HISTORY OF UKRAINE

To be continued.

At the beginning of the first millennium before new era in the territory modern Ukraine was the first of historical peoples- Cimmerians who belonged to the Thracian (Thracian - in Bulgarian) tribes. The Scythians replaced the Cimmerians in the 7th century BC. We find the first mention of them in the Greek historian Herodotus, who himself sailed on a ship up the Dnieper and traveled along the Black Sea steppes. The Greeks at that time colonized the North Black Sea coast. There were colonies of Tyre (at the mouth of the Dniester, which they called Tiras - modern Tiraspol), Olbia (at the mouth of the Dnieper), Chersonesos (near modern Sevastopol), Theodosia (Feodosia), Ponticapaeum (modern Kerch), Tanais (at the mouth of the Don), Phanagoria and others.
AT ancient sources it is mentioned that the Scythians drove cattle through the then shallow Kerch Strait.
For 4 millennia, the level Sea of ​​Azov did not decrease by more than ten and did not rise by more than one meter, compared with the current situation. AT antique time The Kerch Strait was called the Cimmerian Bosporus, that is, the "bull ford of the Cimmerians." Parts of buildings ancient cities Olbia, Chersonese, Phanagoria and others are currently at the bottom of the sea.
The ancient Greeks called the Sea of ​​Azov "Meotis limine" - "the lake of the Meots", the people who lived on its shores (the Cimmerians only crossed the ford). The Romans gave it the ironic name "Palus Meotis" - "Swamp of the Meotians".
The Cimmerians left the historical arena in the 7th century BC. They lived in a territory whose borders ran along northern shores Black Sea, from the mouth of the Danube - to Chisinau, Kyiv, Kharkov, Novocherkassk, Krasnodar and Novorossiysk. The geographer also wrote about them ancient world Strabo.
Despite the fact that different tribes lived in these places, the Greeks called them all Scythians (sketes). The lands of these tribes stretched from the Danube to the Don. The Scythians were divided into nomads (on the left bank of the Dnieper) and grain growers (on both banks of the Dnieper), who sowed grain for sale. Actually Scythian written sources not preserved, they are available only among the Greeks, Arabs and Romans. The Scythians called themselves Skolots. This name, according to Herodotus, meant "king".
The Scythians worshiped the sky god named Patsay (compare with the surname Russian cosmonaut- Patsaeva). In 630 BC, they went on campaigns to Assyria, Media, to the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates, to Egypt. Egyptian pharaoh Psametykh I bought them off. Then they returned to Mesopotamia, from where they were expelled by King Cyaxares. The Scythians lasted in history for 500 years.

The Eneolithic (Copper Age) and Neolithic period is represented by the Trypillia, Srednestog and a number of other cultures.

The Bronze Age period is characterized by Pit, Catacomb, Srubnaya, Belogrudovskaya culture and a number of other archaeological cultures.

Scythians, an Iranian-speaking people from Central Asia, in the 7th century. BC e. ousted the Cimmerians from the Ukrainian steppes. Around the same period, the Greeks began to establish the first colonies in the Northern Black Sea region. It is believed that the Scythians created the first state on the territory of modern Ukraine. Around 200 BC e. The Scythians are driven out by the Sarmatians. In the 3rd century A.D. e. from the north-west, the Goths moved to the territory of Ukraine, who here create their own kingdom of Oyum - the second state formation on the territory of Ukraine. The Chernyakhiv archaeological culture on the Right Bank and in the Black Sea region, which existed at the turn of the II-III - the turn of the IV-V centuries, is also closely associated with the Gothic era.

In 375, the Goths were defeated by the Huns, who came from the depths of Asia, and moved beyond the Danube, to the Roman Empire, where they eventually created their own kingdoms. The power of the Huns, having suffered several defeats of the Romans and allies, quickly loses its strength and disintegrates.

After the invasion of the Huns, the hegemony over the current territory of Ukraine at the end of the 5th century passes to the Slavic tribes of Antes and Sclavins, represented respectively by the Penkovskaya (also partially Kolochinsky) and Prague-Korchak archaeological cultures. Soon the left-bank part of the territory of Ukraine with Tavria becomes dependent on Khazar Khaganate(Saltovo-Mayakskaya archaeological culture).

The northwestern regions of Ukraine are currently considered the most likely place for the origin of the Slavs.

At the end of the first millennium, the Slavic tribes on the territory of Ukraine included the Polans, Drevlyans, Northerners, Buzhans, Tivertsy, Ulichs, Volynians and others.

The study of issues related to the origin of various peoples of the world can be attributed to the most problematic areas historical research. The main obstacle to revealing hidden facts about the life of the ancients ethnic communities is the lack of writing at the time of their inception. In the case of the Slavic peoples, the situation is also complicated by the vastness of the language group, to which several ethnic groups belong at once. Suffice it to note that the ancient peoples on the territory of Russia in different time formed independent states and commonwealths related to the Altai, Ural, Indo-European and Caucasian language group. However, to date, scientists have identified some actual formations in this direction. historical analysis which are beyond doubt.

Peoples on the territory of Russia in the period of antiquity

The first people of the species Homo sapiens emerged in certain areas Central Asia and the Black Sea region about 30 thousand years ago. At that time, the northern and central parts of the territory were uninhabitable due to glaciers. Therefore, the very first peoples and the most ancient states on the territory of Russia arose in the southern and western regions as the most favorable for life and economy. As the population increases, the development of material production and the formation primitive communal system in Central Asia, Transcaucasia and the Black Sea region, more and more new slave-owning states were formed. At the same time, they developed autonomously and independently of each other. A unifying feature can only be called the raids of the same barbarians. with central and western regions in the European part of the current country, these states did not have contacts at all, since mountain ranges and deserts prevented the establishment of routes.

One of the most notable states of that time can be called Urartu, which existed in Transcaucasia in the 9th century. BC e. It was formed on the shores of Lake Van, whose territory now belongs to Turkey, but by the middle of the 7th century. his possessions extended to the upper reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates. If we talk about the ethnic composition, then the peoples and ancient states on the territory of Russia in the Black Sea and Transcaucasia were mainly represented by Armenian tribes. Urartu reached a significant flourishing in the 8th century. BC e., but by the VI century. because of the invasions of the Scythians, it ceased to exist. Later, the same tribes founded the Armenian kingdom. Around the same period, Abkhazian and Georgian families developed in parallel, which form the Kingdom of Colchis. In the northern part of Transcaucasia, Iberia arises - the Georgian kingdom.

