History

       In the I-III centuries there were the Meot tribes settlements on this site, surrounding the ancient Greek town of Tanais. In the ancient time the settlements were conquered by the Mitridad Pontiyskiy, then by the Sarmat, Hun, Khazar and Pecheneg tribes. In X-XII centuries, there was a Slovenian settlement on this site, being a part of the ancient Tmutarakanskyi princedom that was later on conquered by the Polovetskyi tribes around 1067. The Polovetskyi tribes’ prince Azun was murdered near this settlements (according to some historians, that is the origin of the Russian name “Azov”).

       The town Azak (arising from the Turkish “az ak” – meaning “the river creek”) was founded in 13th century, being one of the points of the Great Trade Way. At that period, the town Azov was captured by the Genoas settlers, was fortified by break walls, castles and served as a storage place for their Indian and Chinese commercial trades. In 1395, the town was destroyed by the Tamerlan army, and in 1400 was reconstructed by the Genoas settlers again.

       The town history has many interesting periods. One of them is the famous Azov siege of 1641, when the Cossacks fortress with five thousand Cossacks was being defended from the 250 thousand Turkish army for 93 days and nights. The fortress was defended and the Turkish army was crushed and driven out from the Don land. Peter the Great’s Azov campaigns of 1695-1696 were glorified by the Turkish fortress seizure and gave access to the Southern seas.

       Town of Azov was the center of the Azov province (1775-1782). In 19th century, it was a part of the Ekaterinoslavskaya province. Only in 1926, the town gained the independent status again.

       During the Great Patriotic War period, the town was occupied by the German Nazi troops for six month and a half. 600 people were executed. More than 5000 Azov citizens were driven to Germany. The town itself was profoundly destroyed.

       Since 1960th – 1980th, the contemporary Azov is a highly developed industrial town.