The formation of the ancient Russian state briefly. Kievan Rus: the formation and development of the Old Russian state
The famous urban reform of Alexander II was carried out in 1870. It became part of the fundamental transformations in Russian society that came after the defeat in the Crimean War. Up to this point, cities have suffered from excessive administrative tutelage of officials. The reform gave them freedom in managing the economy, economy, security, etc.
Prerequisites
The preparation of a project for the reform of city government began in 1862. According to the circular of the Minister of Internal Affairs Petr Valuev, the establishment of local commissions began, in which the issue of the need for reforms was discussed.
These provisional bodies worked for three years. The urban reform continued when, in 1864, a general project was prepared by the commissions, which was to be extended to all the cities of the empire. At the next stage, it was planned to consider this document by the State Council. However, on April 4, 1866, Karakozov attempted on the life of Alexander II. The failed terrorist attack brought confusion to the minds of officials. The project stalled.
Project Acceptance
After a long pause State Council finally returned to the consideration of the draft reform. The next commission came to the conclusion that it was too dangerous to introduce an all-class system. Long disputes ended with the adoption of a system copied from Prussia. In this German kingdom, there were three curia, which were made up of taxpayers, divided into classes according to their contributions to the budget.
The same system was adopted in Russia. The city reform of 1870 ultimately boiled down to the following. The local duma was elected by the inhabitants, divided into curia. In the first of them there were only a few dozen of the richest citizens who paid the most taxes. Thus, a dozen wealthy residents received a representation equal to that of the middle class and a huge mass of people with low incomes (they could number in the hundreds and thousands). In this sense, urban reform remained fairly conservative. It introduced self-regulation, but the Duma was still drawn up on the basis of the social inequality of the inhabitants.
City authorities
According to the adopted provision, the city reform of Alexander 2 introduced city public administrations(Duma, electoral assembly and city government). They were in charge of economic life, organized landscaping, monitored fire safety, provided the population with food, arranged credit institutions, stock exchanges and marinas.
The city reform of 1870 established electoral assemblies, the main function of which was to elect councilors to the duma. Their term of office was 4 years. According to the new norms, every citizen who had voting rights could become a member of the Duma. There were exceptions to this rule. For example, the number of non-Christians in the duma should not exceed one third of the vowels (ie, deputies). Also, Jews could not occupy the chair of the mayor. Thus, the electoral restrictions were mostly confessional in nature.
Powers of the Duma
The cardinal urban reform, the essence of which was to grant cities self-government, was reduced to a redistribution of the powers of government institutions. Prior to that, all orders were made from a centralized body and one bureaucracy. Such management was characterized by extreme inefficiency and stagnation.
The city reform led to the fact that the Duma received the authority to appoint various officials. It also now regulated the establishment, reduction and increase of taxes. At the same time, the cost of maintaining this was the responsibility of the governor. Meetings were appointed at the request of at least a fifth of the vowels. In addition, the Duma could be convened by the mayor or the governor. These self-government bodies appeared in 509 cities.
Other features of the reform
Among other things, the Duma determined the composition of the city council. This body, in turn, was in charge of the preparation of estimates, the collection of information for vowels, the collection and expenditure of fees from the population. The council reported to the Duma, but at the same time had the right to recognize the decisions of the representative body as illegal. In the event of a conflict between these two institutions of power, the governor intervened.
The voters of the Duma could not be tried or under investigation. Introduced (25 years). Downgrading awaited government officials removed from service. Citizens who had arrears in tax collection also lost their vote. Preliminary lists of voters, according to the division into curia, were drawn up by the Duma. The mayor was appointed from among the vowels. This choice was made by the governor.
Meaning
The most important urban reform led to the beginning of an unprecedented industrial and commercial development of cities. This was due to the fact that mechanisms market economy. Now the city could decide for itself what and how to spend its money. Such self-government was many times more effective than the previous bone administrative model.
