortresses of
the 3rd class.
In 1861, peasant reform was launched in the Bessarabian region,
which lasted until 1875.
In 1873, the Bessarabian region was transformed into the Bessarabian
province. Ackerman remained the county town of Ackerman County.
During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, the Modlin Infantry
Regiment guarded the Black Sea coast near Akkerman.
According to the Encyclopedic Dictionary of F. A. Brockhaus and I.
A. Efron, Akkerman (or Ak-Kerman, the white city) is the county town
of Bessarabia, on the right bank of the Dniester estuary, 18 miles
from the Black Sea; 41178 inhabitants lived. The city consisted of
the main part and three posadas: Papush, Turlak and Shaba. There
were 9 Orthodox churches, 2 other (“Gentile”) Christian churches, 3
synagogues, 10 public schools where 538 boys and 161 girls studied.
There were a shelter and an almshouse from charitable institutions
in the city. From educational institutions - 4-class male and female
gymnasiums and a 2-class city school. Horticulture and gardening
were very developed: "in the city there are 304 kitchen gardens and
2085 gardens." In the city there were 72 mills, 13 factories and 551
trade establishments, in addition, 3 pharmacies and a customs
outpost. Bazaars are weekly. Once a year, from December 6 to 28
(according to the old style), the Nikolaev Fair was held. Trade
items: salt, fish, lard, wool, and especially wine. The position of
the city was “very convenient” in that the ships could leave it
directly at sea, and, in addition, the city was not far from Odessa.
The annual income of the city was 46,249 rubles, expenses 47,234
rubles; capital in credit institutions 20 415, in cash - 4101
rubles. 33. For Akkerman and Bender counties, one leader of the
nobility. Communication with the city was by steamboats through the
estuary.
Since October 1891, the Livonia 97th Infantry Regiment was stationed
in the city.
In 1897, according to the census, 28,258 people lived in the county
town of Akkerman in the Bessarabian province of the Russian Empire.
The mother tongue was indicated: Ukrainian - 15 183, Russian - 5724,
Jewish - 5573, Armenian - 608, Bulgarian - 288.
XX century
In 1904, the Livonia 97th Infantry Regiment departed east of the
empire to participate in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. He
participated in the battle of Mukden. The regiment never returned to
the city.
The First World War, which began in 1914, led to the February
Revolution of 1917, the October Revolution of 1917, the Civil War in
Russia 1918-1923 and the loss of part of the territories by the new
government.
On October 26 (November 8), 1917, in Petrograd, the Social Democrats
deposed the Provisional Government of the Republic of Russia by the
Bolsheviks. Throughout the country, in the Bessarabian province, in
particular, revolutionary processes resumed with renewed vigor. In
November, new Soviet pro-Bolshevik governing bodies of the
Bessarabian province were formed, including in Akkerman. In
November, the Executive Committee of the Bessarabian Provincial
Council was elected, and J. D. Meleshin was elected chairman.
(Councils), November 21 (December 4), in Chisinau, the governing
body of the Sfatul Tsarii - Council of the Territory was created. On
November 22, the Council recognized Soviet power.
However, the quiet course of life in the region began to interfere
with political groups fighting for power in the country as a whole,
in the outlying provinces, as well as riots in the rural areas of
their province in particular. The course of the Central Council of
the Ukrainian People’s Republic to secession from the Soviet
Republic of Russia, which complicated political and economic
relations with Petrograd, forced Sfatul Tsariy to accept on December
2 (15) a declaration proclaiming the formation of the Moldavian
Democratic Republic, which was also sometimes called the Moldavian
People’s Republic.