Impact of the Arab conquest

In the history of Central Asia and Transcaucasia VII - VIII centuries. n. e. a significant place is occupied by the Arab conquest, which brought the Islamic faith. At the current Russian territory this process took place in the Caucasus region. In particular, Islam spread among some peoples of the North and East Caucasus and, in particular, Azerbaijanis. However, the Arab conquerors met with rejection among the local population. The same Georgians and Armenians, who had already converted to Christianity, staunchly resisted Islamization. However, in Central Asia, Islam gradually became the dominant religion of the local population. After the collapse of the Arab Caliphate ancient peoples and civilizations on the territory of Russia were forced to confront the Seljuk Turks. In the course of this struggle, other states were formed. For example, under King David the Builder, Georgian lands were united with the formation of the city of Tbilisi. To the north is the Abkhazian kingdom with independent Kakheti, and in the eastern part - Albania and a number of other small states.

Greek colonies in Russia

The Black Sea coast has become one of the most developed areas in the territory modern Russia in the VI - V centuries. BC e. This was largely facilitated by the Greek colonialists, who in the 1st millennium BC. began to explore the southern lands. In the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov and the Black Sea, the Greeks form large colonial policies - such as Tiras, Chersonesos, Panticapaeum, Olbia, Theodosia, Tanais, Phasis, etc. To illustrate the success of these cities, it can be noted that in the 5th century. BC e. Panticapaeum was the central slaveholding power of the Bosporus state. It covered a significant part of the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov, contributing to the development of local agriculture, trade, fishing, cattle breeding and handicrafts. It is important to emphasize that the most ancient peoples and civilizations on the territory of Russia in the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov and the Black Sea region were not fully original. They copied the way of life and culture introduced by the Greeks. But at the same time, the colonies had close cultural and trade relations with the same Caucasian peoples and the steppe tribes of the Scythians. Up to the III century. n. e. Greek tribes were regularly invaded by nomads, and during the great migration of peoples they were completely forced to leave.

The period of the Scythian state

Even further north in relation to the Greek colonies, the Scythian tribes lived, distinguished by a bright and original culture, which also left its mark on the way of life. southern peoples. The first mention of the Scythians dates back to the 5th century. n. e. and belong to Herodotus, who described these tribes as Iranian-speaking. In the first mentions of the geographical location, the mouths of the Lower Bug, Danube and Dnieper are indicated. The same Herodotus divided the Scythians into plowmen and nomads - respectively, in the direction economic activity. The nomads were in the Sea of ​​Azov, the Lower Dnieper and Crimea, and the plowmen mainly occupied the right bank of the Lower Dnieper and lived in dugouts. By the VI - IV centuries. BC e. there was a union of the Scythian tribes, which later formed the basis of a full-fledged state in one of the current districts of Simferopol. This state was called Scythian Naples and according to the device it is characterized as a military democracy. But by the III century. BC e. Scythians begin to push other ancient peoples on the territory of Russia in its modern form. In the regions Northern Black Sea the wars of Alexander the Great appear, and the Sarmatians come from the east. The biggest blow to the Scythians was inflicted by the tribes of the Huns, who later appeared on the Crimean peninsula.

The Great Migration and the Appearance of the Slavs

There were many reasons for the great migration, and for the most part this process fell on the territory modern Europe. Migration began in the 3rd century. n. e., and by the IV century. numerous barbarian tribes Celts and Germans began to fight with neighboring states already in new territories. The forest and steppe barbarians went to seize richer lands in southern regions, which left a mark on the reorganization of the part North Caucasus and the Black Sea. How did this affect the ancient peoples on the territory of Russia? The Great Migration of Peoples can be briefly described as the process of the formation of independent Germanic, Romanesque and Slavic peoples. The Slavs did not play at all during this period key role and figured already at a late stage of resettlement, but it is for the regions that today are part of the borders of Russia that they will have a fateful influence in the future.

The fact is that the migration occurred from two directions. As already noted, the main process took place in the European part - from the north-west, the Germans and Celts moved to conquer the southern lands. From the east, nomads moved from Asia, as a result, they traveled from China to France. There was activity in the southern regions themselves. From the side of Transcaucasia came the ancestors of modern Ossetians - Alans. AT varying degrees these migratory movements formed the most ancient peoples on the territory of Russia. The Eastern Slavs, in turn, joined the general wave of migration by the 4th century. n. e. They joined the stream, which consisted of Turks, Sarmatians, Illyrians and Thracians. For some time they had allied relations with the Huns and Goths, but later these tribes became opponents. Actually, it was the invasions of the Huns that forced the Slavs to settle in the directions of the west and southwest.

Theories of Slavic ethnogenesis

To date, there is no exact idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhow exactly and where the Eastern Slavs originated from. Moreover, the group of this nationality is very extensive and included many separate ethnic groups and families. Nevertheless, scientists have formulated three theories of ethnogenesis. The ancient peoples on the territory of Russia in the context of these areas of research are considered precisely as the origins of the formation of the Russian state.

So, the first theory is autochthonous. According to it, the original place of origin of the Slavs is the Dnieper River. This theory is based on archaeological research. The second theory is migration. She notes that the Eastern Slavs were defined as an independent ethnic group from a common common Slavic branch in the 1st century BC. e. Also, according to the theory of migratory ethnogenesis, during the period of the great migration, the Slavs could move in two directions - from the river basin. Odr to the Vistula, or from the Danube basin to the east. One way or another, in the 1st century BC. e. Slavic ancient peoples already lived on the East European Plain. The origin of the Eastern Slavs on the territory of Russia during this period is confirmed by Tacitus, Herodotus, Ptolemy and some of the Arab sources.

