2. 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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3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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)
9. 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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10. 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
11. 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’
12. 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
13. 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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