The area was first mentioned in the chronicles in relation to the events of 1021, when the army of the
Kievan prince
Yaroslav the Wise defeated the troops of the
prince of Polotsk,
Bryachislav of Polotsk, at the
Sudoma River. Subsequently, the area went under control of the
Novgorod Republic. A prominent fortress of the time, located on the Shelon, was
Vyshgorod. Later, the area was annexed by the
Grand Duchy of Moscow. It was a part of
Shelonskaya Pyatina, one of the five
pyatinas into which Novgorod lands were divided. In the course of the
administrative reform carried out in 1708 by
Peter the Great, the area was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known since 1710 as
Saint Petersburg Governorate). In 1727, separate
Novgorod Governorate was split off, and in 1772,
Pskov Governorate (which between 1777 and 1796 existed as
Pskov Viceroyalty) was established. In 1776,
Porkhovsky Uyezd was transferred from Novgorod Governorate to Pskov Governorate. The area was a part of Porkhovsky Uyezd. On August 1, 1927, the uyezds were abolished, and Dedovichsky District was established, with the administrative center in the settlement of Dedovichi. It included parts of former Porkhovsky Uyezd. The governorates were abolished as well, and the district became a part of
Pskov Okrug of
Leningrad Oblast. On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were also abolished, and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast. Between August 1941 and February 1944, Dedovichsky District was occupied by
German troops. It was an area where intense
partisan operations were taking place; in particular, the partisans were even operating an airfield. On August 23, 1944, the district was transferred to newly established Pskov Oblast. On August 1, 1927,
Chikhachyovsky District was established as well, with the administrative center in the
selo of
Chikhachyovo. It included parts of former
Novorzhevsky and Porkhovsky Uyezds. The district was a part of Pskov Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. On January 1, 1932, the district was abolished and split between Dedovichsky and Bezhanitsky Districts. Another district established on August 1, 1927 was
Belebyolkovsky District with the administrative center in the
selo of
Belebyolka. It was a part of
Novgorod Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. On September 20, 1931, Belebyolkovsky District was abolished and merged into Poddorsky District. On March 11, 1941, the district was re-established, and its territory included parts of Poddorsky and Dedovichsky Districts. Between August 1941 and February 1944, the district was occupied by German troops. On July 5, 1944, Belebyolkovsky District was transferred to newly established Novgorod Oblast. On July 22, 1961, Belebyolkovsky District was abolished and merged into Poddorsky District. On August 3, 1939,
Pozherevitsky District with the administrative center in the village of
Pozherevitsy was established. It included areas formerly belonging to Dedovichsky District. Between August 1941 and February 1944, the district was occupied by German troops. On August 23, 1944, the district was transferred to newly established Pskov Oblast. In 1958, the district was abolished and split between Dedovichsky and
Ashevsky Districts. ==Economy==