Russian History, Culture, and Folklore

Vocabulary flashcards covering key historical figures, architectural landmarks, literary works, and cultural concepts from early Rus through 17th-century Russia.

Glagolitic

An early Slavic writing system invented in the 860s by St. Cyril.

Christianization of Rus’ (988)

The adoption of Byzantine Orthodox Christianity as the state religion under Prince Vladimir in 988.

Batu Khan

Genghis Khan’s grandson who attacked Rus from 1237 to 1240 and captured Kiev in 1240.

Byliny

Traditional Russian epic poems passed through oral tradition with no known author.

Skazki

Traditional Russian fairy tales preserved and transmitted through oral tradition.

Seven Actants of Folktales

The narrative character roles identified by Vladimir Propp: hero, dispatcher, villain, donor, helper, princess, and false hero.

Князь

The East Slavic title for a prince or ruler.

Order of Succession (‘ladder’ or ‘staircase’ principle)

The dynastic succession system in early Rus where power passed laterally through brothers before descending to the next generation.

The Cathedral of St. Sophia (Holy Wisdom)

An early 11th-century cathedral in Kyiv featuring green domes and a mosaic of the Virgin Mary.

Church of the Intercession on the Nerl

A Russian White Romanesque church built in 1165–66 near Vladimir, located on what looks like an island surrounded by water.

Cathedral of St. Demetrius

A white limestone church in Vladimir built between 1194 and 1197, featuring one central dome and elaborate carvings.

The Great Schism (1054)

The formal split between the Western (Catholic, centered in Rome) and Eastern (Orthodox, centered in Constantinople) branches of Christianity.

Fall of Constantinople (1453)

The capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman army, leaving Rome as the only Church of the old Pentarchy not under Islamic rule.

Battle on the Ice (1242)

A battle on Lake Peipus where Prince Alexander Nevsky defeated Livonian forces, protecting Novgorod.

Battle of Kulikovo (1380)

A battle at Kulikovo Field where Russian forces led by Prince Dmitri Donskoi defeated the Mongols, though it did not end Mongol rule.

Stand of 1480

A major victory over the Mongols under Ivan III the Great that marked the end of Mongol domination over Moscow's lands.

Primary Chronicle

The fundamental early historical text that records the origins and early history of the East Slavs and Rus.

The Tale of Igor’s Campaign

An epic poem recounting Prince Igor’s failed military campaign against the nomadic Cumans.

Житие

A religious biography describing the life, virtues, miracles, and devotion of a holy person or saint.

Dormition Cathedral

The main church of the Russian state in the Kremlin, designed by Aristotele Fioravanti for state coronations, featuring gold domes on pillars over arches.

Annunciation Cathedral

The private church of the Tsar’s family in the Kremlin, built by Pskov Masters, featuring a green roof and multiple golden onion-shaped domes.

Cathedral of the Archangel (the New)

A Kremlin church with five gold domes that served as a royal burial place containing graves and no sculptures.

Ivan the Great Bell Tower

An extremely tall and narrow Kremlin tower designed by Bon Friazin used for communication.

Andrei Rublev

Mentee of Theophanes the Greek recognized as the greatest Russian icon painter; painter of the 'Trinity' icon depicting three angels seated around a table.

Tsar (Царь)

The Russian imperial title derived from the title Caesar of the Roman emperors.

Golden Horde

The Mongol state that controlled much of Rus following the 13th-century invasions.

Ivan Fedorov

Known as the Russian Gutenberg and a father of Eastern Slavonic printing; printed the Apostle in 1564 and the Ostrog Bible in 1581.

Oprichnina

The private army and state police established by Ivan IV whose members carried brooms and attached severed dog heads to their saddles.

Feodor Ioannovich

The son of Ivan the Terrible and Anastasia Romanovna who became the last reigning tsar of the Rurik dynasty.

False Dmitry

A series of 17th-century impostors during the Time of Troubles who claimed to be Tsarevich Dmitry Ivanovich, the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible.

Liberation of Moscow (November 1612)

The recapturing of Moscow from Polish-Lithuanian forces by a volunteer army led by Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitri Pozharsky, inspired by Patriarch Hermogen.

Mikhail Romanov

The 16-year-old elected tsar in 1613 whose ascension ended the Time of Troubles and established the Romanov dynasty.

Ivan Susanin

A Russian national hero and martyr who sacrificed his life to save Tsar Mikhail Romanov.

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka

The first Russian composer to gain wide recognition within Russia, regarded as the fountainhead of Russian classical music.

Sobornoe Ulozhenie

A new Russian legal code enacted to replace the Sudebnik of 1550.

Patriarch Nikon

The Russian Orthodox Church leader who initiated church reforms and the textual correction of Russian divine service books.

Schism (Raskol) of 1666

The major rupture in the Russian Orthodox Church caused by Patriarch Nikon's liturgical reforms and opposed by traditionalists like Archpriest Avvakum.

Treaty of Pereyaslav (1654)

An agreement concluded between the Cossack Hetmanate and the Tsardom of Russia following Bohdan Khmelnytsky’s revolt against Poland.

Sten’ka Razin

A Cossack leader who led a major rebellion against the Russian government in the 17th century.