Russian Civ. – 10/1/14 PDF

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These are class notes that I typed directly after class from hand written notes I wrote during class. I go through this two step process to ensure accuracy and enhance organization....

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Russian Civilization Notes – 10.1.14 Perun mixed with St. George Mother-moist-earth mixed with virgin mary and mother Russia St. Nicholas normally depicted with black and white crosses on robe St. George depicted on a bright red background Icons depicting Christ’s image were carried into battle by Rus Prince Domes on Russian churches look like onions (cuplas) Traditional 5 dome cathedral o Symbolizes Christ surrounded by 4 gospel writers  Cathedral is higher ranking than a church Legacy of the baptism of Rus in 988  Profound change in East Slavic belief system  New art, architecture, and literature  Acquisition of greek based Cyrillic alphabet  Linked the Rus (and later the Russians) to the eastern Orthodox church o Divided west and east (catholic and orthodox)       

Frescoes and Fratricide: Art and politics in Kieve  Under grand prince Vladimir the First Kievan Rus enters new age of prosperity o Unity, piece and renewed trade with Byzantium  Vladimir keeps the Pecheneg Turks at bay  Vladimir dies in 1015 and a civil war breaks out between sons o Because of no primogeniture  A right of succession to the throne  Two main contenders: o Yaroslav the wise o Svyatopolk the accursed  The civil war lasts 4 years and Yaroslav wins  Svyatopolk gets aid from polish king which is very frowned upon  He also murders his brothers Boris and Gleb, who became first 2 native saints o Brothers weren’t trying to take the thrown o Killed while praying o First 2 Christian martyrs  Yaroslav the wise rules as grand prince from 1019 to 1054 o His reign extends Kiev’s golden age o Very successful ruler  Yaroslav completely destroys Pechenegs  Trade flourishes  Yaroslav coins have a trident in the middle that is replicated in the middle of the Ukrainian flag  He build St. Sophia cathedral in Kiev, modeled after the main byzantine cathedral  Yaroslav wanted Kiev to be more religiously important so he appoints a native leader for the orthodox church names Hilarion

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o Hilarion delivers a sermon praising the Kieven Rus over Byzantium  Byzantium wasn’t happy Cyrillic writing flourishes in the native east Slavic dialect (called old Russian or old Ukrainian) o Found in bible translations, sermons, war stories (only one survived mongols) Birchbork letters prove common people could read and write Yaroslav codified legal code into Rus language o That’s why he is called “the wise” Historical chronicles are written o Most famous ones are the primary chronicle and the Tale of Bygone Years  Begun by monk Nestor  Nestor lived and worked in Kiev’s Monastery of the Caves Yaroslav dies in 1054 o Writes testament (will)  Divides up power to prevent another civil war Yaroslav’s testament to his sons: o Rules for inheriting the grand prince throne in Kiev Son’s don’t listen and Kiev fighting becomes consistent New Turkic steppe nomads invade: o Kipchaks (cumons, polovtsy) Kievan Rus fragments into increasingly independent principalities, though Kiev remains the “first among equals” Council of Lyubech 1097 attempts to halt Rurikid feuds Vladimir Monomach (Vladimir the second) is the last strong grand prince in Kiev who can unify everyone o Rules from 1111 to 1125 o Successful at keeping away Kipchaks o He implemented the crown of Monomach  Current Russian crown Monomach destroys Polovtsy (kipchak, cumons) Northern providence of Vladimir-Suzdal becomes increasingly powerful Yuri Dolgoruky strengthens Vladimir (providence) and ransacks Kiev o Kiev increasingly suffers from the princes’ rivalries Andrei Bogolyubsky was the son of Yuri Dolgoruky Tries to make Vladimir the main capitol city o Builds lots of cathedrals and other religious things o Builds golden gate entrance to replicate Kiev’s Andrei captures Kiev but wants to rule from Vladimir He brutally ransacks and vandalizes Kiev o Takes the most sacred icon and renames it the “virgin of Vladimir” Andrei Bogolyubsky is assassinated in 1174 by Rurikid Princes who hate his cruelty and fear his growing power Andrei’s son, Vsevelod Big Nest, called that because he had a lots of kids

The tale of Igor’s campaign  Only story that survived mongol conquest  Prince Igor attacks Polovtsky (kipchak, cumon) in 1185 o He loses and is captured  Time running out for Kiev o By 1219 the mongol empire is on the move westward The Devil’s horseman: carving the Mongol Yoke  Turks in the west and mongols in the east are compleltey divided o Don’t know about each other  1167, Temujin, future Chinggus Khan, is born in a mongol tribe in southern Siberia o Made emperor of china after he died  His father is poor prince of small tribe o Steals second wife who births Temujin  Has older brother but kills him at age 10  Temujin is enslaved by a rival clan who killed his dad  Temujan rises as war leader and unites all of the rival tribes into a single mongol nation  1206, Temujin is elected as universal leader of all who dwell in felt tents (chinggus Khan = universal leader)  He then conquers some steppe nomad peoples  1219 he takes over part of Northern china  1223 – war of kwarezm, attacks and defeats kipchak (polovtsky, cumon)...