The Rise of Russia

Kievan Russia Kievan Russia centered around trade. Cities such as Novgorod and Kiev were built on Viking trade routes. Kiev was a prosperous city because of its location on the trade route between Constantinople & the Baltic Sea. Kiev was the capital of Russia for nearly 300 years. Kiev was so powerful that is won a trade treaty with the Byzantine Empire.

Government in Kievan Russia Many places in Kievan Russia were ruled by princes. These princes led the country with the help of boyars – councils made of noble people. Russians used the idea of veche (town meetings) to run the government. The prince would request the meeting and all the heads of households would come to the meeting. They discussed issues like war, disputes between princes, and other situations.

Religion in Kievan Russia Traders and Greek missionaries brought Christianity to Kievan Russia. Vladimir I sent observers to Christian churches to observe their ceremonies. The observers liked what they saw. Vladimir also wanted to marry Anna, the sister of the Byzantine emperor. He had to convert to Christianity to marry her. After he married her, he ordered all Kievan Russians to convert to Christianity.

Religion in Kievan Russia Over time, the Byzantine church became more and more important in Kievan Russia. The patriarch of Constantinople chose the bishop of the Kievan church. Monasteries became the center of religion, social services, and the arts. Most art focused on religious ideas. When the church split in 1054, the Kievans followed the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The Economy in Kievan Russia The Kievan economy centered around trade with the Byzantines. The Kievans provided wood, iron, salt, fur, honey, and slaves to the Byzantines. The Byzantines provided wine, silk, spices, and fruit to the Kievans.

Society in Kievan Russia Several social classes developed in Kievan Russia Local princes & their families Boyars – councils that helped the prince Artisans & merchants who were essential to trade Peasants – lived in small villages and produced crops that fed the people of Kiev The clergy was another important group. They were not directly involved in the government, but they influence Kievan life by performing religious ceremonies & running hospitals and other charities.

Attacks on Kiev Kiev started to decline because princes gave towns to their sons as gifts. These princes began to fight to expand their territory. In 1169 the Mongols took advantage of the weakness of Kiev, and took control of the Kievan Russia.

Mongolian Rule Mongols controlled Kievan Russia until the late 1400s. The Mongols heavily influenced the way of life of the Russian people. The goal of the Mongols was to gain wealth. They heavily taxed the people and said that the Slavs could keep their own government & customs as long as they pay their taxes. The Mongols built roads, improved communication, and methods of taxation.

The Rise of Moscow In time the Mongols grew weaker. The princes of the region became more independent. In the early 1300s, Prince Ivan worked with the Mongols to make Moscow a major Russian city. The Mongols awarded him the title of Great Prince. At the same time, the leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church moved to Moscow. This made Moscow even more powerful.

Ivan III Called Ivan the Great During his rule, Moscow began to assert its independence from the Mongols. He became the first ruler of the independent state called Russia. He gained territory by having the military conquer other people. His rule began the tradition of absolute monarchy in Russia.

Ivan the Terrible In 1533, a 3-year-old named Ivan IV became the ruler of Russia. Because he was so young the boyars actually ruled the country for a very long time. In 1547 Ivan IV takes power for himself. He considered himself the heir to Roman & Byzantine Empires. He took the title of czar – meaning caesar. He developed the legal code, renewed trade & opened up a vast territory in Siberia.

Ivan the Terrible Ivan formed a group of civil servants called the oprichniki – arrested the boyars & gave their land to his supporters. He also led his army to Novgorod and destroyed the city. Ivan was often cruel to his subjects for no reason. He even killed his own son. His actions earned him the nickname of Ivan the Terrible.

The Growth of the Church The Eastern Orthodox Church in Russia grew more powerful by gaining more land. Most land was gained through donations from church members. During the time of the Mongolians the Orthodox Church became very independent from Constantinople. In 1488 Russian bishops chose a leader for the church in Moscow. In 1589 the Russian church made the patriarch their leader. This made Moscow the center of the Russian Church.

The Growth of the Church The fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 was a turning point in the development of the Russian church. The defeat of Constantinople ended a major competition for church leadership in the Christian world. After the fall of Constantinople, Russians called Moscow the “third Rome”. Rome had fallen because of heresy. Constantinople fell because of non-Christians But Moscow would be a spiritual light of the world