Russian Ancient History
short version
Timeline
• Vikings RuleZ (IX-XIII centuries)
– Kicked out of your own country? Not a problem. Establish a new one.
(advices from Rurik)
– How to fend off annoying admirers? (advices by Saint Olga)
– How to become a saint? (advices by Saint Vladimir)
• Tatar-Mongolian Yoke (XIII-XV centuries)
– How to win any medieval war? (advices by Genghis Khan & Batu Khan)
– How to defeat heavy knights with a bunch of peasants?
(recommendations by Saint Alexander Nevsky)
– How the absence of the professional referee caused thousands of dead.
(memoirs of prince Dmitry Donskoy)
– How to win in the stalemate? (advices by tsar Ivan III)
Vikings aka Varangians
Sverige (swe) - > Variagi (rus) -> Varangi (gre) -> Varangian (eng)
Varangians (Vikings) arrival to northern
Russia (862 A.D.)
Rurik (Rørik,
~ 830 – ~879
)
• Probably, the same person as Rørik of Dorestad
who was stripped of his land possessions at 860.
• In 862 Rurik with his Varyagian mercenary force
arrived as to Ladoga town to “settle an internal
dispute”.
• Rurik establish the town of Holmgarðr (Novgorod)
• First the he shared the power with his brothers, after
their death he took full control.
Kievan Rus’ in X century
Oleg (Helgi, ? - 912 or 922)
Kievan Rus’ in X century
Igor (Ingvar, 878-945 )/Sveneld(?)
• Sveneld was most likely the actual ruler as he
used Igor as a puppet king.
• Two raids on Byzantine Empire in 941 and 944.
• Igor was executed by Drevlyans for his greed
(torn apart between two trees).
Olga (Helga, ? - 969)
How to get rid of annoying admirers?
(by St. Olga)
1) Bury those admirers alive…
2) Invite their relatives to a party
and burn them in sauna…
3) Go to the city where they lived,
ask for noble citizen to participate in
the ceremony of giving respect to the
dead… and make them dead.
4) Tell to the scared citizens that
they are forgiven and burn the city.
Do you think it is atrocious?
No way! Look! There is a nimbus there!
Svyatoslav(942-972)/Sveneld(?)
• Raid on Khazarian Kaganate
(965-966)
• Attack on Bulgaria (968) (deal
with Byzantium Empire)
• Attack by Pechenegs on Kiev
(968)
• Khazarian Kaganate is
devastated (968-969)
• War with Byzantium Empire
and Bulgaria (969-972)
Kievan Rus’ in X century
Vladimir I (~960-1015)
How to become a saint? (by St. Vladimir)
1) Kill your brother to seize the power.
2) Sacrifice Christians to the pagan god during
your coronation.
3) Have sex with at least 800 women, including
married and very young.
4) Drink a lot of alcohol.
5) Accept Christianity for the marriage purpose.
6) Make the Christianity a state religion and execute anyone who disagree.
Achievements of Vladimir I
• Christianity as state religion
• First coins
• Become first Tsar (Caesar)
of the whole Rus’
• Become a source of all the
Russian myths and legends
• Instead of collecting tribute
made his people govern the
provinces.
• Successful military
campaigns against all the
neighbors.
Mythical heroes
Mythical foes
Feudal Partition Period
Tataro-Mongolian Yoke (1237-1480)
How to win any medieval war
Temujin aka Genghis Khan
Ultimate solution:
A) All horse archers army
– Spare horses
– Tons of arrows
B) No direct enemy contact until the final blow
Mongolian Khanates
Great Novgorod and German Knight Orders
Battle on the Ice
How to win the battle with militia vs. heavy knights?
(by St. Alexander Nevsky, ~1220-1263)
1) Fight on the ice
2) Pack them hard
3) Let them drown
Grand Prince of Moscow
Dmitri “Donskoy” (1350-1389)
1) Started consolidation of lands around Moscow
2) Won the political struggle for tribute collection
for the Golden Horde against Grand Prince of
Vladimir
3) Had the first success against Mongolians
Battle on the Kulikov field
Peresvet vs. Cheluhbey
Battle on the Kulikov Field
First Tsar of All Rus’ Ivan III
How to win in the stalemate?
1) Stay along the river and wait the enemy
2) Use cannons to prevent building bridges
3) Use primitive firearms to prevent crossing by
swimming
4) Be closer to army suppliers (better logistics)
5) Send the part of the army to burn their capital
while they are busy here
6) Make the enemies of your enemies keep
your enemy allies occupied
7) Be patient
The End (of Tataro-Mongolian Yoke, 1480)