Lec 2 Flashcards
Who moves the capital of the Rus’ territories from Novgorod to Kiev and why?
Oleg (Rurik’s son Igor’s regent) moves it to Kiev because it is closer to Constantinople and the Black Sea.
Who killed Igor (Rurik’s son) and why? Who takes over after he dies?
He was killed by the Drevlians (a tribe) for taxing too much. His wife Olga takes over as regent, and then their son Sviatoslav.
Who killed Sviatoslav (son of Igor) and when?
The Pechenegs killed Sviatoslav in 972.
How did grand prince Vladimir come to power? What does he do once in power?
He kills his brother Iaropolk with the help of Scandinavian mercenaries and military forces of Polotsk. He pacifies slavic tribes and solidifies Kievan Rus’ borders through war and treaties with neighbors.
How did vladimir distribute land between his sons? Why did he do this?
He create principalites and gave one to each of his sons. Assured no rivalry between brothers and military dispersed to protect borders. Each prince had their how druzina and boyars.
Who converted to Orthodox Christianity and when and why? What were the effects of this conversion on kievan Rus?
Vladimir Sviatoslav did so in 988, supposedly because he liked the churches. In reality, he wanted to marry the Bizantyne princess and form and alliance with the Byzantine emperor.
What were the effects of the conversion to orthodox Christianity on kievan Rus?
- homogenized culture
- church slavonic became literary language
- legitimized Rurikids as the “god chosen rulers”
Describe the Rota System. Who instilled it?
System in which power passes laterally and not vertically (from brother to brother and not father to son). You cannot be the prince of a principality if your father wasn’t prince. There is a hierarchy of principalities.
Iaroslav the wise created it.
What is the name of the first law code?
Russkaya Pravda
