“VERKHOVSKAYA HISTORICAL-GEOGRAPHICAL PROVINCE”: LOCALIZATION AND LEGITIMACY OF CONCEPT USE

The history of Russia as a whole can be effectively studied only on the basis of extensive research of the history of the Russian regions, which have the individual specific features of its development. One of such regions is the area of the upper reaches of the Oka river, which can be named as a separate historical and geographical province. That region from the VIII-XVI centuries was characterized by the presence of a common set of political, economic, social and geographical features that have caused prolonged existence of the first autonomous vyatichi’s ethno-political associations (tribal reign) and then Verkhovskye principalities, which were surrounded by a strong economic, military and political neighbors. The history and reasons of the viewed term are analyzed, the possible periodization of region’s history, economical-geographical and historical-geographical presuppositions of its appearance, existence and end are founded. The existence of inner unity and succession of different stages of historical development are founded. The connection of the viewed territory with history of Khazars Kaganate, Principality of Chernigov, Golden Horde, Grand Duchy of Moscow , Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russian Centralized State is marked. The historiographic review on the considered themes is presented.

Russia, historical map, Upper Oka region, historical development specifics, historical-geographical province