Finally, the city reform of Alexander Nikolayevich allowed the inhabitants of the country to learn what civic activity is. Prior to this, the townspeople had no leverage to manage their home. Thanks to the coming transformations, the situation has changed radically. The growth of civic consciousness became the basis for the emergence of a new national political culture.
The formation of the ancient Russian state briefly
The early history of Rus' was largely determined by its geographical position. In the ninth century in Eastern Europe, there were several vast areas inhabited by various peoples with a predominance of the Slavic population. Part of the Slavs settled in the northeast along the Dnieper and its tributaries. These Eastern Slavs are our ancestors: the Russian people originate from them. Over time, the Eastern Slavs broke up into several tribes - glades, Drevlyans, northerners, Dregovichi, Krivichi, Slovenes, Radimichi, Vyatichi, Dulebs, or Buzhans, Croats, Uglichs , Tivertsy. Scattered over a vast area, all these tribes Eastern Slavs not only did they not merge into one people, but each tribe, in turn, was divided into separate communities, and each village lived in isolation. In every single family, the father was the ruler; several families descended from one family constituted a genus. But the genus also broke up into several separate genera. Each clan had its own foreman (the Eastern Slavs called him the prince). Such a collapse of tribal ties created difficulties for the Eastern Slavs to resist the enemies.
The prerequisites for the formation of the Old Russian state were created by the economic and ethnic community of the Eastern Slavs, their desire to join forces in the fight against nomads, the economic interests of regional principalities. In the formation and development of the Old Russian state, the main stages can be distinguished. preconditions are maturing.
In the 9th century in Eastern Europe, two ethno-political associations were formed, which became the basis of the state. In the south, the meadows united, Kyiv became their center. The convenient location allowed them to trade with Byzantium and the Arab Caliphate.
The north was an association of Slavic, Finnish and Baltic tribes with the center in Novgorod. In 862, this association began to be ruled by a native of Scandinavia, a prince from the Varangian tribe Rus Rurik. And the year 862 began to be considered the date of the formation of the ancient Russian state.
There are two theories of the formation of the ancient Russian state: Norman and anti-Norman theories.
The Norman (Varangian) origin of statehood was proved in the 18th century. German scientists G.F. Miller and G.Z. Bayer. The general meaning of the Norman theory boils down to the fact that the Scandinavians created the Russian people, gave it statehood, culture, at the same time subordinating it to themselves. Some Russian scientists, and in particular M.V. Lomonosov, took this theory as a personal insult and as an insult to the Russian nation. They believed that the Norman theory was based on a misinterpretation of the Russian chronicles. Some sources call the Russians, and this is especially important, Slavs. Some believe that they are the Baltic Slavs, others that they originate from the Roksolani.
Two of Rurik's squads, who did not receive the cities, Askold and Dir, went to Constantinople. Their path passed through Kyiv. They liked this city very much, they helped the people of Kiev to free themselves from the power of the Khazars and began to rule here themselves. In 879, Rurik died. Rurik's successor was his kinsman prince Oleg, because his son Igor was still small. First of all, Oleg took possession of Smolensk, thereby subjugating the Krivichi, then took Lyubech, the city of the northerners. Now it's Kyiv's turn. By cunning, he lured Askold and Dir out of the city and killed them. The people of Kiev, left without princes, submitted to Oleg. Thus, he united the two most important centers of the Eastern Slavs - Novgorod and Kyiv. Since that time, Kyiv has become the main Russian city. Further, Oleg subjugated other Slavic tribes - the Drevlyans, Severyans, Radimichi, etc. The unification of the Novgorod and Kiev principalities is the second stage (2nd half of the IX - the middle of the X century) in the process of formation of the Old Russian state, which is accelerated due to active intervention external forces- Khazars and Normans (Varangians).
