European Russia, <span class='italic'>c.</span> 500–<span class='italic'>c.</span> 1050

doi:10.1017/CHOL9780521364478.020

19 - European Russia, c. 500–c. 1050

from PART III - NON-CAROLINGIAN EUROPE

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 March 2008

Thomas Noonan

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Timothy Reuter

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Timothy Reuter: Affiliation:
University of Southampton

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Summary

introduction

Histories of European Russia during the early medieval era normally focus upon the origins and development of the Rus′ state centred at Kiev. This approach is, however, much too parochial. Politically, it ignores the Byzantine Crimea, the Khazar khaganate, and the Volga Bulgar amirate, the non-Rus′ states which existed in European Russia after 500 ad. Socially, it omits the vast majority of the population who did not belong to the ruling elites of these states. In order to reflect these new historical perspectives, this chapter will focus on two major themes: the peoples who inhabited European Russia and the states which sought to govern these peoples.

First, however, a few comments about terminology are necessary. There are no universally accepted terms in English for what is referred to here as European Russia. Most Soviet scholars used the phrase eastern Europe (Vostochnaia Evropa), which is fine except that many in the west consider Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and the Balkans as eastern Europe. On the other hand, Ukrainians and other non-Russians object to being classified as part of Russia, even if only for geographical purposes. With apologies to the non-Russians, European Russia has been adopted because it best describes in English the region being examined here. Great controversy also surrounds the use of the word Russian to describe the eastern Slavs and their state in the pre-Mongol era. Ukrainian scholars in particular have insisted that Rus′ is a far better term, especially since it was the word most used by the medieval east Slavic sources to denote themselves and their state. Since this argument has much merit, the term Rus′ will be employed here.

Keywords

Byzantine Crimea early medieval European Russia Khazar khaganate medieval peoples Turkic-speaking nomads Rus' state Volga Bulgar amirate south Russian steppe northern Black Sea littoral

Type: Chapter
Information: The New Cambridge Medieval History , pp. 485 - 513

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521364478.020 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2000

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19 - European Russia, c. 500–c. 1050

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