Events of ancient times always cause controversy: if there is no reliable information, it is difficult to prove one's case. After all, writing appeared in later times than well-known historical events that were not recorded and have come down to us in the form of myths and legends. There are also disputes about the origin of the Slavs, about the creation of ancient Russia, and about which Slavic state arose before the others.
The origin and settlement of the Slavs
According to historical data, in the VIII millennium BC, Indo-European tribes lived in the region of the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. From these places and peoples, three branches arose that moved in different directions:
- Celts, Germanic and Romanesque peoples settled in Western and Southern Europe, - B alto-Slavs settled in the area between the Vistula and the Dnieper, - Iranian and Indian people settled in Western and South Asia.
Thistook place in the 2nd century BC. And only in the 5th century AD, offshoots of the Slavs emerged from the B altoslavs, who settled in Central Europe. Which Slavic state arose before the rest, in what century did it happen?
Settlement of the Slavs
It was from the B alto-Slavic peoples that the Western, Southern and Eastern Slavs arose, occupying respectively: Central Europe, the Balkan Peninsula and Eastern Europe. The Western Slavs include Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, Pomors from the eastern shore of the B altic Sea, tribes from the eastern side of the Laba River. The Balkan Peninsula was inhabited by South Slavic peoples: Serbs, Croats, Bulgarians. The Eastern Slavs are the ancestors of the Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples.
During the period of the great migration of peoples, the Slavs occupied vast territories of the eastern part of Europe and the Balkan Peninsula. From the 7th century AD, information about the first Slavic states has already appeared. Neighboring peoples united and formed into state structures and began to oppress the Slavs. Which Slavic state arose before all among the tribes that occupied considerable territories?
Samo and his orb
It was in the 7th century AD that the first union of tribes arose under the control of the leader of the Slavs - Samo. This power included the territories of Moravian, Slovak, Czech. They declared their capital the city of Vyshegrad, which stands on the Morava River. This Slavic state arose before the others.
Very little is known about Samo's life and personality: he was a Frankish merchant who became the creator of the empire in 620 –623 years. There is a brief mention in Fredegard's chronicles of Samo's life and that he was a pagan. Although at this point the Franks were already Christians.
The very first ancient Slavic state arose due to the constant raids of the Avars on their lands: it was a neighboring empire located on the territory of today's Hungary and constantly sent its marauders into devastating raids, committed violence against the civilian population. As a result, there was an uprising of the Slavs against the Avars. Samo with his fighters supported the Slavic uprising. He won all battles and was a strong, brave warrior.
Years of government
Samo's courage and leadership skills led to his being elected king. He ruled the empire until 658 AD - 35 years. The Frankish chronicler Fredegard wrote about Samo that not a single battle was lost during the years of his reign. Even the battle with the Frankish Empire and its ruler Dagobert, in 631, ended in victory for the Slavs.
Died Samo in 658-659. As follows from the records of Fredegard, the ruler of the empire had 12 Slavic wives, who bore him 22 sons and 15 daughters. All 35 years they happily ruled the empire and were not defeated by enemies. What happened to the state after Samo's death? Historians suggest that it broke up again into separate tribes.
Now that it has become clear which Slavic state arose before the others, the reason for its appearance is also clear - to protect against enemies.
Great Moravian State
Later at the beginningIX century, in the same territories, another West Slavic state arose - the Great Moravian state. Initially, it was a state dependent on the Franks. Then it was subordinated to Germany. But soon the power achieved independence and entered into an alliance with Byzantium. Freed from the influence of Germany, the Moravian princes decided to get rid of their clergy: they asked Byzantium to send missionaries - priests to preach in the Slavic language. So in Moravia in 863 enlighteners from Bulgaria appeared - Cyril and Methodius. They did a great job: they created the Slavic script using the Greek alphabet, they translated several church books. Many temples were built in Moravia.
But nevertheless, the principality collapsed in 906: the constant struggle with Germany made it weak, and the Hungarians were able to defeat it, and seize part of the land. Understanding which Slavic state arose before the others, one cannot but say about the Bulgarians.
Bulgarian Kingdom
The emergence of the Bulgarian state dates back to 681. It was a strong union of Slavic and Turkic tribes. The Bulgarian kingdom actively developed, fought with Byzantium, with the Slavs. The rulers of the country, Boris I and his son Simeon, strengthened it and expanded its borders to the Black Sea. The capital of the kingdom was the city of Preslav. This Slavic state arose before the rest, even before the Great Moravian Power.