In 906, Oleg made a campaign against Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium. Ferocious warriors from the north were merciless, killing prisoners, devastating all the surroundings. And in order to save their cities, the Byzantine court offered to pay a large tribute to the Russians. In addition, the prince demanded various benefits for the merchants, the Greeks agreed to all the requirements of Oleg. Five years after the campaign, he sealed his peace with the Greeks by a written agreement, very beneficial for Russia. Oleg died in 912, and Rurik's son Igor began to reign. At the end of the 9th century, new hordes of nomads, the Pechenegs, appeared next to the Russians. These nomads were at enmity with the Russians; sometimes the Greeks bribed the Pechenegs to attack the Russians. Following the example of Oleg, Igor made a big foray into Greece. This time, the Russians attacked the Asian shores of the empire, where they began to rage terribly, but they were defeated in a naval battle with the Greeks. To make up for the shame of his defeat and take revenge on the Greeks in 945, Igor again headed for Constantinople, hiring the Normans and Pechenegs. As a result, the Greeks were again forced to conclude a peace treaty. In the same year, Igor was killed by the Drevlyans during the next tribute collection. Igor's widow Olga(945-957) cunningly and cruelly avenged the death of her husband. She then set a fixed rate of tribute. Olga's most important deed was that she was the first of the princely family to convert to Christianity. The third, final stage of the formation of the state, begins with the reforms of Princess Olga.
Svyatoslav(957-972) - the most courageous and influential of the princes, forced the Vyatichi to submit, defeated the Khazars, the Volga and Danube Bulgarians, the inhabitants of the Caucasus. After a hard battle with the Greeks, an alliance was concluded, according to which the Russian prince pledged not to start a war with the Greeks and even protect them from attacks by other tribes. While Svyatoslav was fighting the Greeks, the Pecheneg hordes devastated his regions and almost captured Kiev. In 972, Svyatoslav was killed in a fight with the Pechenegs.
The development of productivity, large military expeditions of the Eastern Slavs against Byzantium and other neighbors contributed to the emergence of private property. Thus, the reasons for the formation of the ancient Russian state were the gradual stratification of the community, the formation of property inequality, the emergence of classes. The Eastern Slavs united under one authority, made up one people. A prince with a retinue is a force that rallied disparate tribes and clans into one whole - a single ancient Russian state.
The early history of Rus' was largely determined by its geographic location. In the ninth century in Eastern Europe, there were several vast areas inhabited by various peoples with a predominance of the Slavic population. Part of the Slavs settled in the northeast along the Dnieper and its tributaries. These Eastern Slavs are our ancestors: it is from them that the Russian people originate.
Over time, the Eastern Slavs broke up into several tribes - Polyans, Drevlyans, Northerners, Dregovichi, Krivichi, Slovenes, Radimichi, Vyatichi, Dulebs, or Buzhans, Croats, Uglichs, Tivertsy. Scattered over a vast expanse, all these tribes of the Eastern Slavs not only did not merge into one people, but each tribe, in turn, was divided into separate communities, and each village lived apart. In every single family, the father was the ruler; several families descended from one family constituted a genus. But the genus also broke up into several separate genera. Each clan had its own foreman (the Eastern Slavs called him the prince). Such a collapse of tribal ties created difficulties for the Eastern Slavs to resist the enemies.
The prerequisites for the formation of the ancient Russian state were created by the economic and ethnic community of the Eastern Slavs, their desire to join forces in the fight against nomads, and the economic interests of regional principalities.
In the formation and development of the Old Russian state, the main stages can be distinguished.
At the first stage (VIII-mid IX centuries), the prerequisites mature.
In the 9th century in Eastern Europe, two ethno-political associations were formed, which became the basis of the state. In the south, the meadows united, Kyiv became their center. The convenient location allowed them to trade with Byzantium and the Arab Caliphate.
The north was an association of Slavic, Finnish and Baltic tribes with the center in Novgorod. In 862, a native of Scandinavia, a prince from the Varangian tribe Rus Rurik, began to rule this association. And the year 862 began to be considered the date of the formation of the ancient Russian state.
There are two theories of the formation of the ancient Russian state: Norman and anti-Norman theories.
