Geography and Heritage of Russia and Eastern Europe Section 2 Early Traditions

Kievan Rus’ First Russian state created in late A.D. 800s in present day Ukraine Vikings from Scandinavia conquered the local Slavic people and ruled over a loose confederation of city-states This state was called Kiev and resided on the Dnieper River They mainly traded fur, honey, and crops

Kievan Rus’

Byzantine Influences The Byzantine Empire ( also known as the Eastern Roman Empire) was the most advanced civilization in Europe at the time Russia borrowed two important ideas from the Byzantines which included writing and Christianity 860 A.D. two monks named Cyril and Methodius spread Christianity from Constantinople to other eastern communities They created the Cyrillic alphabet, a mixture of Greek and Hebrew, that allowed Eastern Europeans to read the Bible 988 A.D. Prince Vladimir converted to Byzantine Christianity (He was impressed by their wealth, the Hagia Sophia, and that the Byzantine Emperor not the Pope in Rome was the head of the Church)

Vladimir Cyril and Methodius

The Hagia Sophia Nothing remains of the first church that was built on the same site during the 4th century. Following the destruction of the first church, a second was built by Constantius, the son of Constantine the Great, but was burned down during the Nika riots of 532. The building was rebuilt under the personal supervision of emperor Justinian I and rededicated on December 27, 537.

Split in Christianity 1054, Christians split into the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church Eventually the Russians had their own independent Orthodox Church The split occurred over 1) the use of icons 2) linguistics – Latin vs. Greek 3) discrepancies over the Holy Trinity ( the filioque clause in the Nicene Creed) 4) who is head of the Church

Mongol Rule (Tatars) 1200s. The Tatars, a group of Mongols destroyed Kiev and other cities, resulting in many deaths and enslavement The Mongols heavily taxed the Russians with tribute and weakened ties with the Byzantines The occupation lasted for 250 years and caused a lasting distrust for foreigners in Russia

Mongol Rule 1200s. The Tatars, a group of Mongols destroyed Kiev and other cities, resulting in many deaths and enslavement The Mongols heavily taxed the Russians with tribute and weakened ties with the Byzantines The occupation lasted for 250 years and caused a lasting distrust for foreigners in Russia

The Rise of Moscow Russian princes secretly withheld some tribute from the Mongols The location of the city with its importance to trade and seat of the Russian Orthodox Church made it very powerful Ivan the Great – Ivan III, the prince of Moscow who ruled from 1462-1505 created a unified Russian state, kicked out the Mongols , and established a strong central government

Ivan the Great Based his government on Byzantine traditions Married the last Byzantine princess, Sophia, in 1472 and claimed the title of Czar (meant emperor or Caesar) He ruled as an autocrat, claiming absolute power and destroyed the power of the nobility by giving himself ultimate control as Czar of Russia.

Ivan the Great Ivan the Great tearing the Khan’s letter to pieces.

Ivan the Terrible Further centralized power and started feudalism Feudalism was in decline in Europe when rising in Russia Ivan had a reign of terror against nobles and citizens who opposed him He killed many and was very ruthless, hence the name He utilized a secret police force which was the precedent for later organizations such as the KGB

Ivan the Terrible

“A Window on the West:” Peter the Great’s Vision Attempted to modernize Russia through his clandestine (secret) visit to Europe He disguised himself as an ordinary citizen, and workded in gun factories, shipyards, and other various trades. Most people recognized him because he was nearly 7 ft. tall. He founded St. Petersburg, which was supposed to idealize western values and be a “Window on the West.” He forced women to take more role in public life and he forced people to dress in western clothing He even shaved his own nobles at court to make them look more western!

Peter the Great