The Kievan Principality: Geographical Position and Characteristics of Government

The principality of Kiev, whose geographical location we will consider further, lasted from 1132 to 1471. Its territory included lands of glade and drevlyane along the Dnieper River and its tributaries - Pripyat, Teterev, Irpeni and Rosi, as well as part of the left bank.

The Kyiv Principality: geographical location

This territory bordered Polotsk in the north-western part, and from the north-east was Chernigov. Western and south-western neighbors were Poland and Galicia principality. The city, built on the hills, was ideally located militarily. Speaking about the peculiarities of the geographical location of the Kiev principality, it should be mentioned that it was well protected. Not far from it were the towns of Vruchiy (or Ovruch), Belgorod and Vyshgorod - all of them had good fortifications and controlled the territory adjacent to the capital, which provided additional protection from the western and south-western sides. From the southern part it was covered by a system of forts built along the banks of the Dnieper, and a number of well-protected cities on the river Ros.

The Kiev Principality: Characteristics

Under this princedom should be understood public education in ancient Russia, existed from the 12th to 15th century. Kiev was a political and cultural capital. It was formed from the separated territories of the Old Russian state. Already in the middle of the 12th century. The power of princes from Kiev was of great importance only within the borders of the principality itself. All-Russian significance was lost by the city, and rivalry for control and power lasted until the invasion of the Mongols. The throne passed in an incomprehensible order, and many could claim it. And also, to a large extent, the possibility of obtaining power depended on the influence of the powerful boyars of Kiev and the so-called "black hoods."

Social and economic life

The location near the Dnieper played a big role in economic life. In addition to communicating with the Black Sea, he led Kiev to the Baltic, assisted by the Western Dvina and Berezina. The Desna and the Sejm provided communication with the Don and the Oka, and the Western Bug and Pripyat with the Neman and Dniester basins. Here was the so-called "from the Varangians to the Greeks", which was a trade route. Thanks to fertile soils and mild climate, agriculture intensively developed; Livestock and hunting were common, and the inhabitants were engaged in fishing and beekeeping. In these parts the crafts were divided early. "Woodworking" played quite a significant role, as well as pottery and tanneries. Thanks to the presence of iron deposits, it was possible to develop a blacksmith's craft. Many kinds of metals (silver, tin, copper, lead, gold) were delivered from neighboring countries. Thus, all this has affected the early formation of trade and handicraft relations in Kiev and neighboring cities.

Political history

With the loss of the capital of all-Russian significance, the rulers of the strongest principalities begin to send their proteges - "podrushnikov" - to Kiev. The precedent of 1113, when Vladimir Monomakh was invited to bypass the adopted order in succession to the throne, the boyars subsequently used to justify their right to choose a strong and acceptable ruler. The Kiev principality, whose history is characterized by internecine strife, has turned into a battlefield in which cities and villages suffered significant losses, were ruined, and the inhabitants themselves were captured. The time of stability Kiev saw during the reign of Vladimir Monomakh, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich Chernigov, as well as Roman Mstislavovich Volynsky. Other quickly changing princes remained colorless for history. The Kiev princedom strongly affected, the geographical position of which allowed it to defend itself well for a long time, during the Mongol-Tatar invasion in 1240.

Fragility

The Old Russian state originally included tribal principalities. However, the situation has changed. Over time, when the local nobility began to be supplanted by the Rurikovich family, principalities began to be formed, which were ruled by representatives from the younger line. The established order of the succession to the throne always provoked discord. In 1054 Yaroslav the Wise and his sons began to share the principality of Kiev. The fragmentation became an inevitable consequence of these events. The situation worsened after the Lyubechensky Cathedral of the princes in 1091. However, the situation has improved thanks to the policies of Vladimir Monomakh and his son Mstislav the Great, who managed to maintain integrity. They were able to re-establish the Kyiv princedom under the control of the capital, whose geographic location was quite favorable for defense against the enemies, and for the most part only internal strife corrupted the state's position.

With the death of Mstislav in 1132 came political fragmentation. However, despite this, Kiev for several decades kept the status of not only a formal center, but also the most powerful principality. His influence did not disappear completely, but significantly weakened in comparison with the situation at the beginning of the XII century.