rewrite

2. Describe Yaroslav’s contributions to Russian political and cultural life that he has received the name “Wise” for (e.g. culture, politics, etc.) Give specific examples (as many as you can) of his contributions to each of the areas that you mentioned. Be concise.

One of the best political movements the Yaroslav did was arranging marriages for his daughters Yelysaveta Yaroslavna, Anna Yaroslavna, and Anastasiia with Kings Harald III of Norway, Henry I of France, and Andrew I of Hungary respectively. His son Iziaslav Yaroslavych married Gertrude, the daughter of Mieszko II of Poland; Vsevolod Yaroslavych, the Byzantine princess Maria. Yaroslav himself married Ingigerd, the daughter of King Olaf Skötkonung of Sweden. These marriages showed that Russia during Yaroslav the Wise was an integral part of Europe when matrimonial alliances with Western Europe (France, Germany) were a common occurrence in Kievan Russia. Moreover, Yaroslav strengthened the international role of Kyivan Rus' through dynastic unions.

9. Why did the Mongol invasion produce a far less devastating effect on Europe than on Russia? (Give 2 reasons).

· The oppositions of the Russians had so weakened the Mongol armies that they used the death of Great Khan Udegei in 1242 as an excuse to withdraw from a campaign to Europe that they no longer had the resources to win. Russia absorbed the main strength of the Mongols and stopped the invasion at the edge of Europe.

· The Mongols were concerned about leaving talented commanders in their rear, e.g. Alexander Nevsky (Alexander of Neva).

10. What were the three major contributions of Alexander Nevsky that made his name secure in the Russian history (he was canonized as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church)?

· Battle of Neva 1240: retained independence of Novgorod from the Swedish aggressors; Russia maintained its access to the bay of Finland - as a result, preserved its trade contacts with the West, facilitated the struggle against the Golden Horde.

· Battle of the Lake Chud 1242: gained independence for one of the best economically developed parts of the country the area of Novgorod and Pskov; showed to the Mongols the potential of Russia was one of the reasons that prompted Batu to withdraw from the Europe back to the east (sparing Europe from devastation).

· Wise policy in relationship with Mongols: saved Novgorod from destruction by the Mongols; helped Novgorod maintain constant contacts with the West; preserved Novgorod as a center for independent art and architecture up until the 16th century.

d) What was the significance of the battle of the lake Chud for the Russian people?

· The battle was a significant defeat sustained by Roman Catholic crusaders during the Northern Crusades, which were directed against pagans and Eastern Orthodox Christians rather than Muslims in the Holy Land. The crusaders' defeat in the battle ended campaigns against the Orthodox Novgorod Republic and other Russian territories for the next century.

· Gained independence for one of the best economically developed areas of Russia, untouched by the Mongols.

· Demonstrated potential of Russia to the Mongols: this victory among other factors induced Batu to stop his advance at the Western Europe and return to the East.

What areas of the Russian life were most affected by the destructive influence of the Mongols? (Name 4-5 areas. Be specific, describing the nature of the Mongol influence).

There were five main areas of the Russian life affected greatly by the destructive influence of the Mongols: role of the cities, population (specifically male), connections with foreign countries, culture, and economy. For the most part, the extermination of population of many cities led to a general decline of the role of cities in the Russian life, decreasing their authority, control and competence. Furthermore, as a result of the severe war, there existed a difficult demographic situation for the next generations, especially male population. In other words, the Mongol occupation of the best Russian lands in the south caused the population, economic activities and political power to shift to the north-east. It’s also true that the invasion cut Russia off from Byzantium and the west, the thing that accentuated the isolation of the country.

In terms of culture and economy, the Mongols have destroyed libraries in Kiev resulting in a decline in the Russian culture in such a way that prevented Russia’s participation in the renaissance (language literacy, Russian language evolution and development of the authentic literary works). Likewise, Mongol taxes laid a heavy burden on the already dislocated Russian economy and retarded development by 200 to 250 years, both economically and culturally.