Demyansk was first mentioned in a chronicle in 1406 as Demon. The area was a part of
Derevskaya Pyatina of
Novgorod. Demon was a fortress protecting a waterway from Lake Ilmen upstream the Pola and the Yavon to Lake Seliger. The fortress was located close to the boundary between the Novgorod Republic and the
Grand Duchy of Moscow, and it was at least twice sieged by Muscovite troops. In 1441, the Muscovites did not manage to conquer Demon, but in the 1470s they conquered and destroyed the fortress. After the subsequent fall of Novgorod, Demon was transferred to the Grand Duchy of Moscow. In the 17th century, Demon went into decline, and a new settlement was founded nearby, which was known as Demyansky Pogost, and later as Demyansk. 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. Between 1772 and 1824, Demyansk was a part of
Starorussky Uyezd of
Novgorod Viceroyalty (since 1796 of Novgorod Governorate). In 1824, it was chartered and became the center of
Demyansky Uyezd, which was split off Starorussky Uyezd. On August 1, 1927, the uyezds were abolished, and Demyansky District was established, with the center in Demyansk. Demyansk belonged to
Novgorod Okrug of
Leningrad Oblast. Effective October 1, 1927 the town of Demyansk was made a
selo. On July 23, 1930 the okrugs were abolished, and the districts became directly subordinate to the oblast. Between September, 1941, and February, 1943 parts of Demyansk District were occupied by German troops. The settlement was a place for the
Battle of Demyansk during
World War II in 1942. On July 5, 1944, Demyansky District was transferred to newly established Novgorod Oblast and remained there ever since. On December 28, 1960 Demyansk was granted the urban-type settlement status. ==Economy==