The Norman (Varangian) origin of statehood was proved in the 18th century. German scientists G.F. Miller and G.Z. Bayer. The general meaning of the Norman theory boils down to the fact that the Scandinavians created the Russian people, gave it statehood, culture, at the same time subordinating it to themselves. Some Russian scientists, and in particular M.V. Lomonosov, took this theory as a personal insult and as an insult to the Russian nation. They believed that the Norman theory was based on a misinterpretation of the Russian chronicles. Some sources call the Russians, and this is especially important, Slavs. Some believe that they are the Baltic Slavs, others that they originate from the Roksolani.
Two of Rurik's squads, who did not receive the cities, Askold and Dir, went to Constantinople. Their path passed through Kyiv. They liked this city very much, they helped the people of Kiev to free themselves from the power of the Khazars and began to rule here themselves.
In 879 Rurik died. Rurik's successor was his relative Prince Oleg, because. his son Igor was still small. First of all, Oleg took possession of Smolensk, thereby subjugating the Krivichi, then took Lyubech, the city of the northerners. Now it's Kyiv's turn. By cunning, he lured Askold and Dir out of the city and killed them. The people of Kiev, left without princes, submitted to Oleg. Thus, he united the two most important centers of the Eastern Slavs - Novgorod and Kyiv. Since that time, Kyiv has become the main Russian city. Further, Oleg subjugated other Slavic tribes - Drevlyans, Northerners, Radimichi, etc.
The unification of the Novgorod and Kiev principalities is the second stage (2nd half of the 9th - the middle of the 10th century) in the process of formation of the ancient Russian state, which is accelerated due to the active intervention of external forces - the Khazars and the Normans (Varangians).
In 906, Oleg made a campaign against Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium. Ferocious warriors from the north were merciless, killing prisoners, devastating all the surroundings. And in order to save their cities, the Byzantine court offered to pay a large tribute to the Russians. In addition, the prince demanded various benefits for the merchants, the Greeks agreed to all the requirements of Oleg. Five years after the campaign, he sealed his peace with the Greeks by a written agreement, very beneficial for Rus'.
Oleg died in 912, and Rurik's son Igor began to reign. At the end of the 9th century, new hordes of nomads, the Pechenegs, appeared next to the Russians. These nomads were at enmity with the Russians; sometimes the Greeks bribed the Pechenegs to attack the Russians. Following the example of Oleg, Igor made a big foray into Greece. This time, the Russians attacked the Asian shores of the empire, where they began to rage terribly, but they were defeated in a naval battle with the Greeks. To make up for the shame of his defeat and take revenge on the Greeks in 945, Igor again headed for Constantinople, hiring the Normans and Pechenegs. As a result, the Greeks were again forced to conclude a peace treaty. In the same year, Igor was killed by the Drevlyans during the next tribute collection.
Igor's widow Olga (945-957) cunningly and cruelly avenged her husband's death. She then set a fixed rate of tribute. Olga's most important deed was that she was the first of the princely family to convert to Christianity. The third, final stage of the formation of the state, begins with the reforms of Princess Olga.
Svyatoslav (957-972) - the most courageous and influential of the princes, forced the Vyatichi to submit, defeated the Khazars, the Volga and Danube Bulgarians, the inhabitants of the Caucasus. After a hard battle with the Greeks, an alliance was concluded, according to which the Russian prince pledged not to start a war with the Greeks and even protect them from attacks by other tribes. While Svyatoslav was fighting the Greeks, the Pecheneg hordes devastated his regions and almost captured Kiev. In 972, Svyatoslav was killed in a fight with the Pechenegs.
The development of productivity, large military expeditions of the Eastern Slavs against Byzantium and other neighbors contributed to the emergence of private property. Thus, the reasons for the formation of the ancient Russian state were the gradual stratification of the community, the formation of property inequality, the emergence of classes.
The Eastern Slavs united under one authority, made up one people. A prince with a retinue is a force that rallied disparate tribes and clans into one whole - a single ancient Russian state.
The ancient Russian state of Kievan Rus arose in Eastern Europe in the last quarter of the 9th century.
This happened due to the unification of the two main centers of the Eastern Slavs - Kyiv and Novgorod, as well as some other lands under the rule of the Vikings.