Antes and Slavins

In the VI century. n. e. after the first wave of the settlement of the Slavs, Byzantine writers began to distinguish two peoples - the Antes and the Slavs. Often their mention was in the context of the displacement of another Slavic people - the Wends. At the same time, Gothic sources emphasize that all three nationalities have one root, although branched. Thus, the sklavins are characterized as more western group, Antes - eastern, and Wends - northern. Of course, there were other ethnic groups like Radimichi, Severyans and Vyatichi, but these three are the most prominent ancient peoples on the territory of Russia. The origin and further settlement, according to the sources of the same time, extended from the lower Danube to the Mursian lake. In particular, the Antes occupied the territory from the Dniester to the very mouth of the Dnieper. However, the sources do not mark the boundaries of the distribution of the Slavs in the northern regions. About the same Wends, the Goths write that they occupy endless expanses.

According to the results of modern research in archeology, the antes and sklavins had minor differences, which were mostly related to ritual rites. But at the same time, the cultural influence of the Scythian-Sarmatian tribes on the Ants is noted, as evidenced by the very name of this nation, which is of Iranian origin. But, despite the differences, the Slavic ancient peoples on the territory of Russia often united on the basis of political and military interests. Moreover, there is also a theory according to which Antes, Sclavins and Wends were not called different groups nationalities, but one ethnic group, but differently named neighbors.

Avar invasion

In the middle of the 7th century n. e. the regions of the eastern Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov and the North Caucasus were attacked by the Avars. The latter devastated the lands of the Antes, but as they moved into the country of the Slavs, their relations with Byzantium deteriorated. Nevertheless, in the Avar Khaganate by the second half of the 7th century. n. e. included almost all the most ancient peoples on the territory of Russia. The story of this invasion was later passed down for centuries and was even described in The Tale of Bygone Years. The size of the share of the Slavic people in the Khaganate was so impressive that John of Ephesus in his chronicles identified Ants and Avars.

Archaeological information allows us to draw conclusions about a wide migration wave of the Antes towards Pannonia. For example, the origin of the ethnonym Croats also has Iranian roots. Therefore, we can talk about the dominance of the Antes in the Khaganate over the Sclavins. And already the resettlement of Croats in the Balkan Peninsula and part Western Europe testifies to the directions that the wave of migration of the Ants with the Avars did. In addition, the ethnonym Serbs is of Iranian origin, which makes this ethnic group close to the ancient peoples on the territory of Russia. The Great Migration of Nations did not have such an impact on the distribution of the Slavs in the eastern regions of Europe as the invasion of the Avars. They also left behind a cultural mark, but many scholars especially emphasize the likelihood of a population explosion by this time, which forced the khanate to look for new lands.

Completion of the history of the antes

Ants and other Slavic tribes during the 7th century. n. e. are in unstable hostile and allied relations with the Avar Khaganate and Byzantium. But it is important to emphasize that it was the advance of the Avars that provoked disagreements within the Slavic association. According to sources, the ancient peoples on the territory of modern Russia, formed by the Antes tribe, were eventually exterminated for their alliance with the Romans. This attempt at rallying did not please the Avars, who sent an army to destroy the tribes. However, accurate information there is still no information about the fate of the remaining Ants. Some historians believe that they were completely defeated, while others are of the opinion that the Antes migrated across the Danube.

The same “Tale of Bygone Years” indicates the death of the Grand Duke Kiy and his warriors, after which the Slavic tribes began to fight among themselves, due to which the Khazars established a strong power in the region. It is with this event that a new formation of ancient peoples on the territory of Russia is associated. The origin of the Slavs in the early stages led to the formation of the Antes community, but after its decline, a new period of development of the East Slavic people begins with the next round of settlement.

Development of new territories by the Slavs

In the 8th century the previously fixed position on the Balkan Peninsula is becoming less stable. This is facilitated by the arrival of Byzantium in the region, under the pressure of which the Slavs have to retreat. In Greece, their assimilation is also taking place, which makes the tribes look for new places for development in other directions. At this stage, we can already talk about the complete formation of the basis of the ancient peoples on the territory of Russia. Briefly, they can be described as Slavic families, but as the invasion of new lands, other ethnic groups join the main masses. For example, at the beginning of the 8th c. on the left bank of the Dnieper, the Romny culture is being actively formed. At the same time, in the upper Dnieper region, the Smolensk Slavs form their own layer of traditions and rituals.

A single linguistic and cultural space is created by the Slavs, who occupied the territory from the Danube to the Baltic. This advance eventually allowed the formation of the famous trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks. Archaeological studies show that the ancient peoples on the territory of Russia used this road already in the second half of the 8th century. By the 9th century trade relations are being formed between the Slavs and neighboring states, which allows them to enter the pan-European transport system. No less significant was the migration to the south, which made it possible to reach the countries of Asia Minor. Part of the Slavic tribes was captured by Emperor Justinian II during his campaign in the vicinity of Thessalonica. The Bulgarian tribes acted as defenders in this clash, however, further advances of the Eastern Slavs in this direction were suppressed for a long time.

Vyatichi is a union of East Slavic tribes that lived in the second half of the first millennium AD. e. in the upper and middle reaches of the Oka. The name Vyatichi presumably came from the name of the ancestor of the tribe, Vyatko. However, some associate this name by origin with the morpheme "veins" and Veneds (or Venets / Vents) (the name "Vyatichi" was pronounced as "Ventichi").

In the middle of the 10th century, Svyatoslav annexed the lands of the Vyatichi to Kievan Rus, but until the end of the 11th century, these tribes retained a certain political independence; campaigns against the Vyatichi princes of this time are mentioned.

Since the XII century, the territory of the Vyatichi became part of Chernigov, Rostov-Suzdal and Ryazan principalities. Until the end of the 13th century, the Vyatichi retained many pagan rituals and traditions, in particular, they cremated the dead, erecting small mounds over the burial place. After Christianity took root among the Vyatichi, the rite of cremation gradually went out of use.

Vyatichi retained their tribal name longer than other Slavs. They lived without princes, the social structure was characterized by self-government and democracy. The last time the Vyatichi are mentioned in the annals under such a tribal name was in 1197.

Buzhans (Volynians) - a tribe of Eastern Slavs who lived in the basin of the upper reaches of the Western Bug (from which they got their name); since the end of the 11th century, the Buzhans have been called Volynians (from the locality of Volyn).

Volynians - East Slavic tribe or a tribal union, mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years and in the Bavarian annals. According to the latter, the Volhynians owned seventy fortresses at the end of the 10th century. Some historians believe that the Volhynians and Buzhans are descendants of the Dulebs. Their main cities were Volyn and Vladimir-Volynsky. Archaeological research indicate that the Volynians developed agriculture and numerous crafts, including forging, casting and pottery.

