Russia and the Mongols

The Setting and PeopleThe Setting and People• Large plain in Eastern Europe• Southern part of the plain is called a steppe

• Grassy, black soil, good for farming

• Carpathian Mountains to Ural Mountains• Divide Europe and Asia

• Slavs settled mainly in Eastern Europe• Avars, Huns, Magyars, and Vikings all invaded at

different times• Made Slavs their servants

• Name Slav comes from the word Slave• Vikings main purpose was trade

Kievan RussiaKievan Russia• Novgorod and Kiev were cities located along Viking

trade routes• The Rus people took over Novgorod and Kiev

• Kiev became powerful trade city; Russia’s capital• Trade treaty with Byzantine Empire

• Government• Princes governed

• Councils – made up of Boyars (Russian nobility)• Yaroslav the Wise was a great leader

• Came up with Pravda Russkia (Russian Justice)

• Religion• Christianity

• Vladimir I sent observers to look into Christianity• Converted after marriage to Anna, sister of Byzantine Emperor• Ordered all Kievians to be Christians and destroyed all pagan idols

• Economy• Farming • Trade

• Agricultural goods, wood, iron, salt, furs, and honey

Attacks on KievAttacks on Kiev

• In-fighting weakened Kiev• Mongols invaded

• Kievan Russia under the Mongols• Taxed heavily• Strong cultural influence

• Kievan Russia and its neighbors• Lithuania and Poland

• Took away eastern territory, hostile to Slavs, religious conflict

The Rise of MoscowThe Rise of Moscow• Mongols grew weaker• Ivan I worked with Mongols and was given right to rule• Under Ivan III or Ivan the Great, Moscow began to be

independent• Started the absolute monarchy rule of Russia

• Ivan the Terrible• Came into power at age 3• Boyars ruled until he was old enough• Felt himself to be heir to Roman and Byzantium Empire

• Took title of Czar (Slavic monarch, means Cesar)• Committed many heinous acts

• Destroyed Boyars• Murdered his oldest son• Destroyed Novgorod

• The growth of the church• Financial prosperity

• Major landowner in Russia• Politically independent of Constantinople

• Chose own church leaders• Constantinople fell, Russia proclaimed itself as the 3rd Rome