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Nikopoli

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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or NrcoPOLIs (Turkish, Nighebolu or Nebul), the chief town of a sub-prefecture in the district of Plevna (Pleven), Bulgaria. Pop. (1908) 5236, including 3339 Turks and 1615 Bulgarians. Nikopoli is picturesquely situated on the south bank of the Danube, where it receives the Osem. Until the creation of a new port at Somovit, in the neighbourhood, Nikopoli served as an outlet for the trade of Plevna, Lovtcha and other towns in the interior, the principal export being cereals. The chief industries are tanning and fishing. As a military post the town has for centuries been important. A ruined castle still dominates the place, and fortifications stretch down to the river.

Nikopoli occupies the site of the ancient Asamus, but by some medieval confusion bears the name of Nicopolis ad Istrum, which was founded by Trajan several miles down the river, at the.inflow of the Iatrus or Yantra, at the spot still called Nikup. The following are the chief points in the modern history of the place: - capture of the fortress by Sigismund of Hungary in 1392 and 1 395; defeat of Sigismund and his hosts in 1396 by Bayezid I.; siege of the town by King Ladislaus I. of Hungary in 1444; defeat of the Turks by Bathori in 1595 and by Michael of Walachia in 1598; capture of the town by Pasvan-oglu in 1797; occupation of the fortress by the Russians under Kamensky in 1810; destruction of the Turkish flotilla and storming of the Turkish camp by Govarov in 1829; capture and burning of the town by the Russians under Kriidener on the 15th of June 1877.