In 981, the Volynians were subordinated to the Kyiv prince Vladimir I and became part of Kievan Rus. Later, the Galicia-Volyn principality was formed on the territory of the Volynians.

Drevlyans - one of the tribes of Russian Slavs, lived along Pripyat, Goryn, Sluch and Teterev.
The name Drevlyane, according to the chronicler, was given to them because they lived in the forests.

From archaeological sites in the country of the Drevlyans, it can be concluded that they had a well-known culture. A well-established burial rite testifies to the existence of certain religious ideas about afterlife: the absence of weapons in the graves testifies to the peaceful nature of the tribe; finds of sickles, shards and vessels, iron products, remnants of fabrics and leather indicate the existence of arable farming, pottery, blacksmithing, weaving and leather crafts among the Drevlyans; many bones of domestic animals and spurs indicate cattle breeding and horse breeding; many items made of silver, bronze, glass and carnelian, of foreign origin, indicate the existence of trade, and the absence of coins suggests that the trade was barter.

The political center of the Drevlyans in the era of their independence was the city of Iskorosten; at a later time, this center, apparently, moved to the city of Vruchiy (Ovruch)

The Dregovichi are an East Slavic tribal union that lived between the Pripyat and the Western Dvina.

Most likely the name comes from old Russian word dregva or dryagva, which means "swamp".

Under the name of Drugovites (Greek δρονγονβίται), the Dregovichi are already known to Konstantin Porfirorodny as a tribe subordinate to Russia. Being aloof from the "Road from the Varangians to the Greeks", the Dregovichi did not play a prominent role in history. Ancient Russia. The chronicle mentions only that the Dregovichi once had their own reign. The capital of the principality was the city of Turov. The subjugation of the Dregovichi to the Kyiv princes probably happened very early. On the territory of the Dregovichi, the principality of Turov was subsequently formed, and the northwestern lands became part of the principality of Polotsk.

Duleby (not duleby) - an alliance of East Slavic tribes on the territory of Western Volhynia in the 6th - early 10th centuries. In the 7th century they were subjected to the Avar invasion (obry). In 907 they took part in Oleg's campaign against Tsargrad. They broke up into tribes of Volhynians and Buzhans, and in the middle of the 10th century they finally lost their independence, becoming part of Kievan Rus.

Krivichi - a large East Slavic tribe (tribal union), which occupied the upper reaches of the Volga, Dnieper and Western Dvina in the 6th-10th centuries, southern part basin Lake Peipus and part of the Neman basin. Sometimes the Ilmen Slavs are also classified as Krivichi.

The Krivichi were probably the first Slavic tribe to move from the Carpathians to the northeast. Limited in their distribution to the northwest and west, where they met stable Lithuanian and Finnish tribes, the Krivichi spread to the northeast, assimilating with the living Tamfins.

Having settled on the great waterway from Scandinavia to Byzantium (the path from the Varangians to the Greeks), the Krivichi took part in trade with Greece; Konstantin Porphyrogenitus says that the Krivichi make boats on which the Rus go to Tsargrad. They participated in the campaigns of Oleg and Igor against the Greeks as a tribe subordinate to the Kyiv prince; Oleg's contract mentions their city of Polotsk.

Already in the era of the formation of the Russian state, the Krivichi had political centers: Izborsk, Polotsk and Smolensk.

It is believed that the last tribal prince of the Krivichi Rogvolod, together with his sons, was killed in 980 by the Novgorod prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich. In the Ipatiev list, the Krivichi are mentioned for the last time under 1128, and the Polotsk princes are called Krivichi under 1140 and 1162. After that, the Krivichi are no longer mentioned in the East Slavic annals. However, the tribal name Krivichi was used for quite a long time in foreign sources (up to late XVII century). AT Latvian the word krievs came in to designate Russians in general, and the word Krievija to designate Russia.

The southwestern, Polotsk branch of the Krivichi is also called Polotsk. Together with the Dregovichi, Radimichi and some Baltic tribes, this branch of the Krivichi formed the basis of the Belarusian ethnic group.
The northeastern branch of the Krivichi, settled mainly on the territory of modern Tver, Yaroslavl and Kostroma region, was in close contact with the Finno-Ugric tribes.
The boundary between the territory of settlement of the Krivichi and Novgorod Slovenes is determined archaeologically by the types of burials: long barrows near the Krivichi and hills among the Slovenes.

The Polochans are an East Slavic tribe that inhabited the lands in the middle reaches of the Western Dvina in today's Belarus in the 9th century.

Polochans are mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years, which explains their name as living near the Polota River, one of the tributaries of the Western Dvina. In addition, the chronicle claims that the Krivichi were descendants of the Polotsk people. The lands of the Polochans stretched from the Svisloch along the Berezina to the lands of the Dregovichi. The Polochans were one of the tribes from which the Polotsk principality was later formed. They are one of the founders of the modern Belarusian people.

Glade (poly) - the name of the Slavic tribe, in the era of the settlement of the Eastern Slavs, who settled along the middle course of the Dnieper, on its right bank.

Judging by the chronicles and the latest archaeological research, the territory of the land of the glades before the Christian era was limited to the course of the Dnieper, Ros and Irpin; in the north-east it was adjacent to the derevskaya land, in the west - to the southern settlements of the Dregovichi, in the south-west - to the Tivertsy, in the south - to the streets.

Calling the Slavs who settled here glades, the chronicler adds: “outside in the gray field.” The glades differed sharply from the neighboring Slavic tribes both in moral properties and in the forms of social life: and to sisters and to their mothers .... marriage customs having a husband.

History catches the meadows already at a rather late stage political development: the social system is composed of two elements - communal and princely retinue, and the first in strong degree suppressed by the latter. With the usual and ancient occupations of the Slavs - hunting, fishing and beekeeping - cattle breeding, agriculture, "woodworking" and trade were widespread among the glades more than other Slavs. The latter was quite extensive not only with Slavic neighbors, but also with foreigners in the West and East: the coin treasures show that trade with the East began as early as the 8th century - it stopped during the strife of the specific princes.

