Editing Tambov Oblast (section)

==History==
The oldest known population of the Tambov region, the [[Mordovians]]-[[Mokshas|Moksha]], formed as a nation of local ethnic groups from the 6th century BC. The first Russian settlers arrived in the [[Kievan Rus'|pre-Mongol period]], but the final settlement occurred in the 17th century. To protect the southern borders of Russia from the raids of the Tatars, and to further develop the [[Central Black Earth Region|Black Soil region]], the Russian government built the walled cities of [[Michurinsk|Kozlov]] (1635) and [[Tambov]] (1636). The cities protected the main path of nomad raids on Russian land and paved the way for a quick settlement of the region.

[[Kozlovsky Uyezd]] originally existed in the Tambov area. In the course of the administrative reforms of Peter the Great in 1708 and 1719, it became part of [[Azov Governorate]]. New administrative divisions established the [[Tambov Viceroyalty]] in 1779 and from 1796 [[Tambov Governorate]], with an area of 66.5 thousand km<sup>2</sup> divided into 12 [[uyezd]]s. With almost no change to its boundaries, the Governorate remained in existence until 1928.

An attempt to establish Soviet control over the Tambov area led to the defeat and execution of "Red Sonya" (Sofia Nukhimovna Gel'berg) in the spring of 1918.<ref>
{{cite book |url=http://www.rummuseum.ru/lib_s/senn23.php |script-title=ru:Тамбовское восстание 1918-1921 гг. и раскрестьянивание России 1929-1933 гг. |last1=Сенников |first1=Б. В. |website=Румянцевский музей |publisher=Посев |location=Moscow |isbn=5-85824-152-2 |date=2004 |editor-last=Румянцев |editor-first=Вячеслав |series=Библиотечка россиеведения |language=ru |trans-title=The Tambov rebellion of 1918-1921 and de-peasantisation of Russia 1929-1933 |access-date=2014-02-09 |quote=Гельберг С.Н. ("Красная Соня") (?-1918). Акушерка. Командир летучего отряда Красной гвардии, действовавшего на территории Тамбовской губернии весной 1918 г., в задачу которого входило насаждение советской власти. Отряд "Красной Сони" отличался жестокостью, его появление сопровождалось многочисленными грабежами населения. Отряд был разбит крестьянами. Сама "Красная Соня" была казнена по приговору нескольких волостей губернии.}}
</ref>

During the [[Russian Civil War]], an anti-Bolshevik uprising, the [[Tambov Rebellion]], broke out in Tambov Governorate in 1920–1921.

Tambov Oblast was finally created from the [[Voronezh Oblast|Voronezh]] and [[Samara Oblast]]s on September&nbsp;27, 1937. The oblast attained its present form after the separation of [[Penza Oblast]] (formerly part of Kuybyshev before joining Tambov) on February&nbsp;4, 1939.