Bely, Tver Oblast

Bely ( _ru. Бе́лый) is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, situated on the Obsha River, about halfway between Smolensk (to the west), Toropets (to the north), and Rzhev (to the south-east). Population: 4,400 (2003 est.); 4,350 (2002 Census); 6,900 (1897).

Bely is the Russian for "white", although it is a moot point why the epithet came to be applied to this town. It was first noticed in 1359 as a fort in the principality of Smolensk, passing to Lithuania by the end of the century. In the 15th century, it became a seat of the Belsky branch of the ruling House of Gediminas. The town was overrun by Muscovy in 1503. Three years later, they built a formidable castle, which the Lithuanians laid a siege to in 1508. The town was again subordinated to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth between 1618 and 1654.