At first, about the middle of the 8th century, the glades, who paid tribute to the Khazars, due to their cultural and economic superiority, from a defensive position in relation to their neighbors, soon turned into an offensive one; Drevlyans, Dregovichi, northerners and others by the end of the 9th century were already subject to the glades. They also adopted Christianity earlier than others. Kiev was the center of the Polyana (“Polish”) land; her others settlements- Vyshgorod, Belgorod on the Irpen River (now the village of Belogorodka), Zvenigorod, Trepol (now the village of Trypillya), Vasilev (now Vasilkov) and others.

Zemlyapolyan with the city of Kyiv became the center of the possessions of the Rurikovichs from 882. The last time in the annals the name of the glades was mentioned in 944, on the occasion of Igor's campaign against the Greeks, and was replaced, probably already at the end of the Χ century, by the name Rus (Ros) and Kiyane. The chronicler also calls the Glades the Slavic tribe on the Vistula, mentioned for the last time in the Ipatiev Chronicle under 1208.

Radimichi - the name of the population that was part of the union of East Slavic tribes that lived in the interfluve of the upper reaches of the Dnieper and the Desna.
About 885 radimichi became part of Old Russian state, and in the XII century they mastered most of Chernigov and the southern part of Smolensk lands. The name comes from the name of the ancestor of the Radima tribe.

Northerners (more correctly, the North) are a tribe or tribal union of Eastern Slavs who inhabited the territories east of the middle reaches of the Dnieper, along the Desna and Seimi Sula rivers.

The origin of the name of the north is not fully understood. Most authors associate it with the name of the Savir tribe, which was part of the Hunnic association. According to another version, the name goes back to the obsolete Old Slavic word meaning "relative". The explanation from the Slavic siver, north, despite the similarity of sound, is considered extremely controversial, since the north has never been the most northerly of the Slavic tribes.

Slovenes (Ilmen Slavs) are an East Slavic tribe that lived in the second half of the first millennium in the basin of Lake Ilmen and the upper reaches of the Mologa and made up the bulk of the population of Novgorod land.

The Tivertsy are an Eastern Slavic tribe that lived between the Dniester and the Danube near the Black Sea coast. They are first mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years along with other East Slavic tribes of the 9th century. The main occupation of the Tivertsy was agriculture. The Tivertsy took part in the campaigns of Oleg against Tsargrad in 907 and Igor in 944. In the middle of the 10th century, the lands of the Tivertsy became part of Kievan Rus.
The descendants of the Tivertese became part of Ukrainian people, and their western part underwent Romanization.

The Ulichs are an East Slavic tribe that inhabited the lands along the lower reaches of the Dnieper, the Southern Bug and the Black Sea coast during the 8th-10th centuries.
The capital of the streets was the city of Pereseken. In the first half of the 10th century, the streets fought for independence from Kievan Rus, but nevertheless they were forced to recognize its supremacy and become part of it. Later, the streets and neighboring Tivertsy were driven north by the arriving Pecheneg nomads, where they merged with the Volhynians. The last mention of the streets dates back to the annals of the 970s.

Croats are an Eastern Slavic tribe that lived in the vicinity of the city of Przemysl on the San River. They called themselves white Croats, in contrast to the tribe of the same name with them, who lived in the Balkans. The name of the tribe is derived from the ancient Iranian word "shepherd, guardian of cattle", which may indicate its main occupation - cattle breeding.

Bodrichi (encouraged, rarogs) - Polabian Slavs (lower reaches of the Elbe) in the VIII-XII centuries. - the union of the Wagrs, Polabs, Glinyakov, Smolensk. Rarog (among the Danes Rerik) - main city peppy. Mecklenburg in East Germany.
According to one version, Rurik is a Slav from the Bodrich tribe, the grandson of Gostomysl, the son of his daughter Umila and the Bodrich prince Godoslav (Godlav).

The Vistulas are a West Slavic tribe that has lived in Lesser Poland since at least the 7th century. In the 9th century, the Vistulas formed a tribal state with centers in Krakow, Sandomierz and Straduv. At the end of the century, they were subjugated by the king of Great Moravia Svyatopolk I and were forced to be baptized. In the 10th century, the lands of the Vistulas were conquered by the Polans and incorporated into Poland.

Zlichane (Czech Zličane, Polish Zliczanie) is one of the ancient Czech tribes. They inhabited the territory adjacent to the modern city of Kourzhim (Czech Republic). East and South Bohemia and the region of the Duleb tribe. The main city of the principality was Libice. The princes of Libice Slavniki competed with Prague in the struggle for the unification of the Czech Republic. In 995, the Zlichans were subjugated by the Přemyslids.

Lusatians, Lusatian Serbs, Sorbs (German Sorben), Wends - the indigenous Slavic population living in the territory of Lower and Upper Lusatia - areas that are part of modern Germany. The first settlements of the Lusatian Serbs in these places were recorded in the 6th century AD. e.

The Lusatian language is divided into Upper Lusatian and Lower Lusatian.

The dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron gives a definition: "Sorbs are the name of the Wends and, in general, the Polabian Slavs." Slavic people inhabiting a number of areas in Germany, in federal states Brandenburg and Saxony.

Lusatian Serbs are one of four officially recognized national minorities Germany (along with gypsies, Frisians and Danes). It is believed that about 60,000 German citizens now have Lusatian Serb roots, of which 20,000 live in Lower Lusatia (Brandenburg) and 40,000 in Upper Lusatia (Saxony).

Lyutichi (Wiltzes, Velets) - an alliance of West Slavic tribes that lived in early middle ages on the territory of the current East Germany. The center of the union of the Lyutichs was the sanctuary "Radogost", in which the god Svarozhich was revered. All decisions were made at a large tribal meeting, and central authority was absent.

The Lyutichi led the Slavic uprising of 983 against the German colonization of lands east of the Elbe, as a result of which colonization was suspended for almost two hundred years. Even before that, they were ardent opponents German king Otto I. About his heir, Henry II, it is known that he did not try to enslave them, but rather lured them with money and gifts to his side in the fight against Poland Boleslav the Brave.

