The rise of Russia
Background info.
● Two sects of Christianity competed for followers
● Eastern Orthodox tried to convert the Slavs
○ Groups who lived in the forest north of the Black Sea
The Black Sea
Russian culture
● Due to trade, Slavic and Greek/Byzantine cultures blended to
create Russian culture
Novgorod
● Russia’s first important city
○ Est. by Vikings
Kievan Rus’
● Oleg traveled from Novgorod and settled in Kiev
● Vikings also settled in Kiev
○ Located on the Dnieper
○ Vikings married Slavs, which blended the two cultures
Kievan Rus’
● Loose federation of
East Slavic tribes
● Federations have one
government, but
much independence
Dnieper river
Kiev adopts christianity
● Princess Olga visited Constantinople
○ So impressed, she converted to Christianity
● Her grandson, Vladimir sent teams to observe various
religions
○ Chose Eastern Orthodox Christianity
● Further linked Kiev and Constantinople
Kiev as a city
● Use Dnieper to trade with Constantinople
● Under Vladimir:
○ Expanded from Poland to the Baltic Sea
Yaroslav the wise
● Vladimir’s son
● Married daughters/sisters to Western Europe’s princes
○ Created alliances and increased trade
● Created legal code
● Built first library
● Built over 400 churches
Kiev’s decline
Internal factors
● Yaroslav divided land between 3 sons
○ Tore the state apart by fighting
External factors
● The Crusades (religious wars) disrupted trade
● Mongol invasions
Mongol invasions
● Nomadic horsemen warriors
● Brutally killed and burned conquered persons
● Led by Genghis Khan
eVALUATING GENGHIS KHAN
In your opinion, was Genghis Khan a positive or negative
influence on the world? Please list three reasons from the video
to support your conclusion.
History Versus Genghis Khan
Mongols rule kiev
● Russians could follow usual customs & religion
● Demanded:
○ Absolute obedience
○ Large tributes (payments)
● Mongols cut off trade and spread of ideas/inventions
Russia Gains Freedom under Ivan iii
● Prince of Moscow
● Challenged Mongol rule
● Dubbed himself czar (Russian word for
Caesar)
● Sought to make Russia the third Rome
Ivan III cont’d
● Father of modern Russia
● First ruler of an independent state called Russia
○ a politically unified people occupying a definite territory
● Took complete control of both the church and the gov’t
Ivan IV or Ivan the terrible
● Brutal harsh dictator
● Reestablished trade with Western Europe
● Established the secret police
The new romes
● First Rome: Rome
● Second Rome: Constantinople
● Third Rome: Moscow