The expansion of Russian land
- in 1480 Ivan the third, prince of Moscow stopped paying tribute to the Mongol khan, and effectively declares Russia's independence
- An indirect defiance of the Khan was already going on in Moscow for about a century even before Ivan's declaration. They would expand their small city of Moscow through war, marriage, and purchase.
- Ivan begins to expand Moscow at a fast rate, his biggest absorption being Novgorod, a big city of trade
- Ivan begins to recruit peasants and offer them the option to settle in newly conquered lands.
- These peasants were known as Cossacks and took campaigns that expanded the Russian empire. Mostly towards the steppe lands at the south
The expansion of Russia from approximately 1500-1800
The Government and the Third Rome
- Ivan provides the state with a strong central government, drew inspiration from the Byzantine
- Marries Sophia Palaeolugus, last descendant of the Byzantine empire
- Calls himself tsar(czar) based on the name ceasar which the Roman's used to exemplify status
- Ruled not only as head of state, but as head of church(theocracy)
- By early sixteenth century, Moscow is referred to as the third Rome
Analysis of the Expansion
- This declaration from Ivan marks the beginning of independence from Russia
- The addition of Novgorod was the most important addition to Moscow because of it's economic success at being an area of commercial trade
- Cossacks were important to the expansion of Russia. Because they were able to get land from working with the prince, they would set up campaigns to conquer land
- After designing his kingdom after the Byzantine including theocratic rule, Moscow becomes known as the third Rome and becomes the base for Eastern Orthodox Christianity
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