At the beginning of the first millenium of our era Eastern European plain was divided into three sufficiently clearly outlined belts. The north and northwest populated farmers, who cleared forest for the sowings, who lived by its gifts and protected by scaffolding and swamps both from the invasions and from the external influences.
Steppe was the place of inhabiting, battles and countless displacements of nomadic peoples, which came from the east. The Black Sea area from the times of antiquity was “the shop window” of urban civilization - first Ancient Greek, and then byzantine.
Slavs, who already dwelled on these earth or who arrived from the West and who were mixed with the more ancient population (majority of contemporary historians place original homeland of Slavs in the pond of the Vistula and Pripet) were the farmers of forest and forest-steppe zones in essence. Obviously, already in THE II -Iv substances the motion of German tribes to the south leads to the detachment of western and eastern Slavs, and after a drop in the power of Hunns at the end V v. begins the Slav colonization of Balkan peninsula and as a result - the forming of the [yuzhnoslavyanskoy] family of tribes. Eastern Slavs occupy upper [Podneprove] and his northern periphery, which belonged to previously Baltic and Finno-Ugric tribes, with an increase in the territory the separation with tribal groups proceeds. In VII v. eastern Slavs gradually leave from “the shadow of the scaffolding to the arena of history”.
To clearing and Kiev
Probably, already by that time they counted 13 or 14 tribes, most influential of which were to clearing, that dwelled in the average flow of the Dnepr. Besides common animistic beliefs and gods, them was united the language. The centralized authority was absent. Elders were at the head of tribes and kinds, the earth and cattle were considered as the general property. Most important questions were solved during the tribal gatherings in the fastened “hail”, which were being built in the center of each group of settlements. In following development stage of eastern Slavic generality (ViII -Ix of substances), with the lift of trade and agriculture, these tribal centers began to be converted into the early feudal cities. The main city of the clearings, which, possibly, already in VII v. headed the union of tribes, which became the straight predecessor of Old-Russian state, was Kiev. Monument to the [polulegendarnomu] founder of city to prince [Kiyu], to his brothers To [khorivu] cheek and their sister Of [lybedi] ( bronze boat with four figures in the hauberks ) costs today in Kiev on the shore river, to which it is in many respects obliged by its value and leading role.
From a Varangian in the Greeks
The monument, which depicts boat with the soldiers, stands also in the Swedish city [Norchepinge] on the East coast of the country. Soldiers - this the first Russian princes [Ryurik] ([Rerik]), Oleg (Olaf) and Igor ([Ingvar]).
Specifically, Swedes, in contrast to the chosen Western Europe cities Norwegians and the Danes, participated in the formation of the state of Kiev Russia. The dimensions of this participation are to this day subject of the debates among the historians. The phrase of Nestor- chronicler about how Slavs invited Russia (so, probably, other peoples at first called Varangians) “to reign and to manage them”, she was widely cited by the supporters of so-called “Normannic theory” at the XVIII- beginning OF THE XX substances she was quieted by Soviet historians in 30-50- e yr. today the majority of researchers they were agreeable with the fact that, moving to the Black and Caspian seas, creating settlement- bases on the way to the riches of Byzantium and Islamic world, northern soldier- merchants they played the role of the catalyst of the already ripened jump in the political development of eastern Slavs. Newcomers subordinated the local population to themselves and was united it, or Slavs themselves were united before face of Varangian threat, sometimes their interests coincided, and they together guarded commercial way “in Greeks” and were defended from the nomads and [khazar].
Examining the archaelogical findings of recent decades, scientific all are more inclined to speak about the appearance of the Old-Russian state as a result of complex interaction of Slav and Varangian initial from one side, all Kiev rulers and large part of the combatants bore to of last third X v. Scandinavian names. With another, Svyatoslav [Igorevich] - altogether only third Kiev prince after Oleg. In Kiev, after becoming the part of the Old-Russian elite, Varangians after only several generations completely were dissolved among the Slav population. Possibly; therefore Kiev is mentioned in the Scandinavian sagas of that period rarely and casually, while about Novgorod their composed skalds they knew much, including topographic details.
Control of both main “bases” on the way “in Greeks” was, obviously, the basic task of Oleg, when in 882 ; according to [Nestorovoy] “to bring temporary years”, it swam off from Novgorod to Kiev in the chapter of Varangian- Slav guard. After taking with itself young Igor, whom the chronicler calls the son of dead by that time [konunga] Of [ryurika], Oleg, after killing the boyars of Askold and [Dira], that guided in Kiev, declared it “the mother of the cities of Russians”. Later, in 907 ; it attempted to bring its step to the logical end and to take Constantinople, but for it was necessary to limit to the rich of outputs and to advantageous agreement with Byzantium.