These Vikings were already mentioned by us Rurik, his son-in-law Oleg and numerous descendants of Rurik (the so-called Rurikovichs), who first became the great princes of Kiev, then - Vladimir, even later - Moscow, and at the end of the reign of this kind (or as they say in the West - dynasty) - even the kings of "all" (all) Rus'.
By the way, Ivan the Terrible was the first king from the Rurik dynasty.
But we will tell you about all this in this story.
Here you go. As for the two main cities of the Slavs at that time, Novgorod and Kyiv, they were located on the so-called path "from the Varangians to the Greeks", which contributed to their rapid development.
It is this waterway from Baltic Sea to Chernoye to Constantinople - a frisky trading market Christendom- At that time (in the 9th-12th centuries) merchants of Rus' and Northern Europe traveled.
Briefly, the history of Kievan Rus looks like this.
In 862-864, Rurik and his brothers captured the city of Novgorod.
Some time later, namely in 882, Rurik's son-in-law Prince Oleg conquers Kyiv and makes it the capital of his state.
In 988-989 Grand Duke Vladimir I Svyatoslavovich introduces Christianity in Rus' as the state religion.
In the 11th century Kievan Rus becomes well known in Europe.
By the way, in the Western European annals of that time, Kievan Rus is called Gordarika, that is, the country of cities. The fact is that then there were indeed quite a lot (as for that time) of cities - 24 Russian cities are called in the annals, but scientists believe that there were much more of them.
During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054), the period of the highest flowering of Kievan Rus begins.
But already in the second half of the 11th century, the so-called princely civil strife (that is, the struggle of the princes with each other for power) began between the princes, which leads to the weakening of Kievan Rus.
And in the second half of the 12th century, Rus' breaks up into independent principalities, among which it is worth mentioning, also the Novgorod and Pskov republics.
Baptism of Rus'.
Until the middle of the 10th century, paganism dominated Rus'. The mentality of the Slavic pagans was based on the idea of the equivalence and eternity of opposite principles ("good" and "evil"). And the world was perceived by them on the basis of paired concepts. Symbol of protection from evil forces considered a circle. Hence the appearance of such ornaments as wreaths, chains, rings. The Slavs had their own pantheon, which included Perun, Semargl, Stribog, Veles, Dazhdbog, Mokosh.
But the strengthening of the state required the adoption of a single faith. This was one of the most important reasons for the baptism of Rus'. Vladimir's choice of faith is described in detail in The Tale of Bygone Years. According to the chronicles, the prince was captivated by the beauty of Byzantine temples and rituals. In addition, even before 988, the year of the baptism of Rus', many of the inhabitants of Kyiv had already adopted Christianity according to the Byzantine model.
The date of the baptism of Kievan Rus is considered to be exactly 988. This year, Prince Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko accepted a new faith in Korsun. Returning to Kyiv, he began the process of Christianization of the country, baptizing close combatants, boyars, and merchants. A serious reason that influenced the choice of Vladimir was the political ambitions of the Roman Church. Her rise above secular power for the Kyiv princes was absolutely unacceptable. Eastern Christianity, on the contrary, was attracted by the attitude towards the interaction of religious and secular authorities.
Mass baptism in Rus', which began under Prince Vladimir, was by no means always voluntary, and the process of Christianization of the country dragged on for a long time. Many annals have kept meager information about the forced baptism of Rus'. It is worth noting that among the people pagan beliefs and rituals have been preserved for many centuries.
Historical meaning the baptism of Rus' for the development of the state is difficult to overestimate. After 988, Rus', as a Christian state, was able to claim a higher status in relations with other European countries, which strengthened international connections. One of the most important consequences of the baptism of Rus' was the gradual consolidation of society, the softening of morals. For the development of culture, this event also became epoch-making.
The proclamation of Christianity as the state religion (according to the Byzantine model) is one of the most important milestones in the history of our country. In honor of this event, the holiday is celebrated annually on July 28, the Day of the Baptism of Rus'.
