1. 11.2 – Russian Empire

2. Geography: Birth of Russia Region: West of the Urals, between the Black & Baltic Seas South: Hilly Grassland North: Dense Forests, flat, & swampy Rivers are slow moving & interconnected = easy travel Peoples: Slavs, Rus, & Vikings

3. Slavs & Vikings 862: Viking chief Rurik founds Novgorod 880: Oleg founds Kiev on the Dnieper Allows Vikings to sail to Constantinople Kiev grows into a principality = lines between Vikings & Slavs blur

4. Kiev - Orthodox 957: Princess Olga converts to Christianity Grandson, Vladimir sent teams out view all the religions – p. 308 989: Baptism for all citizens of Kiev Provides closer ties to the Byzantines Vlad imports figures to teach people their new faith Utilizes practice of being leader of both the Church & State

5. Millennium of Russia

6. Kievan Russia Kiev grew because of Byzantine connections Stretched from Poland to near the Black Sea Yaroslav the Wise - Great Ruler – Alliances to the west through marriage – Legal code (property) – 1 st library in Kiev – Christianity prospers (~400 churches)

9. Kiev’s Decline 1054: Yaroslav’s death = decline Error: divided territory among his sons – WHY? – Who in history did this? The Crusades disrupts trade, main source of wealth Invasion from the East (The Mongols)

10. Mongol Invasions Fierce nomadic horsemen from the steppes of Central Asia Rose to power under Genghis Khan Burned & killed everything in their way Destroyed Kiev in 1240 & rule southern Russia for 200+ years Establish the Khanate of the Golden Horde – “ Kingdom of the Golden Camp”

11. Mongol Expansion

12. Mongols in Russia The Mongols tolerated other religions; Russians free to practice own customs Demands: (1) absolute obedience & (2) huge tributes Russian rulers, such as Alexander Nevsky, crushed revolts against the Mongols Russia became isolated from the rest of Europe and fell behind

13. Russia Breaks Free 1100s: Moscow founded near the Volga, Dneiper, & Don – Strategic Position – WHY? Ivan I becomes “Grand Prince” under Mongols – gains their trust Convinces patriarch in Kiev to move to Moscow Ivan I & his successors use money, the Church, tricks, & war to gain control Establishes a small, but strong Mongol free area around Moscow

14. Empire Russia Ivan III (43 years) – builds a Russian Empire – Challenges the Mongols – Names himself czar Russia = “The 3 rd Rome” 1480: Officially breaks away from Mongols after a bloodless standoff – Futures czars are free to expand Russian territory