Military and political successes strengthened the adherence to paganism and pagan customs in the Lutiches, which also applied to related Bodrichs. However, in the 1050s, civil war broke out among the Lutici and changed their situation. The union quickly lost power and influence, and after the central sanctuary was destroyed by the Saxon duke Lothar in 1125, the union finally broke up. Over the following decades, the Saxon dukes gradually expanded their holdings to the east and conquered the lands of the Luticians.

Pomeranians, Pomeranians - West Slavic tribes that lived from the 6th century in the lower reaches of the Odryn coast of the Baltic Sea. It remains unclear whether there was a residual Germanic population prior to their arrival, which they assimilated. In 900, the border of the Pomeranian area passed along the Odra in the west, the Vistula in the east and the Notech in the south. Gave a name historical area Pomerania.

In the 10th century, the Polish prince Mieszko I included the lands of the Pomeranians into the Polish state. In the 11th century, the Pomeranians revolted and regained their independence from Poland. During this period, their territory expanded westward from the Odra into the lands of the Luticians. At the initiative of Prince Vartislav I, the Pomeranians adopted Christianity.

From the 1180s, German influence began to grow and German settlers began to arrive on the lands of the Pomeranians. Because of the devastating wars with the Danes, the Pomeranian feudal lords welcomed the settlement of the devastated lands by the Germans. Over time, the process of Germanization of the Pomeranian population began.

The remains of the ancient Pomeranians who escaped assimilation today are the Kashubians, numbering 300 thousand people.

Slavic tribes on the territory of Russia in the X century.

The end of Igor's war with Byzantium and the exchange of peaceful embassies favored the fact that in Byzantine sources the first accurate data about the Slavic tribes and cities appeared. In the Notes of Constantine Porphyrogenitus, information about Russia was recorded from the words of the Byzantines who traveled with an embassy to Kyiv, or the ambassadors of the Rus, who arrived in Constantinople in 944 to conclude a peace treaty. The emperor's work describes in most detail the journey through the Dnieper rapids, which was associated with mortal risk. The Notes reproduced the Scandinavian (Russian) and Slavic names of most of the rapids. According to linguists, Slavic names thresholds were subjected to less distortion in the Byzantine record than the Scandinavian ones. This indicated that the compilers of the Notes used Slavic sources of information. The knowledge of the person who provided the imperial officials with information about Russia was limited mainly to the Kyiv district. Of the seven Slavic cities named in the Notes, four were located in Southern Russia. Their names (Kyova, Chernigoga, Vusegrad and Vyatichov) are rendered more accurately, while the names of the two cities are not Kyiv district distorted beyond recognition (Meliniski and Teliuci). The last name is not decipherable at all. Among the Slavic tribes are named Kriviteins (Krivichi), Lendzanins (Lendzyans) and Derevlenins (Verviaans, Drevlyans). The author of the Notes received more detailed information about these tribes and therefore mentions them twice. In addition to them, the northerners (severii), druguvits (dregovichi) and ultins (street) are named. The names of the tribes of Slovenes, Polochans, Vitichs, Volhynians, Tivertsy, who lived far from Kyiv, do not appear in the Notes. The compilers of the Notes showed great awareness of Kyiv and the Kyiv region. However, in the Byzantine list of Slavic tribes there are no meadows that lived in Kyiv itself. At the same time, the authors of the Notes narrate about certain Lendzyans who are absent from The Tale of Bygone Years. There is an assumption about the identity of these tribes. As established in the literature, the word "Ledzyane" reproduces the self-name of the Poles (lendjane; Russian Lyadsky, Poles). The word "meadow" has the same meaning. The name of the glades of the Greater Poland lands and the glades from the Kyiv district coincide. Noteworthy is the order in which the tribes are listed in the Notes of Constantine Porphyrogenitus. The Lendzyans are mentioned in one case next to the Krivichs, and in the other - next to the streets and Drevlyans. If the neighbors of the Lendzians were the Krivichi (on the one hand), the Drevlyans and the Ulichi (on the other), this means that they lived in precisely those places that, according to the annals, were occupied by the glade and the Radimichi. This is small tribe also remained unknown to Constantine Porphyrogenitus, like the tribe of the glades. It can be assumed that the small tribes of the Polyans and Radimichi were fragments of a large tribe that remained united in the middle of the 10th century, but disintegrated in the 11th-12th centuries. This fact was reflected in the reminiscences of the common ancestors and common origin tribes recorded by the chronicler. "Radimichi bo and Vyatichi," Nestor argued, "from the Poles: byasta bo 2 brothers in Lyasekh - Radim and the other Vyatko, and the gray-haired Radim came to Syezha, and was nicknamed Radimichi, and Vyatko was gray-haired with his family on Ots, from him he was nicknamed Vyatichi". Radom was one of the oldest cities in Poland. The words "Radim" and "Radimichi" correlate with this toponym.

The inhabitants of Kyiv considered themselves glades, which determined the attitude of the chroniclers to this tribe: "Men are wise in terms of meaning, I have become a clearing, from them there is a clearing in Kyiv to this day." Wise meadows had the custom of "meek and quiet", relatives "great shame imeh" had a "marriage custom". On the contrary, Radimichi, Vyatichi and their neighbors "live in the forest, like any other animal, eating everything unclean and shameful before the fathers ...". The obvious partiality of judgment put Nestor in a difficult position. If he admitted that the clearings have common ancestors with Radimichi and Vyatichi, then arguments about the special wisdom and virtues of the glades would lose their foundation. It becomes clear why the chronicler decided to pass over in silence the question of the origin of the glades, although the problem of the origin of this tribe and its first prince Kyi was one of the most topical. The Poles, wrote Nestor, settled on the Vistula, and "from those Poles they called themselves a clearing"; "the same is true of the Slovenes who came and gray-haired along the Dnieper and swung across the clearing, and the friends of the Drevlyans, gray-haired in the forests"; "to glades who lived in the mountains," etc. Explaining that the Drevlyans got their name because they lived in the forest, the chronicler left the reader in complete ignorance of why the future people of Kiev, having settled "on the mountains," began to be called "glades." Having named on one page the Polish glades and the Kyiv glades, the learned scribe did not explain what relations these tribes had with each other. Meanwhile, the name of the Wielkopolska Plyakhs-Polyany strictly correlated with the name of the Kyiv Lendzyan-Polyakhs-Polyany. The name Kiowa (Arabic Kuyavia) is close to the toponym Kuyavia in Poland. In the agreement of the Kyiv prince Igor in 944, one of the senior Kyiv "archons" (kings) bore the name Volodislav, characteristic of the Polans.