Prerequisites education of the Old Russian state began the disintegration of tribal ties and the development of a new mode of production. The Old Russian state took shape in the process of development of feudal relations, the emergence of class contradictions and coercion.
Among the Slavs gradually formed the dominant layer, the basis of which was the military nobility of the princes of Kyiv - squad. Already at 9., strengthening the positions of their princes, the combatants firmly occupied leading positions in society.
It was in the 9th century. in Eastern Europe, two ethno-political associations were formed, which eventually became the basis of the state. It was formed as a result of the association of glades with the center in Kyiv.
Slavs, krivichi and Finnish-speaking tribes united in the area of Lake Ilmen (center - in the city of Novgorod). In the middle of the 9th c. Rurik (862-879), a native of Scandinavia, began to rule this association. Therefore, the year 862 is considered the year of formation of the ancient Russian state.
Presence of Scandinavians(Varangians) on the territory of Rus' is confirmed by archaeological excavations and records in the annals. In the 18th century German scientists G.F. Miller and G.Z. Bayer proved the Scandinavian theory of the formation of the ancient Russian state (Rus).
M.V. Lomonosov, denying the Norman (Varangian) origin of statehood, associated the word "Rus" with the Roksolani Sarmatians, the Ros River, flowing in the south.
Lomonosov, relying on "The Tale of the Princes of Vladimir", argued that Rurik, being a native of Prussia, belonged to the Slavs, who were the Prussians. It was this “southern” anti-Norman theory of the formation of the ancient Russian state that was supported and developed in the 19th and 20th centuries. historian scholars.
The first mention of Rus' attested in the "Bavarian Chronograph" and refer to the period 811-821. In it, the Russians are mentioned as a people in the Khazars, inhabiting Eastern Europe. In the 9th century Rus' was perceived as an ethno-political formation on the territory of the glades and northerners.
Rurik, who took control of Novgorod, sent his squad led by Askold and Dir to rule Kiev. Rurik's successor, the Varangian prince Oleg (879-912), who took possession of Smolensk and Lyubech, subjugated all the Krivichi to his power, in 882 he fraudulently lured Askold and Dir out of Kyiv and killed him. Having captured Kyiv, he managed to unite the two most important centers of the Eastern Slavs - Kyiv and Novgorod, by the power of his power. Oleg subjugated the Drevlyans, Northerners and Radimichi.
In 907. Oleg, having gathered a huge army of Slavs and Finns, undertook a campaign against Constantinople (Constantinople), the capital of the Byzantine Empire. The Russian squad devastated the surroundings, forced the Greeks to ask Oleg for peace and pay a huge tribute. The result of this campaign was very beneficial for Rus' peace treaties with Byzantium, concluded in 907 and 911.
Oleg died in 912., and Igor (912-945), the son of Rurik, became his successor. In 941, he attacked Byzantium, which violated the previous agreement. Igor's army plundered the shores of Asia Minor, but was defeated in a naval battle. Then in 945, in alliance with the Pechenegs, he undertook a new campaign against Constantinople and forced the Greeks to conclude a peace treaty again. In 945, while trying to collect a second tribute from the Drevlyans, Igor was killed.
Igor's widow Princess Olga (945-957) rules for the infancy of his son Svyatoslav. She brutally avenged the murder of her husband by devastating the lands of the Drevlyans. Olga streamlined the size and places of tribute collection. In 955 she visited Constantinople and was baptized into Orthodoxy.
Svyatoslav (957-972)- the most courageous and influential of the princes, who subjugated the Vyatichi to his power. In 965, he inflicted a series of heavy defeats on the Khazars. Svyatoslav defeated the North Caucasian tribes, as well as the Volga Bulgarians, and plundered their capital Bulgar. The Byzantine government sought an alliance with him to fight external enemies.
Kyiv and Novgorod became the center of formation of the ancient Russian state, Eastern Slavic tribes, northern and southern, united around them. In the 9th century both of these groups united into a single ancient Russian state, which went down in history as Rus'.
