c11.2

Slavs

byzantium sent missionaries to this land during the ninth century

russian culture

the blending of slavic and greek culture

ural mountains

russia’s first unified territory originated west of which mountains in the region that runs from the black sea to the baltic sea

Dnieper, Don, Volga

three great rivers that run from the heart of the forests to the black sea or the caspian sea

Varangians/Rus/vikings

small bands of adventurers came down among them from the north

Rurik

russian legends say the slavs invited this viking chief to be their king

Novgorod

russia’s first important city founded by rurik

The primary chronicle

a history of Russia written by monks in the early 1100s

oleg

a nobleman from novgorod moved south to Kiev a city on the Dnieper river

Kieve

a city on the Dnieper river

principality

a small state ruled by a prince

Princess Olga

paid a visit to Constantinople and publicly converted to christianity and governed kiev until her son was old enough to rule

Vladimir

Olga’s grandson came to the throne about 980 he considered conversion to christianity

The primary chronicle

reports that vladimir sent out teams to observe the major religions of the times

dnieper river

in 989 a baptism of all citizens of Kiev was held in which river

Kiev

already linked to Byzantium by trade, now looked to the empire for religious guidance

Vladimir

imported teachers to instruct the people in the new faith and appreciated the byzantine idea of the emperor as supreme ruler of the church

kiev

thanks to its byzantine ties, it grew from a cluster of crude wooden forts to the glittering capital of a prosperous and educated people

Poland

vladimir expanded his state west into this place and north almos tot the baltic sea

Yaroslav the wise

came to the throne and led kieve to even greater glory, skillfully married off his daughters and sisters to the kings and princes of western europe , first library, 400 churches