Eastern Europe & Russia

The Spread of Civilization in Eastern Europe

• Cyril and Methodius were Christians that helped spread the gospel– Culture was also spread– Helped to create an alphabet for the Slavs

• Cyrillic language

The East Central Borderlands

• Competition from Catholics and Orthodox Greeks– Catholics

• Czechs, Hungary, Poland

– Orthodox• Most of the Balkans

• Regional monarchies prevail

• Jews from western Europe

Rise of Russia – The Setting

• Large plain in Eastern Europe– Southern part of the plain is called a steppe

• Grassy, black soil, good for farming

• Carpathian Mountains to Ural Mountains– Divide Europe and Asia

• Slavs settled mainly in Eastern Europe• Avars, Huns, Magyars, and Vikings all invaded

at different times– Made Slavs their servants

• Name Slav comes from the word Slave– Vikings main purpose was trade

The Emergence of Kievan Rus'

• Novgorod and Kiev were located along Viking trade routes– Rurik and the Rus people took over Novgorod

• Came to control Kiev and other Dnieper River towns• Kiev became powerful trade city and was Russia’s capital

– Worked out trade treaty with Byzantium Empire

• Government– Princes governed

• Councils – made up of Boyars• Town meetings – also called veche

– Yaroslav the Wise was a great leader• Came up with Pravda Russkia (Russian Justice)

The Emergence of Kievan Rus'

• Religion– Christianity

• Vladimir I sent observers to look into Christianity– Converted after marriage to Anna, sister of Byz. Emperor

– Ordered all Kievians to be Christians and destroyed all pagan idols

• Monasteries became central religious center in Kiev

• Economy– Farming – Trade

• Agricultural goods, wood, iron, salt, furs, and honey

Institutions and Culture in Kievan Rus'

• Influenced by Byzantine patterns• Orthodox influence

– Ornate churches– Icons– Monasticism

• Art, literature dominated by religion, royalty• Free farmers predominant• Boyars, landlords

– Less powerful than in the West

Kievan Decline

• Decline from 12th century– Rival governments– Succession struggles

• Asian conquerors

• Mongols (Tartars)– 13th century, take territory– Traditional culture survives

The End of an Era in Eastern Europe

• Mongol invasions usher in new period

• East and West further separated

Essential Question

• Why were Catholicism & Orthodox Christianity spread through Eastern Europe & Russia?