EARLY RUSSIA AND THE KIEVAN RUS 800 s

EARLY RUSSIA AND THE KIEVAN RUS 800 s to 1100 s CE

Spread of Eastern European Civilization n 864 -- Cyril and Methodius Byzantine missionaries n Successful in Russia and the Balkans n Used Slavic Created Cyrillic alphabet n n Eastern Orthodox religion-Eastern Europe and Russia Jews immigrated to the region

Cyril and Methodius

THE KIEVAN RUS n n Heavily influenced by Byzantium Area was populated by Slavs 6 th and 7 th centuries – Scandinavian traders appeared-Set up governments along their trade routes-Kiev 855 -- Monarchy was established under Rurik

BYZANTIUM AND THE RUS n n n Contacts between the two kingdoms increased steadily Kiev became a prosperous trading center Around 1000 – Vladimir I converted to Eastern Orthodox Christianity Forced his subjects to convert n Controlled major church appointments n Separate Russian Orthodox church developed n

Kiev

CHARACTERISTICS OF KIEVAN RUS n Largest single state in Europe n n Highly decentralized Yaroslav – Last of the great Kievan princes Codified laws n Built many churches n Translated religious literature from Greek to Slavic n

INSTITUTIONS AND CULTURE n Byzantine influence Ceremonies, luxuries, and absolute power of the leader n Fervent devotion to God n Ornate churches filled with icons n Monogamy n n Literature n n Focused on religious and royal events No significant philosophical or scientific contributions

Icons

n n n Art- Focused on religion Architecture- Orthodox churches Society Peasants were fairly free farmers n Boyars – Russian aristocratic class n n Entertainment Low literacy- story telling n Combined music, street performances, and theater n

KIEVAN DECLINE – 12 TH CENTURY n Causes: Rival princes set up regional governments n Fighting within the royal family over succession n Asian invaders whittled away Russian territory n Decline of Byzantium decreased Russian trade and wealth n Two Mongol invasions (Mongols are called Tartars by the Russians) n

MONGOL CONTROL OF RUSSIA n n Lasted for over two centuries Consequences: Further separated Russia from western Europe n Russian literature languished n Trade lapsed n Russia was isolated n

n Russian Orthodox Christianity and the boyars were spared n n Tribute 15 th century – Tartars were forced out Russian culture and politics began to reemerge n Mantle of east European leadership fell to Russia because of the fall of Byzantium n

END OF AN ERA IN EASTERN EUROPE n n Byzantium and Russia were under siege Eastern Europe fell on hard times n They had been ahead of western Europe during Byzantine domination, but fell behind western Europe after the fall of Byzantium