The researchers expressed surprise that the tiny tribe of Polyans played such prominent role in the history of Russia. In fact, a small tribe could hardly survive, much less subdue the much more powerful tribes that surrounded it and occupied it. huge territories. According to Nestor, the glades were "offended" by their closest neighbors - the Drevlyans, a tribe by no means large. Notes of Constantine Porphyrogenitus explain the matter. Until the middle of the X century. Polyan, Radimichi, and, probably, Vyatichi retained belonging to a single tribe of Lendzyan, which was not inferior in number and power to the union of Krivichi or Ilmen Slovenes. The Norman conquest hastened the disintegration of this tribe. The Lendzyans who lived in the Dnieper region submitted to the Rus, while the Vyatichi remained under the rule of the Khazars for a long time. The old tribal ties were destroyed on Slavic lands, which were mastered by the Normans in the first place. These lands were also the first to undergo Christianization.

Konstantin Porphyrogenitus described in detail the polyudie of the Rus. In this description, there are no clearings and radimichi. The Rus did not go to the Lendzyans (Polyany, Radimichi) in polyudie for the reason that the Lendzyans' lands in the Dnieper region became their habitat, while the Vyatichi still remained tributaries of the Khazars.

Nestor was an educated monk, a talented and conscientious writer. His description of the life and customs of the ancient Slavs was by no means fiction. The chronicler only followed the impressions of contemporary life. By the beginning of the XII century. Kyiv glade not only received baptism, but also imbued with the Christian spirit, while their former tribesmen Radimichi and Vyatichi still remained pagans. In the middle of the X century. the Lendzyans throughout the entire territory from Kyiv to the lands of the Radimichi beyond the Dnieper and the Vyatichi on the Oka remained pagans. Only after the adoption of Christianity did the differences between the capital and the periphery come out.

The legend about the Polish origin of the glades was known to Nestor. But the malice of the day dominated him - friction between the Christian capital and the pagan outskirts, disputes over whose volost - Kyiv or Novgorod - was ancient, "who started in Kyiv before the prince"and so on. Answering all these questions, the Kyiv chronicles outlined the legend of Kiev. The chronicle story about the three brothers, the founders of Kyiv, apparently, was based on folk story. Three brothers Kyi, Shchek and Khoriv sailed and sat on three mountains (Kievskaya Gora, Shchekovitsa and Horivitsa), while their sister Lybid sat under the mountain on the Lybid River. The legend about the brothers - the founders of the city or state can be found in folklore sources many countries. The Kyiv chroniclers did not fail to report on the origin of Rurik, Radim, Vyatko, etc., and kept silent about the origin of the ancestor of all Kyivans - the first Kyiv prince. This greatly reduces the historical value of the legend of Kiya.

The name Vyatichi, in all likelihood, comes from the Proto-Slavic vęt- “big”, like the names “Venedi” and “Vandals”. According to The Tale of Bygone Years, the Vyatichi descended "from the kind of Poles", that is, from the Western Slavs. The resettlement of the Vyatichi went from the territory of the Dnieper left bank and even from the upper reaches of the Dniester.

In the Oka River basin, they founded their own "state" - Vantit, which is mentioned in the works of the Arab historian Gardizi.

The Vyatichi were extremely freedom-loving people: the Kyiv princes had to capture them at least four times.

The last time the Vyatichi as a separate tribe was mentioned in the annals was in 1197, but the legacy of the Vyatichi can be traced back to the 17th century. Many historians consider the Vyatichi the ancestors of modern Muscovites.

It is known that the Vyatichi tribes adhered to the pagan faith for a very long time. The chronicler Nestor mentions that this union of tribes had polygamy in the order of things. In the 12th century, the Vyatichi Christian missionary Kuksha Pechersky was killed, and only by the 15th century did the Vyatichi tribes finally accept Orthodoxy.

Krivichi

For the first time, the Krivichi were mentioned in the annals in 856, although archaeological finds testify to the emergence of the Krivichi as a separate tribe as early as the 6th century. The Krivichi were one of the largest East Slavic tribes and lived on the territory of modern Belarus, as well as in the regions of the Dvina and Dnieper regions. The main cities of the Krivichi were Smolensk, Polotsk and Izborsk.

Name tribal union comes from the name of the pagan high priest krive-krivaitis. Krive meant "curved", which in equally could indicate the advanced years of the priest, and his ritual staff.

According to the legends, when the high priest could no longer perform his duties, he committed self-immolation. The main task of krive-krivaitis were sacrifices. Usually goats were sacrificed, but sometimes the animal could be replaced by a man.

The last tribal prince of the Krivichi Rogvolod was killed in 980 by the Novgorod prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, who married his daughter. In the annals, the Krivichi are mentioned until 1162. Subsequently, they mixed with other tribes and became the ancestors of modern Lithuanians, Russians and Belarusians.

Glade

The glades lived along the Dnieper and had nothing to do with Poland. It is the meadows that are the founders of Kyiv and the main ancestors of modern Ukrainians.

According to legend, three brothers Kyi, Shchek and Khoriv with their sister Lybid lived in the Polyan tribe. The brothers built a city on the banks of the Dnieper and named it Kyiv, in honor of their elder brother. These brothers laid the foundation for the first princely family. When the Khazars imposed tribute on the fields, they paid them the first with double-edged swords.

The legend can explain to us the origin of the meadows. It is known that the Slavs, who lived in the wooded and swampy regions from the Vistula to the Carpathians, “like spores” settled throughout Europe. Cheek could become the personification of the Czechs, Khoriv - the Croats, and Kiy - the people of Kiev, that is, glades.

Initially, the meadows were in a losing position, from all sides they were squeezed by more numerous and powerful neighbors, and the Khazars forced the glades to pay tribute to them. But by the middle of the 8th century, thanks to the economic and cultural upsurge, the meadows moved from waiting to offensive tactics. Having seized many of the lands of their neighbors, in 882 the meadows themselves were under attack. Prince of Novgorod Oleg seized their lands, and declared Kyiv the capital of his new state.

