The first information about the travels of Novgorod to the Dvina land belong to the beginning of XI century. A hundred years later, Archbishop John of Novgorod founded at the mouth of the Northern Dvina Mikhailo-Archangelsky monastery, which was adjacent to the settlement and the pier. The monastery quickly grew rich. In XIV – XV centuries she has belonged to for more than thirty surrounding villages, salt works, mills and many fishing. One halibut was produced for the season more than a thousand pounds.1
In 1581, at the end of the Livonian war, Russia lost all exits to the Baltic sea — Narva, Yam, Koporye. And then the Royal gaze of John the terrible turned to the shores of the White sea. On its coast already there was a large administrative and shopping center-Kholmogory, but its location did not suit the king. In 1583, a decree was issued on the construction of a new "city for a ship pier" at the mouth of the Northern Dvina on the basis of the approved "paintings and drawings".And next summer dvinskie Governor Peter A. Nashchokin Yes, Alexey N. Volokhov-Zaleszany erected on the high Bank of the Northern Dvina, near Archangel monastery, an extensive and well-fortified wooden fortress.
In 1587, the Tsar's Charter established the Arkhangelsk Posad, completed the construction of wooden living rooms, and officially transferred all sea trade with foreigners to the new port. Immediately after that" on the income collected in Treasury from customs duties", the Dvinsky area became the most" famous " area in the Moscow state. However, until the end of the XVII century dvinskie Governor still lived in the nearby Kholmogory and came to Arkhangelsk only in the navigation, and at other times for special need. Initially, the new city on the Dvina river called New Kholmogory town, or Novoholmogory, but people called him by the Archangel Michael monastery — Arkhangelsk city. From 1613 he began so to be called officially, and finally, in the second half of the XVII century it became known as a shorter name — Arkhangelsk.