Prerequisites of education Old Russian state began the collapse of tribal ties and the development of a new mode of production. The Old Russian state took shape in the process of development of feudal relations, the emergence of class contradictions and coercion.
Among the Slavs, a dominant layer was gradually formed, the basis of which was the military nobility of the Kyiv princes - the squad. Already in the 9th century, strengthening the positions of their princes, the combatants firmly occupied a leading position in society.
It was in the 9th c. in Eastern Europe, two ethno-political associations were formed, which eventually became the basis of the state. It was formed as a result of the association of glades with the center in Kyiv.
Slavs, Krivichi and Finnish-speaking tribes united in the area of Lake Ilmen (the center is in Novgorod). In the middle of the 9th c. Rurik (862-879), a native of Scandinavia, began to rule this association. Therefore, the year of formation of the Old Russian state is considered to be 862.
The presence of the Scandinavians (Varangians) on the territory of Rus' is confirmed by archaeological excavations and records in the chronicles. In the 18th century German scientists G.F. Miller and G.Z. Bayer argued the Scandinavian theory of the formation of the Old Russian state (Rus).
M.V. Lomonosov, denying the Norman (Varangian) origin of statehood, associated the word "Rus" with the Sarmatians - Roxolans, the river Ros, flowing in the south.
Lomonosov, relying on The Tale of the Princes of Vladimir, argued that Rurik, being a native of Prussia, belonged to the Slavs, who were the Prussians. It was this "southern" anti-Norman theory of the formation of the Old Russian state that was supported and developed in the 19th-20th centuries. historian scholars.
The first mention of Rus' is attested in the "Bavarian Chronograph" and refers to the period 811-821. In it, Russians are mentioned as a people in the composition inhabiting Eastern Europe. In the 9th c. Rus' was perceived as an ethno-political formation on the territory of the glades and northerners.
Rurik, who took control of Novgorod, sent his retinue, led by Askold and Dir, to rule Kiev. Rurik's successor, the Varangian prince Oleg (879-912), who took possession of Smolensk and Lyubech, subjugated all the Krivichi to his power, in 882 fraudulently lured Askold and Dir out of Kyiv and killed them. Having captured Kyiv, he managed to unite the two most important centers - Kyiv and Novgorod by the power of his power. Oleg subjugated the northerners and Radimichi.
In 907, Oleg, having gathered a huge army of Slavs and Finns, undertook a campaign against Tsargrad (Constantinople), the capital of the Byzantine Empire. The Russian squad devastated the surroundings, forced the Greeks to ask Oleg for peace and pay a huge tribute. The result of this campaign was very beneficial for Rus' peace treaties with Byzantium, concluded in 907 and 911.
Oleg died in 912 and was succeeded by Igor (912-945), the son of Rurik. In 941, he made a campaign against Byzantium, which violated the previous agreement. Igor's army plundered the shores of Asia Minor, but was defeated in a naval battle. Then in 945, in alliance with the Pechenegs, Prince Igor undertook a new campaign against Constantinople and forced the Greeks to conclude a peace treaty again. In 945, while trying to collect a second tribute from the Drevlyans, Igor was killed.
Igor's widow - Princess Olga (945-957) - ruled the state for the infancy of her son Svyatoslav. She brutally avenged the murder of her husband by devastating the lands of the Drevlyans. Olga streamlined the size and places of tribute collection. In 955 she visited Constantinople and was baptized into Orthodoxy.
Svyatoslav (957-972) - the bravest and most influential of the princes, who subjugated the Vyatichi to his power. In 965, he inflicted a series of heavy defeats on the Khazars. Svyatoslav defeated the North Caucasian tribes, as well as the Volga Bulgarians, and plundered their capital, the Bulgars. The Byzantine government sought an alliance with him to fight external enemies.
Kyiv and Novgorod became the center of formation of the Old Russian state, East Slavic tribes, northern and southern, united around them. In the 9th c. both of these groups formed the Old Russian state, which went down in history as Rus'.
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