The glade was last mentioned in chronicles in 944 in connection with Prince Igor's campaign against Byzantium.

White Croats

Little is known about white Croats. They came from the upper reaches of the Vistula River and settled on the Danube and along the Morava River. It is believed that Great (White) Croatia, which was located on the spurs of the Carpathian Mountains, was their homeland. From here, Europe was settled by red, black and white Croats. The first went south, the second went west, and the third went east. The struggle against the Avars, Germans and other Slavs made everyone look for their own way.

According to The Tale of Bygone Years, White Croats participated in Oleg's campaign against Constantinople in 907. But the chronicles also testify that Prince Vladimir in 992 "went against the Croats." So the free tribe became part of Kievan Rus.

It is believed that the White Croats are the ancestors of the Carpathian Rusyns.

Drevlyans

The Drevlyans have a bad reputation. The princes of Kyiv twice imposed tribute on the Drevlyans for raising an uprising. The Drevlyans did not abuse mercy. Prince Igor, who decided to collect a second tribute from the tribe, was tied up and torn in two.

Prince Mal of the Drevlyans immediately wooed Princess Olga, who had just become a widow. She brutally dealt with his two embassies, and during the feast for her husband, she massacred the Drevlyans.

The princess finally subjugated the tribe in 946, when she burned their capital Iskorosten with the help of birds that lived in the city. These events went down in history as "Olga's four revenges on the Drevlyans."

The Drevlyans could be descendants of the legendary Dulebs - the tribe from which all other Slavic tribes originated. And the word "ancient" is the key here. Interestingly, along with the glades, the Drevlyans are the distant ancestors of modern Ukrainians.

Dregovichi

The name Dregovichi comes from the Baltic root "dreguva" - a swamp. Dregovichi - one of the most mysterious alliances of Slavic tribes. Almost nothing is known about them. At a time when the princes of Kyiv were burning neighboring tribes, the Dregovichi "entered" into Russia without resistance.

Apparently, the Dregovichi were a very old tribe. On the island of Peloponnese in Greece, there lived a tribe with the same name, and it is quite possible that in ancient times it was one tribe. Dregovichi settled in the 9th-12th centuries on the territory of modern Belarus, it is believed that they are the ancestors of Ukrainians and Poleshchuks.

Before becoming part of Russia, they had their own reign. The capital of the Dregovichi was the city of Turov. Not far from there was the city of Khil, which was an important ritual center where sacrifices were made to pagan gods.

Radimichi

The ancestors of the Radimichi were not Slavs, but their closest relatives - the Balts. Their tribes came from the west, driven out by the Goths back in the 3rd century, and settled in the interfluve of the upper Dnieper and Desna along the Sozh and its tributaries.

By the 8th-9th centuries, Slavic tribes were already coming from the west, which merge with them. Perhaps the chronicles are right: these few "colonists" came "from the Poles", that is, from the upper reaches of the Vistula, from where many Slavic tribes settled.

Until the 10th century, the Radimichi retained their independence, were ruled by tribal leaders and had their own army. Unlike most of their neighbors, the Radimichi never lived in dugouts - they built huts with chicken stoves.

In 885 Kyiv prince Oleg asserted his power over them and obliged the Radimichi to pay tribute to him, which they had previously paid to the Khazars. In 907, the Radimichi army participated in Oleg's campaign against Tsargrad. Soon after this, the union of tribes was freed from the power of the Kyiv princes, but already in 984 new campaign on radimichi. Their army was defeated, and the lands were finally annexed to Kievan Rus. The last time radimichi are mentioned in the annals in 1164, but their blood still flows in modern Belarusians

Slovenia

Slovenes (or Ilmen Slovenes) are the northernmost East Slavic tribe. Slovenes lived in the basin of Lake Ilmen and the upper reaches of the Mologa. The first mention of Slovenes can be attributed to the VIII century.

Slovene can be called an example of vigorous economic and state development.

In the 8th century, they captured settlements in Ladoga, then established trade relations with Prussia, Pomerania, the islands of Rügen and Gotland, as well as with Arab merchants. After a series of civil strife, in the 9th century, the Slovenes called on the Varangians to reign. Veliky Novgorod becomes the capital. After that, Slovenes begin to be called Novgorodians, their descendants still live in the Novgorod region.

northerners

Despite the name, the northerners lived much further south than the Slovenes. The northerners inhabited the basins of the Desna, Seim, Seversky Donets and Sula rivers. The origin of the self-name is still unknown, some historians suggest Scythian-Sarmatian roots for the word, which can be translated as "black".

The northerners were different from other Slavs, they had thin bones and a narrow skull. Many anthropologists believe that northerners belong to the branch mediterranean race- Pontic.

The tribal union of the northerners existed until the visit of Prince Oleg. Previously, the northerners paid tribute to the Khazars, but now they began to pay to Kyiv. In just one century, the northerners mixed with other tribes and ceased to exist.

Uchi

The streets lived on the lands of the legendary Antes. They were called by many names - "uglichi", "improve", "ultsy" and "lutichi". Initially, they inhabited the "corner" between the mouth of the Dnieper and the Bug, due to which, perhaps, they received one of the names. Later, the nomads drove them out, and the tribes had to move in a western direction. The main "capital" city of the streets was Pereseken, located in the steppe zone.

With the coming to power of Oleg, the streets began the struggle for independence. Sveneld, the governor of the Kyiv prince, had to conquer the lands of the convicted piece by piece - the tribes fought for every village and settlement. Sveneld besieged the capital for three years, until the city finally surrendered.

Even taxed, the streets tried to restore own lands after the war, but soon a new trouble came - the Pechenegs. The streets were forced to flee to the north, where they mingled with the Volhynians. In the 970s, the streets are mentioned in chronicles for the last time.

Volynians

Volynians lived at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th centuries in the basin of the upper reaches of the Western Bug and near the sources of the Pripyat. Archaeologists note that the Volhynians were mainly engaged in agriculture and crafts, but it is known that the tribes owned more than 70 fortresses.

Volynians participated in Oleg's campaign against Tsargrad in 907, however, as translators. Unlike many other tribes captured by this time by the prince of Kyiv, the Volhynians did it voluntarily.

Volynyan was captured only in 981, when the Kyiv prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich subjugated the Przemysl and Cherven lands.