Kievan Rus is an exceptional phenomenon of European medieval history. Occupying a geographically intermediate position between the civilizations of the East and West, it became a zone of the most important historical and cultural contacts and was formed not only on a self-sufficient internal basis, but also with the significant influence of neighboring peoples.
Formation of tribal alliances
The formation of the state of Kievan Rus and the origins of the formation of modern Slavic peoples lie at a time when the Great Migration of the Slavs begins in the vast territories of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, which lasted until the end of the 7th century. The previously unified Slavic community gradually disintegrated into eastern, western, southern and northern Slavic tribal unions.
In the middle of the 1st millennium, Antsky and Sklavinsky unions of Slavic tribes already existed on the territory of modern Ukraine. After the defeat in the 5th century AD. the tribe of the Huns and the final disappearance of the Western Roman Empire, the union of the Antesbegan to play a prominent role in Eastern Europe. The invasion of the Avar tribes did not allow this union to form into a state, but the process of the formation of sovereignty was not stopped. Slavic tribes colonized new lands and, uniting, created new alliances of tribes.
In the beginning, temporary, random associations of tribes arose - for military campaigns or defense from unfriendly neighbors and nomads. Gradually, associations of neighboring tribes close in culture and life arose. Finally, territorial associations of the proto-state type were formed - lands and principalities, which later became the cause of such a process as the formation of the state of Kievan Rus.
Briefly: the composition of the Slavic tribes
Most modern historical schools connect the beginnings of the self-consciousness of the Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples with the collapse of the great Slavic ethnically united society and the emergence of a new social formation - the tribal union. The gradual rapprochement of the Slavic tribes gave rise to the state of Kievan Rus. The formation of the state accelerated at the end of the 8th century. Seven political unions were formed on the territory of the future state: Dulibs, Drevlyans, Croats, Polyans, Ulichs, Tivertsy, Siveryans. One of the first arose the Dulib Union, uniting the tribes inhabiting the territories from the river. Goryn in the east to the West. Bug. The most favorable geographical position had a tribe of glades, who occupied the territory of the middle Dnieper from the river. Black grouse in the north to the river. Irpin and Ros in the south. Formation of the ancient stateKievan Rus occurred on the lands of these tribes.
The emergence of the rudiments of the state structure
In the conditions of the formation of tribal unions, their military-political significance grew. Most of the booty captured during military campaigns was appropriated by the leaders of the tribes and combatants - armed professional soldiers who served the leaders for a fee. A significant role was played by meetings of free male warriors or popular gatherings (veche), at which the most important administrative and civil issues were resolved. There was a separation into a layer of the tribal elite, in whose hands power was concentrated. This stratum included boyars - advisers and close associates of the prince, the princes themselves and their warriors.
Separation of the Polyan Union
The process of state formation was especially intensive on the lands of the Polyansky tribal principality. The importance of Kyiv, its capital, grew. The supreme power in the principality belonged to the descendants of the Polyan prince Kiy.
Between the 8th and 9th centuries. in the principality there were real political preconditions for the emergence on its basis of the first Slavic state, which later received the name Kievan Rus.
Formation of the name "Rus"
The question “where did the Russian land come from”, asked by the chronicler Nestor, has not found an unambiguous answer to this day. Today, among historians, several scientific theories of the origin of the name "Rus", "KyivRussia". The formation of this phrase is rooted in the deep past. In a broad sense, these terms were used when describing all the East Slavic territories, in a narrow sense, only the Kyiv, Chernigov and Pereyaslav lands were taken into account. Among the Slavic tribes, these names became widespread and later became fixed in various toponyms. For example, the names of the rivers are Rosava. Ros, and others. Those Slavic tribes that occupied a privileged position on the lands of the Middle Dnieper region began to be called in the same way. According to scientists, the name of one of the tribes that was part of the Polyan Union was dew or Rus, and later the social elite of the entire Polyan Union began to call themselves Rus. In the 9th century, the formation of the Old Russian statehood was completed. Kievan Rus began to exist.
Territories of the Eastern Slavs
Geographically, all the tribes lived in the forest or forest-steppe. These natural zones turned out to be favorable for the development of the economy and safe for life. It was in the middle latitudes, in forests and forest-steppes, that the formation of the state of Kievan Rus began.
The general location of the southern group of Slavic tribes significantly influenced the nature of their relations with neighboring peoples and countries. The territory of the ancient Rus was on the border between East and West. These lands are located at the crossroads of ancient roads and trade routes. But unfortunately, these territories were open and unprotected natural barriers,making them vulnerable to invasions and raids.
Relationships with neighbors
During the VII-VIII centuries. the main threat to the local population was the alien peoples of the East and South. Of particular importance for the Polans was the formation of the Khazar Khaganate, a strong state located in the steppes of the Northern Black Sea region and in the Crimea. In relation to the Slavs, the Khazars took an aggressive position. First, they imposed tribute on the Vyatichi and Siverians, and later on the glades. The fight against the Khazars contributed to the unification of the tribes of the Polyansky tribal union, which both traded and fought with the Khazars. Perhaps it was from Khazaria that the title of lord, kagan, passed to the Slavs.
The relations of the Slavic tribes with Byzantium were of great importance. Repeatedly, the Slavic princes fought and traded with the powerful empire, and sometimes even entered into military alliances with it. In the west, relations between the East Slavic peoples were maintained with the Slovaks, Poles and Czechs.
Establishment of the state of Kievan Rus
The political development of the Polyansky principality led to the emergence at the turn of the VIII-IX centuries of state formation, which was later assigned the name "Rus". Since Kyiv became the capital of the new state, historians of the XIX-XX centuries. began to call it "Kievan Rus". The formation of the country began in the Middle Dnieper, where the Drevlyans, Siverians and Polyans lived.
The ruler of Russia had the title Kagan (Khakan),equivalent to the Grand Duke of Russia. It is clear that only the ruler could bear such a title, who, in terms of his social position, was higher than the prince of the tribal union. The active military activity testified to the strengthening of the new state. At the end of the 8th century The Rus, led by the Polan prince Bravlin, attacked the Crimean coast and captured Korchev, Surozh and Korsun. In 838, the Rus arrived in Byzantium. This is how diplomatic relations with the eastern empire were formalized. The formation of the East Slavic state of Kievan Rus was a great event. She was recognized as one of the most powerful powers of that time.
The first princes of Kievan Rus
Representatives of the Kievich dynasty reigned in Russia, which include the brothers Askold and Dir. According to some historians, they were co-rulers, although, perhaps, Dir reigned first, and then Askold. In those days, squads of Normans appeared on the Dnieper - Swedes, Danes, Norwegians. They were used to guard trade routes and as mercenaries during raids. In 860, Askold, leading an army of 6-8 thousand people, carried out a sea campaign against Kostantinople. While in Byzantium, Askold got acquainted with a new religion - Christianity, was baptized and tried to bring a new faith that Kievan Rus could accept. Education, the history of the new country began to be influenced by Byzantine philosophers and thinkers. Priests and architects were invited from the empire to the Russian land. But these activities of Askold did not bring great success - among the nobility and commoners there was still a strong influence of paganism. SoChristianity came later to Kievan Rus.
The formation of a new state determined the beginning of a new era in the history of the Eastern Slavs - the era of a full-fledged state-political life.
