The foundations of Krasnodar were laid to protect the boarders of the Russian Empire. The Russian tsarina Catherine the Great promised the Cossaks Krasnodar in exchange for their protection of the Russian Empire. After their successful service, Catherine stayed true to her word and gifted the region to the Cossaks. The city's original name was Ekaterinodar, meaning "Catherine's Gift". After the revolution, Lenin changed the name to Krasnodar, which means "The Red Gift".