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In order to secure their independence, the Pskovians, in 1266, elected as their prince a Lithuanian prince, named [[Dovmont (Timothy)|Dovmont]], who had been [[baptism|baptized]] into Orthodox Christianity with the name Timothy, Having fortified the town, Dovmont defeated the knights at Rakovor. His [[relics]] and sword are preserved in the ancient kremlin of Pskov. The core of this citadel, that was erected by him, is still referred to as "Dovmont's town". By the fourteenth century, Pskov functioned as the capital of a sovereign republic whose most powerful political force was the merchant class that brought the town into the Hanseatic league. Pskov's sovereignty was formally recognized by Novgorod in 1348. The resulting Pskov Charter was a principal source for the all-Russian law code issued in 1497.

For greater Russia, Pskov was a bridge with Scandinavia and western Europe. As a western outpost of Russia, it was subject to numerous attacks throughout its history. The kremlin withstood 26 sieges during the fifteenth century alone. At one point, five stone walls surrounded the city, making it practically impregnable. A local school of [[iconography|icon-painting]] that continues to flourish at the [[Mirozhsky Monastery (Pskov)|Mirozhsky Monastery]], and local stonemasons were considered the best in Russia. Many of the unique features of Russian architecture originated in Pskov, and numerous [[church]]es and monasteries are located in the city and surrounding countryside.