The Birth of the Russian Nation

Its territories covered part of Europe, extending all the way to Central Asia. Its northern territory was covered with ice, while the deserts in the south simmered in the heat of the summer sun. In between were cast areas of forestlands, steppes, and grasslands. The Ural Mountains separated the European part of Russia from the Asiatic part.

Ural Mountains

In the early days, rivers were extensively used as transportation networks. Because of the great distances between regions and the unequal geographic features of this vast land, development was fairly uneven. Agriculture was much more developed in the western part, compared to the rest of the country.

The lack of an adequate transport system has harmpered the development of the country’s domestic and international trade. Because it is basically a landlocked country, there is a need to develop Russia’s limited harbors and seaports to complement its industrialization. The ports found in the Arctic and Baltic seas, for example, are always covered with ice; while those found in the Pacific are too far away from the centers of industry.

Ivan the Great (1462-1505). The birth of the Russian Kingdom is attributed to two Ivans – Ivan the Great and Ivan the Terrible. From his noble origins as a duke in Moscow, Ivan the Great slowly strengthened his kingdom by subjugating smaller tribes. He also stopped paying tribute to the Mongols, who had been occupying Russia since 13th century.

In 1480, the Mongols sent an army to force Ivan to submit to their rule. By this time, however, Moscow was powerful enough to convince the Mongols to back off without a fight. This incident greatly enhanced Ivan’s reputation. It ended more then 200 years of Mongol domination in Russia.

After successfully defusing the Mongolian threat, Ivan turned his attention to the Polish-Lithuanian kingdom. in two successful military campaigns, he was able to enlarge his kingdom further, defeating the Polisgh-Lithuanian forces in the east and the remnants of the Mongolian army in the central and eastern regions.

Ivan the Terrible(1533-1584). Ivan the Terrible started his expansion campaign in the eastern steppes, where he defeated the roving tribes that occupied the area. Moscow has extended its rule to cover Kazan, once a Mongol-controlled city.

The two Ivans had successfully brought the kingdom under one centralized authority. THey adopted the title CZAR, from the name “Caesar”, once the mighty emperor of Rome. They also considered themselves defenders and propagators of the Orthodox version of Christianity, as practiced in Byzantium – because they were much impressed by the magnificent church rituals of this religion.

The Czars exercised absolute authority. Those who resisted were summarily executed. The serfs and peasants bore to brunt of the Czars’ oppressive policies. Ivan the Terrible earned his reputation and name from the feudal lords. However, he rewarded those who readily obeyed his orders.

The tyranny of Ivan the Terrible brought fear and demoralization to many Russians. When he died in 1584, restlessness and discontent had spread over the whole kingdom. Civil war erupted after only a few years.