New earth
In 30 years of their tightened “regency” above Igor Oleg - undoubtedly, talented general and politician - considerably enlarged its possessions. After clearings he assessed by the tribute of drevlyane other adjacent tribes, which caused the war with [khazarami], which was ended by the victory of [russov]. [Knyazhenie] of Igors, in many respects repeated the matters Oleg, but with the much smaller success, began and ended by uprisings of the drevlyane, by hand which it perished in 945. Having severely taken vengeance upon drevlyane, its wife Olga nevertheless understood that the bends with the collection of tribute will ruin the coming into being himself state, and it introduced Kiev Russia's first system of taxation. In 955. it assumes Christianity, in two years - it will go to Constantinople and conducts negotiations with the byzantine emperor. Same this fact speaks about the swiftly growing authority of Kiev Russia.
Historians frequently conclude the first period of the history of Kiev Russia by the administration of the son of Igors and Olga Svyatoslav. After subordinating to itself [vyatichey], it extended the authority of Kiev to all eastern Slavs it laid to Old-Russian state way to the northeast, after invading Bulgaria, it seriously threatened Byzantium, after destroying [Khazarskiy] khanate, it removed terrible rival, still who recently took tribute from the clearings, [vyatichey] and northerners. However, as frequently it is in the history, with the disappearance of [khazar] it did not become and “buffer zone” on the way where of more dangerous nomads from the Asian steppes. The loss of Svyatoslav o[t] of the hands of Pechenegs from Bulgaria on the way home became the sign of threat, which will prevail over Russia more than one-and-a-half centuries.
Vladimir crosses Russia
This threat understood well Vladimir that become Kiev prince after eight summer fratricidal power contest. After strengthening southern boundaries and after constructing there a number of cities, it began to search for safer ways into Constantinople. H[a] the West it joined Galich and [Volyn] which they will " catch banner” Kiev after its political decline in the middle OF THE XII in but this all in the future, and thus far Kiev Russia enters into the epoch of bloom. The possessions of Vladimir reached 800 thousand sq. km. - it is more than in someone other in Europe.
However, the baptism of Russia is the most significant act of Vladimir. Its selection in favor of orthodox Christianity directed the motion of Eastern European history not less than toward thousands years. To say nothing of that because of it Russia became the part of the Christian West, but not the Moslem east, the adoption of cross from hands of Byzantium, and not Rome determined the historical fate of eastern Slavs - and placed the basis of future conflicts with the nearest neighbors.
A instantaneous increase in the authority of Vladimir (married the sister byzantine emperor), his dynasty and entire country was the direct consequence of the adoption of Christianity. State obtained the ideological basis (“one god - one tsar”), society - source of the richest culture.
Apex
Yaroslav began [knyazhenie] in Novgorod from the fact that he refused to pay tribute to Kiev (1014), and only death of Vladimir avoided war. But was repeated the dissension between the brothers for the paternal throne, which was being converted in Russia into the bloody tradition. The unity of the country was restored only 21 years later, when Yaroslav sat down finally on the Kiev throne. Name “wise” he obtained not only for the fact that it could continue and multiply that begun in father. Reached with it its apex development of Kiev Russia appeared in reform and packing code of laws into the general arch (Russian truth), to every possible support of formation, the base of Kiev [mitropolii] (1037), the stormy building of the churches (with it in one their capital alone it was more than 400) and the monastery.
First of all were built the ensembles “state designation” - princely palaces and the monumental cathedrals, which symbolized the sublimity of new faith and the might of power. Created as a whole on the byzantine model, church construction soon acquired characteristic Old-Russian and local features. With Yaroslav were elevated Sofia's cathedrals in Kiev (1037), Novgorod (1045) and Polotsk (Wednesdays. XI v.). Later were built the Uspenski cathedral of Kiev- Pecherskiy of monastery (1073-78), Mikhajlovsk Of [zlatoverkhiy] cathedral (1108-13) and [Kirillovskaya] church (Wednesdays. XII v.) in Kiev, Uspenski and [Borisoglebskiy] cathedrals in Chernigov (XII v.). Soon after base in 1051. Kiev- Pecherskiy monastery there from Sofia's [mitropolii] is moved the center of Old-Russian chronicle writing, in XII v. the monastery obtains status of monastery - one of the most influential man monastery in the orthodoxy.
