The document summarizes the early history of Russia, beginning with the Rus people who migrated from northern Europe and brought order to the Slavs in the region. Christianity then spread to Russia through the efforts of Byzantine monks Cyril and Methodius who developed the Cyrillic alphabet and Slavonic mass. Grand Duke Vladimir converted to Christianity in 988 and made it the state religion. Russia was later attacked by internal princes seeking more power, and then faced invasions by the Mongols in the 1200s and Swedes and Teutonic Knights in the 1240s, before emerging as the nation of Muscovy in the late 1400s after freeing itself from foreign domination.
1. Kingdoms and Christianity
The Rise of Russia
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
Section 2
2. Kingdoms and Christianity
Section 2
The Rise of Russia
Main Idea
1.Starting as a blend of Slavs and northern Europeans, the
Russians organized as a state, became Christian, and fought
invaders.
Reading Focus
• How did the Rus affect the early history of Kiev?
• What factors helped establish Christianity in Russia?
• What peoples attacked Russia?
3. Section 2
Kingdoms and Christianity
The Rus and Kiev
For thousands of years, hunter-gatherers managed to make a living in
the sometimes harsh climate of what we now call Ukraine and Russia.
The Rus of Kiev
• 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
Order
• 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
4. Kingdoms and Christianity
Section 2
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
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
5. Kingdoms and Christianity
Section 2
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
7. Kingdoms and Christianity
Section 2
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
8. Section 2
Kingdoms and Christianity
Christianity in Russia
Cyril and Methodius
Slavonic Mass
• The Byzantine Empire affected
Russia not only with warfare,
trade, but also with Christianity
• Used Slavonic language to
celebrate mass; use of native
language helped convert many
Moravians
• 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
• 2. 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
9. Kingdoms and Christianity
Section 2
Christian 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
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
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
10. Kingdoms and Christianity
Section 2
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.
11. Section 2
Kingdoms and Christianity
Russia under Attack
3. 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.
Kievan Rus
Weakened
• After death of
Yaroslav, internal
disputes common
among Rus
• Main threat from
princes whose
lands were within
state’s borders
Bogolyubsky
• Princes wanted to
enlarge lands
• 1169, one such
prince, Andrew
Bogolyubsky,
captured Kiev,
became new grand
prince
Stage Set
• Andrew insisted on
ruling from home
city, Vladimir
• Further weakened
Kiev’s position as
the capital
• Stage set for fierce
attacks from
Europe, Asia
12. Kingdoms and Christianity
Section 2
A Threat from the East
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
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
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
13. Section 2
Kingdoms and Christianity
A Threat from the North
Swedes
Prince Alexander
• At same time Mongols attacked
Rus, danger came from
different direction
• Same Prince Alexander who
calmed Mongol threat, turned
attention to Swedes
• 1240, band of Swedes invaded
Russian territory north of
Novgorod
• July 15, 1240, Alexander
launched surprise attack
against Swedish camp on Neva
River
• Swedes wanted to take control
of lucrative trade route between
Russia, Byzantine Empire
• Swedes defeated; Russia
saved from full-scale invasion
from north
14. Section 2
Kingdoms and Christianity
Invasion from the Baltic
• 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
Teutonic Knights
• 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
Massacre on the Ice
• 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
16. Section 2
Kingdoms and Christianity
From Kiev to Muscovy
For more than 200 years after Alexander’s battles, Russia remained
under the control of Asian nomadic peoples.
Tatars
• Tatars, central Asian
people who spoke a
Turkic language,
emerged as Russia’s
rulers after Mongols
• 1480, Russia eventually
freed from foreign
domination
Muscovy
• Muscovy, east of Kiev,
grew in importance within
Russia
• Became capital of nation
that gradually expanded
to occupy much of Asia
17. Kingdoms and Christianity
Section 2
Sequence
Which people first invaded Russia in 1223?
What other groups invaded?
Answer(s): Mongols; Swedes, Germans