History (Kievan Rus)
What are some key geographic features?
The steppe, Eastern Europe, Ural Mountains, many rivers,
North features
short growing season, cold winters
South features
some areas of steppe, good agriculture
Inhabitants
Many invasions (Huns, Magyars), slavs settled, vikings
Slavic languages
East- Ukrainian, Russian
West- Polish, Slovak, Czech
South-Serbian, Croation, Slovenian
West- Polish, Slovak, Czech
South-Serbian, Croation, Slovenian
Foundations of Kievian Russia
Rurick- Leader of Rus: Successor Oleg took kiev and united the region
Kiev- Most important city-state (capital) :
-On trade route between constantinople and black sea
-trade treaty with Byzantines
Government
Princes (and their families)
Boyars (nobles)
Artisans and merchants
Peasants and farmers (largest group)
Boyars (nobles)
Artisans and merchants
Peasants and farmers (largest group)
Separate group with varying social class:
Clergy (church leaders)
Who was Yaroslav the Wise?
Built churches, made a russian law code: Pravada Russia
Religion
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Patriarch of Constantinople chose Bishop of Kiev
Monasteries are important
Lot of art (icons, mosaics, etc)
Patriarch of Constantinople chose Bishop of Kiev
Monasteries are important
Lot of art (icons, mosaics, etc)
Cyril and Methodius
Brothers
Spoke slavonic language
wanted to translate religious text for wider audiences
developed Cyrillic alphabet based on greek
Spoke slavonic language
wanted to translate religious text for wider audiences
developed Cyrillic alphabet based on greek
Decline
too dependent on Byzantines
Nomadic group made trade dangerous
Princes were fighting
Attacked by Monguls who ruled as “Golden Horde”
Nomadic group made trade dangerous
Princes were fighting
Attacked by Monguls who ruled as “Golden Horde”
What is Kievan Rus? Where is it?
Nation of Slavs, Ruled by vikings, dependent on Byzantine, taken over by Mongols, (First Russian state) ; Europe and Central Asia
Who were the Slavs?
Inhabited the land that would become kievan us since 1500s bc
What are the Slavic languages (East, West, South) ?
East- Ukrainia, Russian/ West- Polish, Slovak, Czech/ South-Cerbian, Croation, Slovenian
Hunter-Gatherers
short growing season in the North, Un-plowable soil in the South
Who were the Rus?
People who lived under Rurick
How were they influenced by the Byzantine Empire?
After searching through many religions they chose, Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire, they established trade which was on of their main providers for the upkeep of their economy, there was a marriage between the Byzantine Emperors sister and Vladimir the first which helped strengthen their bond. Byzantine empire protected it and when the Byzantine empire fell so did Kieven Rus
What is Pravada Russkia?
Russian law code developed by Yarslov the Wise
What role did the Vikings play in this history?
They established Kieven Rus