Kashin | city, spa town, district center

 city, spa town, district center

Town and the administrative center of Kashinsky District in Tver Oblast, Russia, located around a rural agricultural area on the Kashinka River (Volga's tributary). Population: 16,171 (2010 Census).
Kashin was first mentioned in a chronicle under the year of 1238, when it was sacked during the Mongol invasion. It was given by Grand Duke Mikhail Yaroslavich as an appanage to his son Vasily, who founded a short-lived dynasty of local princes. Mikhail Yaroslavich's wife Anna took the veil in Kashin's nunnery, died there on October 2, 1368, and was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1650 as a holy patroness of all women who suffer the loss of relatives. Her relics are preserved in the Ascension Cathedral of Kashin. In 1382, Kashin was annexed by Principality of Tver. From 1399 to 1426, it was held by a second dynasty of Kashin princes, who claimed their seniority in the House of Tver. In 1452, Kashin withstood a siege by Dmitry Shemyaka. It finally passed to the Grand Duchy of Moscow in 1486 with the rest of the Principality of Tver. In 1708, the town became a part of Ingermanland Governorate (known since 1710 as St. Petersburg Governorate), but in 1727 it was transferred to Moscow Governorate. In 1775, Tver Viceroyalty was formed from the lands which previously belonged to Moscow and Novgorod Governorates, and Kashinsky Uyezd with the seat in Kashin was established. In 1796, Tver Viceroyalty was transformed into Tver Governorate. On October 3, 1927, Kashinsky Uyezd was abolished and split between Bezhetsky and Kimrsky Uyezds. On July 12, 1929, Kashinsky District, with the administrative center in the Kashin, was established within Bezhetsk Okrug of Moscow Oblast. On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were abolished and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast. On January 29, 1935, Kalinin Oblast was established and Kashin was transferred to it. In 1990, Kalinin Oblast was renamed Tver Oblast.