 Russian poets Alexander Griboedov, Alexander Polezhayev, Mikhail Lermontov, the classic of Russian literature Leo Tolstoy, the Decembrist and writer Alexander Bestuzhev and other famous figures of Russian culture visited the fortress.After the annexation of the region by the Russian Empire, the military use of the old fortress was obsolete and on ) it was granted town status and renamed Grozny (as the word town () is masculine in Russian).As most of the residents there were Terek Cossacks, the town grew slowly until the development of oil reserves in the early 20th century.