Taurida Oblast () was an administrative-territorial unit (''

oblast An oblast ( or ) is a type of administrative division in Bulgaria and several post-Soviet states, including Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Historically, it was used in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. The term ''oblast'' is often translated i ...

'') of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

. It roughly corresponded to most of the

Crimean Peninsula Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrai ...

and parts of the

Southern Ukraine Southern Ukraine (, ) refers, generally, to the territories in the South of Ukraine. The territory usually corresponds with the Soviet economical district, the Southern Economical District of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. The region ...

regions. It was created out of territories of the

Crimean Khanate The Crimean Khanate, self-defined as the Throne of Crimea and Desht-i Kipchak, and in old European historiography and geography known as Little Tartary, was a Crimean Tatars, Crimean Tatar state existing from 1441 to 1783, the longest-lived of th ...

, which Russia

annexed Annexation, in international law, is the forcible acquisition and assertion of legal title over one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. In current international law, it is generally held to ...

from the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

in 1783. In 1796 it was merged into the

Novorossiya Governorate Novorossiya Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire, which existed in 1764–1783 and again in 1796–1802. It was created and governed according to the "Plan for the Colonization of New Russia ...

. The name ''Taurida'' comes from the old Greek name for the area, ''Tauris'', as in ancient times several

Greek city-states Polis (: poleis) means 'city' in Ancient Greek. The ancient word ''polis'' had socio-political connotations not possessed by modern usage. For example, Modern Greek πόλη (polē) is located within a (''khôra''), "country", which is a πατ ...

had developed colonial outposts in the area. The oblast was created under the Imperial ukase of February 1784 signed by

Catherine the Great Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...

. The administrative seat of the region was declared the city of

Simferopol Simferopol ( ), also known as Aqmescit, is the second-largest city on the Crimea, Crimean Peninsula. The city, along with the rest of Crimea, is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, but controlled by Russia. It is considered the cap ...

. Before 1784, Qarasuvbazar served as a temporary administrative center.

Administrative structure

The oblast was divided into seven counties ( uyezd). * Dnieper county – centered in Aleshki ( Oleshky) * Levkopol county – centered in Levkopol (

Staryi Krym Staryi Krym (; ; ; in all four languages) is a small historical city and former bishopric in Kirovske Raion, Kirovske (Isliam-Terek) Raion of Crimea, Ukraine. It has been occupied by Russia since 2014 (see Annexation of Crimea by the Russian ...

) * Melitopol county – centered in

Melitopol Melitopol is a city and municipality in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, southeastern Ukraine. It is situated on the Molochna River, which flows through the eastern edge of the city into the Molochnyi Lyman estuary. Melitopol is the second-largest city ...

(since 1791 in Great Tokmak) * Perekop county – centered in Perekop * Phanagoria (Tmutarakan) county – centered in Phanagoria * Simferopol county – centered in

* Yevpatoria county – centered in Yevpatoriya. In 1787 Levkopol county were renamed into Feodosiya county and its center was moved to Feodosiya. In 1791 an administrative seat of Melitopol county was moved to Great Tokmak. On 12 December 1796 the oblast was abolished, its territory was redivided into two counties (Aqmescit (former Simferopol) and Perekop) and passed to the

. The city of Simferopol name was changed to Aqmescit.

References

{{Ukraine-hist-stub Oblasts of the Russian Empire Crimea in the Russian Empire States and territories established in 1860 States and territories disestablished in 1918 Political history of Crimea