preview main idea / reading focus the rus and kiev map: the growth of russia

Kingdoms and Christianity Section 2

Preview

• Main Idea / Reading Focus

• The Rus and Kiev

• Map: The Growth of Russia

• Christianity in Russia

• Russia under Attack

• Faces of History: Alexander Nevsky

The Rise of Russia


Reading Focus

• How did the Rus affect the early history of Kiev?

• What factors helped establish Christianity in Russia?

• What peoples attacked Russia?

Main Idea

Starting as a blend of Slavs and northern Europeans, the Russians organized as a state, became Christian, and fought invaders.

The Rise of Russia


For thousands of years, hunter-gatherers managed to make a living in the sometimes harsh climate of what we now call Ukraine and Russia.

• Slavs among those who occupied plains

• Entered historical record AD 800s, as written in The Russian Primary Chronicle

• During mid-800s, Slavs along Dnieper River fighting among selves; asked for help from northern Europeans, called the Rus

The Rus of Kiev• Three brothers, Rus people

migrated to Novgorod, trading center; oldest brother, Rurik, brought order to Slavs

• 882, Rurik’s successor, Oleg, ventured further south to Kiev, united region

• 907 Oleg wanted to extend Kiev south, successfully attacked Constantinople

Order

The Rus and Kiev


Yaroslav the Wise• Kievan region became state called Kievan Rus

• During height of Kievan Rus’ power, prestige, ruler was Yaroslav the Wise

• 1019, Yaroslav became grand prince, ruled until 1054

• Made many cultural, administrative improvements to Kievan Rus

The Growth of Kiev• Oleg’s victory produced advantageous trade agreement, beginning of

close connection between Byzantine Empire, Russian people

• Late 900s, Rus extended control far beyond Kiev

• Defeated Khazars, freed several Slavic tribes Khazars had controlled


Cultural and Administrative Improvements

• Collected religious books, hired scribes to translate from Greek into Slavic language

• Began ambitious building program to beautify Kiev

• Military record was mixed

– Regained lost territory, defeated nomadic Pechenegs

– Tried to attack Constantinople, but forces were crushed

• More successful dealing with western Europe

– Maintained good diplomatic, trade relationships

– Arranged marriages between daughters, European princes


Find the Main Idea

Who were the Rus, and what was their connection to Kiev?

Answer(s): a group of northern Europeans—perhaps Vikings—who came to rule the Slavs


• Used Slavonic language to celebrate mass; use of native language helped convert many Moravians

• The two developed written alphabet for Slavonic language, based on Greek alphabet, called Cyrillic alphabet

• Thanks to Cyril, Methodius Byzantine version of Christianity spread to Russia

Slavonic Mass

• The Byzantine Empire affected Russia not only with warfare, trade, but also with Christianity

• Before Rurik, Oleg, Slavs practiced native religion based on nature, with many gods

• 863, Constantinople churchman sent two Greek monks to Moravia to convert Slavs to Christianity, brothers Cyril and Methodius

Cyril and Methodius

Christianity in Russia


Establishment• Important convert, Grand Duke Vladimir I of Kiev• Baptized a Christian; married sister of a Byzantine emperor• Conversion helped gain economic, political advantages from Byzantine

Empire

Russian Orthodox Church• Following 1054 schism, semi-independent church set up in Russia still linked

to Orthodox Church in Constantinople• Eventually became Russian Orthodox Church• Vladimir made saint in new church

State Religion• Even if conversion politically motivated, he built libraries, schools, churches• In 988, Vladimir made Christianity state religion of Kievan Russia• Christianity spread, but tensions between branches of church grew worse

Christian Russia


Summarize

How did Christianity spread to Russia?

Answer(s): Monks from the Byzantine Empire traveled to Moravia and established the Cyrillic alphabet and a Slavonic mass to spread Christianity.


• After death of Yaroslav, internal disputes common among Rus

• Main threat from princes whose lands were within state’s borders

During the mid-1000s, Kievan Rus reached the height of its power as a center of trade and culture. But by the end of the 1200s, it had suffered a steep decline. Kievan Rus was under attack—first by princes within its borders, and later by invaders from beyond.

• Princes wanted to enlarge lands

• 1169, one such prince, Andrew Bogolyubsky, captured Kiev, became new grand prince

Bogolyubsky

• Andrew insisted on ruling from home city, Vladimir

• Further weakened Kiev’s position as the capital

• Stage set for fierce attacks from Europe, Asia

Stage Set

Russia under Attack

Kievan Rus Weakened


The Mongols• 1200s, Mongols, led by Genghis Khan, swept across Asia

• Genghis Khan and Mongols created immense empire

• Mongol raiders defeated Rus and their allies in 1223

Disaster Avoided• Mongols mostly left local princes in charge, did not interfere with church

• Prince Alexander encouraged Russians not to rebel against new masters

• As result Mongols did not destroy as much as in other lands

End of Kievan Rus Control• 1227, Genghis Khan died, empire divided into four regions

• 1240, Kiev fell to Mongols led by Batu Khan

• Mongol state established in southern Russia; Kievan Rus dominance over

A Threat from the East


• Same Prince Alexander who calmed Mongol threat, turned attention to Swedes

• July 15, 1240, Alexander launched surprise attack against Swedish camp on Neva River

• Swedes defeated; Russia saved from full-scale invasion from north

Prince Alexander

• At same time Mongols attacked Rus, danger came from different direction

• 1240, band of Swedes invaded Russian territory north of Novgorod

• Swedes wanted to take control of lucrative trade route between Russia, Byzantine Empire

Swedes

A Threat from the North


• Alexander known as Alexander Nevsky after victory• Banished by city of Novgorod after meddling in internal affairs• When another invader threatened, Novgorod turned again to

Alexander

• German military order of knights wanted to force Russians to abandon Orthodox Church, convert to Roman Catholicism

• Teutonic Knights invaded from Baltic Sea; Alexander fought several battles with them

Teutonic Knights

• April 1242, Alexander’s army lured Knights onto thinning ice

• Ice cracked; men, horses fell into freezing water

• Battle known as massacre on the ice, one of Russia’s most famous

• Nevsky celebrated as hero

Massacre on the Ice

Invasion from the Baltic


For more than 200 years after Alexander’s battles, Russia remained under the control of Asian nomadic peoples.

• Tatars, central Asian people who spoke a Turkic language, emerged as Russia’s rulers after Mongols

• 1480, Russia eventually freed from foreign domination

Tatars

• Muscovy, east of Kiev, grew in importance within Russia

• Became capital of nation that gradually expanded to occupy much of Asia

Muscovy

From Kiev to Muscovy


Sequence

Which people first invaded Russia in 1223? What other groups invaded?

Answer(s): Mongols; Swedes, Germans

preview main idea / reading focus the rus and kiev map: the growth of russia

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