Chapter 9: The Late Middle Ages
Section 4: Medieval Russia
By Dallin F. Hardy

Prince Vladimir of Kiev


Reigned 980-1015
Sought

National religion

Greek Orthodoxy


988
Adopted by


Prince Vladimir
Became

Religion of Russia
Politics and Society

Yaroslav the Wise


Reigned 1016-1054
Developed

Kiev

Kiev


11th century
Became

Political & cultural


Center
Most important city in

Russia

Three Cultural Divisions


1054
Russia divided into



Great Russians
White Russians
Little Russians

Principalities

National centers


Throughout Russia
Government



Monarchy
Aristocracy
Democracy

Russian Social Divisions

Included

Free




Boyars
 Wealthy landowners
Semi-free
Slave
Greatest social division

Between


Freeman
Slaves
Mongol Rule

Mongols

Tatars

Mongol tribe from

Steppe region

Ghengis Khan


1155-1227
Mongol leader

Invasion of Russia

1223

Fall of Kiev


1240
By Batu Khan

Golden Horde


13th-15th centuries
Mongol Empire

Russia: Mongolian Period


1243-1480
Russians

Subservient to


Mongols
Political & Religious
institutions

Left intact

Dimitri of Moscow


Reigned 1350-1389
Fought

Tatars

Sergius blesses Dmitri Donskoi amidst the original wooden monastery.

Battle of Kulikovo



1380
Russians vs. Tatars
Results


Russian victory
Marked

Decline of
 Mongol control

Ivan III


Reigned 1462-1505
Consolidated


Northern Russia
1480

Ended Mongol rule

Ivan III tearing the khan's letter to pieces

Moscow


Russian capitol
“Third Rome”