Rise of Russia

Rise of Russia

Slavic BeginningsIn the 700s AD, a group of people called the Slavs began moving into the area north of the Byzantine Empire (in eastern Europe)These people would lay the foundations of RussiaThe Slavic peoples first prince was named Rurik and was a descendant of the VikingsRurik was of the Rus tribeRurik built his capitol city at Novgorod on the Dnieper RiverLater rulers would move the capitol downriver to KievKiev was well suited to trade slaves, honey, and furs downriver to Constantinople

Rurik

Growing close with the Byzantine EmpireIn 989 Vladmir, prince of Kiev, chose to convert his people to the Eastern Greek Orthodox form of ChristianityThis strengthened economic ties with the ByzantinesByzantium sent missionaries (Cyril and Methodius) to spread Christianity among the SlavsCyril created a Slavic alphabet still used in Russia todayBy 1000, Kiev had become a wealthy trading city. IGold-domed churches and use of icons showed heavy Byzantine influenceCyril and Methodius

Rise of the CzarIn 1240 Kiev was conquered by Mongol horsemen and were under their control until 1480Led by Genghis Khan and grandson BatuNicknamed the Golden HordeIn 1472, nineteen years after the fall of Constantinople, Ivan III (prince of Moscow) married the niece of the last Byzantine emperorTook the title of Czar/Tsar(Caesar) and overthrew the MongolsMuch of this history was recorded in the Primary Chronicle, a collection of Russian history written around the year 1100

Ivan the Great