Byzantine bishops, arriving to Russia, conveyed with themselves typists and iconographers; episcopacies became the centers of the propagation of literacy and culture. Accelerated the development of Old-Russian society and the fact that Constantinople, in contrast to Rome, permitted the inverted peoples of news divine service and to read bible in the native language. So created by Cyril and [Mefodiem] alphabet became the basis of written language for the larger part of the orthodox, and Church Slavonic language - by the third, after Ancient Greek and Latin, by the language of medieval European civilization.
With Yaroslav Russia, because of its increased force and influence (but, as a result, also to dynastic connections), solidly entered into the family of European peoples, “it was slave and heard”, as wrote its metropolitan Hilarion, “all [chetyrmi] of [kontsi] of the earth”.
Problems of the unity of Kiev Russia
Control, however, remained Achilles fifth of Kiev state. To this there were economic reasons. As possibilities for international trade became narrow (attack of nomads, the economic decrease in Byzantium), soldier- merchants became important landowners. But in contrast to Western Europe, where the possession of the earth was placed depending on service to suzerain, patrimonial right in Russia preserved the earth for the boyars, even if they passed to the service to another prince. Using their material independence, boyars, as a rule, lived in the cities and easily changed their “attachments”.
Still worse there was the fact that Yaroslav, in spite of all efforts to avoid “hereditary disease Of [ryurikovichey]”, victim of which in his time became he itself, so could not introduce the effective system of [prestolonasledovaniya]. [Zaveshchannaya] by them the diagram of seniority and rotation, on which to each son was given the possibility to guide by Kiev, it worked, only thus far elder [Yaroslavichi] acted together. As a result defeat (1068) of that united the troops from the large forces of Polovetss, which took the place to Pechenegs in the southern steppes, their triumvirate was decomposed. The new period of dissension for Kiev began. Many princes, deprived by the system of the rotation of real chance to the inheritance (them they called outcasts), willingly used “the services” of Polovetss in the power contest.
The most influential leaders tried to stop fratricide, after proposing at the encounter in the environs of Kiev in 1097. the principle of the passage of the throne of specific princes by the inheritance. With respect to Kiev itself, however, the agreements reach could not.
Only enormous authority and popularity in the people of Vladimir [Monomakh], who carried out before engaging [velikoknyazheskiy] throne in 1113 ; tens of successful marches against Polovetss, they allowed it 12 years to hold Russia in the unity and the peace. According to the bright expression of chronicler, Vladimir [Monomakh] “much to perspiration wiped for the Russian earth”. For his son it was possible to still conquer Polovetss and to send to Mistislav [Velikiy] their princes into Byzantium (1129). With its death in 1132. the epoch of actually Kiev Russia was completed and the period of shattering began.
Disintegration
At first this period was characterized both by strengthening “[regionalizma]” and even by bitter struggle for the Kiev throne. However, what thus did draw aspirants? In spite of reduction in its value for the trade (destruction by the crusaders of Constantinople in 1204 and the rapid sunset of Baghdad caliphate they deprived Kiev not only of the largest markets for sale, but also role of strong point in way from North Europe to the east), Kiev it remained tasty morsel. It continued to be developed and on the boundary [KH]II-[KH]III of substances it was one of the largest cities of Europe. According to the estimations, its population at this time composed 40 thousand people - 8-9 times more than in the significant of approximately 100 large cities and villages of Russia, even as important as Chernigov or Galich, on a European scale, London reached such sizes only in the century. However, increasingly more princes they understood, that their welfare and authority depend first of all on their own specific possessions, and they did not desire to participate not only in the strifes for Kiev, but also in the all-Russian actions.
Very dimensions of territory dictated a difference in the interests, and local conditions - difference in the political device. Great Novgorod, for example, was the term of the commercial union of Baltic cities (Hansa), and merchants used the greatest influence in meeting - the democratic organ of self-guidance. Galacian and Volyn principalities were unattainable for the main enemies of Kiev, Polovetss, but they held in control strong pressure Magyar, Poles also of Lithuania. In these earth it was especially great the political weight of boyars, who became rich in trade I will pour off. Galicians were separated by some of the first from Kiev, but precisely Galitsko-Volyn prince Roman, after extending at the beginning XIII v. its authority to the Kiev and [Pereya]-[slavlskoe] principalities, nearer than all approached the association of the Kiev Russia earth. It were considered Byzantium, Poland and Hungary, and dad Innocent BY THE III even proposed to it royal crown in exchange for the passage into the catholicism, but was obtained failure. Unfortunately for Russia, prince Roman got involved in into the affairs of Polish princes, in 1205. it fell into the ambush arranged by Poles and it was killed. But the most terrible enemy already it moved from the depths of Asia. In 1223. Slavs met Mongolians on r. Of [kalka] and were defeated. With the condition of unity, they had still sufficient time in order to be prepared for the new impact - entire 14 years.