Simeon became one of the rulers who introduced real Christian customs in the country. He was literateeducated in Constantinople, an erudite king. Simeon led a competent economic policy, expanded the borders of the state and even tried to become the ruler of Byzantium.
After the death of Simeon, in 927, the state began to be subjected to raids by both the Byzantines and the Russians. Yes, and internal contradictions tore apart the country. In 1014, the fall of the Bulgarian kingdom began. About , which Slavic state arose before the others, can be traced from the annals, which also talk about the creation of Russia.
Kievan Rus
The state of Kievan Rus emerged at the turn of the 9th century. These were the tribes of the Eastern Slavs, who began to unite. But the formation of the country took place over the centuries, in several stages. The chronicler Nestor in The Tale of Bygone Years gave a description of Kievan Rus, its formation and development. Gradually, the country became one of the strongest and most influential in Europe. It is important to know not only which Slavic state arose before the rest, but also its gradual formation and power.
The first and key stage is the unification of two principalities: Novgorod and Kyiv. Thanks to the activities of the Prophetic Oleg, who captured Kyiv in 882 and established diplomatic relations with Byzantium, the borders of Russia are expanding. The fact of the unification of the two principalities was marked by the appearancestates of the Eastern Slavs. Already by 1054, all Slavic tribes from the east were part of Kievan Rus - this was its heyday. For a long time the country was united, but the threat of disintegration still existed. In 1132 Kievan Rus finally collapsed.
Slavic theory of the origin of the Old Russian state
There are several theories of the origin of the ancient Russian state, one of them is Slavic, or it is also called "autochthonous". According to this theory, statehood existed in Russia long before the ninth century. Historians say that in ancient times there were even three centers of the Slavs: Kuyaba, Artania, Slavia.
Varyags played a unifying role between north and south. From them came the name: Rus - from the tribe "Rus". The chronicler Nestor in The Tale of Bygone Years described the life of the Eastern Slavs even before the arrival of the Varangians. He spoke about three brothers - Slavs: Kyi, Shchek, Khoriv. The eldest of them, Kiy, reigned and made campaigns all the way to Constantinople, was considered the ancestor of the Slavic dynasty. Kyiv was the center of the unification of the ancient glades.
Additional confirmation
The formation of the Old Russian state, the Slavic theory, is also confirmed by the legend of the Novgorod prince Gostomysl, who had three daughters. He lost all his sons in campaigns and battles with the Scandinavians. When he became old, it turned out that he had no one to pass on hisdynasty. One of his daughters, Umila, was married to a Varangian - Ross, and she had three sons. Then Gostomysl called on his grandchildren - Rurik, Sineus and Truvor, as representatives of the Slavic family, to accept the principality. The legend is confirmed by the Joachim Chronicle.
The Slavic theory of the origin of the ancient Russian state was founded by the scientist M. V. Lomonosov. In the 19th century, such historians as Belyaev, Ilichevsky and Zabelin became its supporters. In his theory, M. V. Lomonosov proved back in the 18th century that Rurik was not a Scandinavian - he was a Slav. The Varangians appeared much later than the Slavs and had the same roots with them. The existence of the ancient Russian state, long before the appearance of Kievan Rus, is evidenced by Jordan, the Gothic chronicler, and the Elder Edda, and the Book of Veles. They describe the conquests of the Goth Germanarekh, who fought as far as the Volga and the Caspian Sea.
War with the Goths
Coming to the ancient Russian lands, Germanareh first made peace, and then married the sister of the Slavic prince Busa, her name was Swan-Sva. She was given in marriage to 110-year-old Germanarekh in the form of payment for a peace treaty. And only then tragic events occurred: Germanareh executed his wife and son, returned and defeated the Slavs. But the defenders of Ruskolani stood in the way of the Goths and did not allow them to reach the heart of the country. The Swans-Sva brothers, princes Bus and Zlatogor, avenged their sister and killed Germanarekh. Thus began the Slavic-Gothic war. A statueBusa, found on the territory of the North Caucasus, proves the fact of its existence:
Disputes of historians last for many centuries: one theory refutes another. But the correctness of the Slavic theory is evidenced by irrefutable facts that Nestor described. Is it possible for an unorganized society, which is small and wild, to gather and equip an army of 80,000 on 2,000 ships, which, moreover, can move on land? And Prophetic Oleg led this campaign and nailed his shield on the gates of Constantinople - Constantinople! So, Rurik came to reign not from scratch, but to a completely independent Slavic state.
