Pictures of the Polish Quarter and More Lviv History

Continuing the History of Lviv
Princes were not only fighting outside enemies but also trying to come to an understanding with the local gentry. Most of them remained independent and owned salt-mines in the Carpathians. In hard times these men, the boyars could step in and take action if needed. Dmytro Dedko did just that after Prince Yuri II Troidenowych had been poisoned in 1340 and headed the almost independent boyars' government until 1349 when the city fell under King Kazimierz III the Great. He is one of the most prominent Polish kings. To facilitate the development of the city, the King encouraged merchants and craftspeople to settle in Lviv. In the 15th century Lviv was called “the Eastern Gate” of the Polish State. Lviv won the right to be a “storehouse” meaning that all merchants traveling through the city had to stop in Lviv for two weeks and sell their goods to the locals. In 1527 the city was completely destroyed by fire and was later rebuilt in the Renaissance style. Only one building survived the flames and the citizens of Lviv attributed this fact to the protection of Holy Mary. The history of Lviv determined it to be the city of three Christian Churches: Latin (the head of the local Catholic Church moved from Halych in 1412), Orthodox and Armenian. In addition since the 15th century more Jews were settling in the city and by the 16th century the Jewish population was 25%. There were times when non-Lviv born families ruled the city. The families of boim, Campiani, Scholtz-Wolfovych set up their own rules, built family vaults, increased their wealth and gradually disappeared.