Russian Culture (9th–15th centuries) – Beginner 1

The course traces the history of the Kievan State and the Muscovite State, and their political, economic, social and cultural development from the 9th to the 15th centuries. The topics covered include:

• The origins of the Russian state
• The way of life of the Slavic tribes
• The political, economic and social organisation of Kievan Rus and its relations with the Byzantine Empire
• The Byzantine influence on early works of art and architecture
• The Russian principalities during the feudal fragmentation
• The Mongol invasion and its consequences
• The gathering of lands around Moscow
• The artistic revival in the 14th and early 15th centuries