Chapter 10, Section

Russia & The Byzantine Connection

Chapter 10, Section

The Geography of Russia

Russia’s varied climate zones helped shape early Russian life:• A band of fertile land in the south was home to

Russia’s first civilization. • The steppe provided a highway for nomads migrating

from Asia to Europe.

A network of rivers provided transportation for both people and goods. Major rivers ran north to south, linking Russia to the Byzantine world in the south.

The city of Kiev, 1st major Russian city, was located on a vital trade network linking Vikings, Slavs, and Constantinople. Kiev would later become the center of the first Russian state.

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Chapter 10, Section

Slavs

• People from forests north of Black Sea who settled in present day Ukraine & Russia

• Mainly farmers & traders organized in tribes that spoke similar languages

• Began trading with Constantinople in 9th century

• Modern-day Russian culture =result of blending of Slavic, Viking & Byzantine culture

Chapter 10, Section

Rus

• AKA Varangians (vikings)• Bands of Germanic adventurers who came

from Scandinavia and settled/ built forts along rivers w/Slavs

• Slavs and Varangians blend to become present-day Russians

• 9th cent.-trade between Kiev (Ukraine) and Constantinople became important

• By 800s, Greek monks sent to Russia to convert Slavs

• 1st leader to convert to Christianity-Olga-Russian Princess who governed Kiev from 945-955 ad

Chapter 10, Section

Cyrillic Alphabet

• Who? Cyril & Methodius-Byzantine missionaries

• What? created alphabet for the Slavic languages

• When? 9th cent. ad (800s)• Where? present day Czech Republic/

Slovakia • Significance? Bible translated in their tongue/

most Slavic languages, including Russian today are written with this alphabet

Chapter 10, Section

Vladimir

• Who? Olga’s grandson• When? 987 ad• Where? Kiev (Ukraine)• What? Prince of Kiev, sent teams out to

observe major religions• Significance? Report on religions convinced

Vladimir to convert to Byzantine Christianity & all his subjects were made to convert to Byzantine Christianity

Chapter 10, Section

Yaroslav the Wise

• Who? Vladimir’s son• When? 1019-1054 ad• Where? Kiev (Ukraine)• What? led Kiev to greater glory than father/

legal code• Significance? Crucial error that led to Kiev

decline=divided realm among his sons-sons tore apart the state

Chapter 10, Section

Alexander Nevsky

• Novgorod prince, military hero, saint• 1220-1263 ad• Defeated invading Swedes @ Neva

River (1240) & an order of Teutonic Knights in 1242

• Cooperated and acted as a go between when Mongols invade

• His son, Daniel inherited Moscow (his heirs would produce a line of princes that would be prominent in 1400s)

Chapter 10, Section

Moscow Emerged as the Chief Russian Power

During the Mongol period, the princes of Moscow steadily increased their power.

Moscow benefited from its location near important river trade routes.

Moscow was made the capital of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Ivan the Great and Ivan the Terrible centralized power and recovered Russian territories.

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Chapter 10, Section

Ivan III (the Great)

• Who? Muscovian prince• When? 1462-1505• Where? Moscow/ Russia• What? Married niece of last Byzantine

Emperor-began calling himself Czar (Russian version of Caesar) (tsar)

• Significance?-Built framework for absolute control, limited power of nobles/ final break with Mongols/ Byz./Roman connection-started to refer to Moscow as the ‘third Rome’ after fall of Constantinople

Chapter 10, Section

Byzantine Influences• Cyrillic Alphabet• Ancient Greek classics• Byzantine art, music, architecture• Byzantine Christianity• Ideas of church & emperor ruling

jointly as head of state (ultimate authority; however, lies with emperor who picks Patriarch)

• Autocratic rule (Absolute)• Russian ‘czar’ from Byzantine

‘caesar’

Chapter 10, Section

Ivan IV (the Terrible)• 1533-1584• Limited boyar

power• Strengthened

feudalism• Centralized royal

power (extreme absolute rule)

• Killed eldest son leading to weak rule by younger son

Chapter 10, Section

Effects of The Mongols Conquest

• Kiev and other Russian towns were destroyed.• The Mongols tolerated the Russian Orthodox Church (grew in power.) • Absolute power of the Mongols served as a model for later Russian rulers-led

to Czarist Russia.• Russia =cut off from Western Europe at an important time-(don’t modernize-

feudalism lasts into 1900s).• Boyars (Russian Nobles)-crushed revolts against Mongols-allowed to keep

titles, collect tribute (status increased)• The Mongol takeover of Russia was brutal & contributed to a sense of tragedy

that’s in Russian culture and art. • The amazingly rapid and uneventful Russian expansion to the Pacific in the

1600's may have been facilitated by the Russian czars being seen as the legitimate successors of the khans.

From 1237-1240, Mongol armies, led by Batu Khan, conquered Russia. The Mongols ruled Russia for 240 years.

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