This paper discuses the role of pedagogical historiography in forming pedagogical knowledge, both from the aspect of history and from the aspect of the present status of this discipline. Our aim is to observe the problems of pedagogical historiography, as a scientific and teaching discipline, in the context of forming of pedagogical knowledge. The process of transformation of heuristic function of the history of pedagogy is analyzed - from the traditional approach which emphasizes its role in forming pedagogical culture to the orientation of historical research and education in pedagogy towards theoretical and professional knowledge. The development of history of pedagogy as a scientific discipline is mostly observed through three phases: the first, focused on research of the development of pedagogical ideas and/or school system, lasted until the 1960s, when it was replaced by social history of education, while today it is mostly spoken about the 'cultural history of education'. The evolution of pedagogical historiography is also followed by the changes in its relation towards theory and practice of education, which is especially dealt with in this paper. In the conditions of radical changes in epistemology of social sciences and university reform, pedagogical historiography faces the question of its own relevance.