Kiow

1693. A geographical dictionary representing the present and ancient names by Edmund Bohun.

Kiovia, Kiow, a City of Poland, seated upon the Nieper in the Ʋkrayne; which is the Capital of a County or Palatinate of the same Name; and a Bishop's See, under the Archbishop of Lemburgh; having still a very strong Castle. The Ruins of its Walls shew that it was once a great and a magnificent City; containing eight miles in circuit: which appears also from the Cathedral Church. Towards the North it is yet full of People; but what lies to the South and West has only a Timber Fence. This City was built by Kio, a Russian Prince, in the Year 861. After this it was the Capital of Russia, in which it stands; which then had Princes of its own. And at last it was taken by the Poles. In 1615, it was taken and burnt by the Tartars; and could never since recover that loss. Within these thirty years last past it has suffered very much from the Cossacks and Moscovites. In 1651, the Poles took it from the Cossacks; but they having afterwards recovered it, mortgaged it to the Moscovites; who are in that Right still possessed of it.

Its Long. is 61. 20. Lat. 50. 51. //Paris Meridian was used in the book

This City is called by the Poles, Kiouf, or Kioff; and lies forty Polish Miles from the Borders of Moscovy to the West, seventy from Caminieck to the North-East, and an hundred from Warsaw to the East. § The Palatinate of Kiovia is called Volhinia Inferior, and also the Ʋkrayne: it is a part of Red Russia; and lies on both sides of the River Nieper; between Moscovy, the Desarts of the Lesser Tartary, Volhinia Superior, the Palatinate of Barlaw, and the Tartars of Orzakow. In 1686, this was yielded to the Russ, to engage them in an Alliance with the Poles against the Crim Tartars.