A Short History of Russia   By: Mary Platt Parmele (1843-1911)

A SHORT HISTORY OF RUSSIA

BY

MARY PLATT PARMELE

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

1907

Copyright, 1899, 1904, 1906,

BY MARY PLATT PARMELE

PREFACE.

If this book seems to have departed from the proper ideal of historic narrative if it is the history of a Power , and not of a People it is because the Russian people have had no history yet. There has been no evolution of a Russian nation, but only of a vast governing system; and the words "Russian Empire" stand for a majestic world power in which the mass of its people have no part. A splendidly embroidered robe of Europeanism is worn over a chaotic, undeveloped mass of semi barbarism. The reasons for this incongruity the natural obstacles with which Russia has had to contend; the strange ethnic problems with which it has had to deal; its triumphant entry into the family of great nations; and the circumstances leading to the disastrous conflict recently concluded, and the changed conditions resulting from it such is the story this book has tried to tell.

M. P. P.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Natural Conditions Greek Colonies on the Black Sea The Scythians Ancient Traces of Slavonic Race

CHAPTER II.

Hunnish Invasion Distribution of Races Slavonic Religion Primitive Political Conceptions

CHAPTER III.

The Scandinavian in Russia Rurik Oleg Igor Olga's Vengeance Olga a Christian Sviatoslaf Russia the Champion of the Greek Empire in Bulgaria Norse Dominance in Heroic Period

CHAPTER IV.

System of Appanages Vladimir the Sinner Becomes Vladimir the Saint Russia Forcibly Christianized Causes Underlying Antagonism Between Greek and Latin Church Russia Joined to the Greek Currents and Separated from the Latin

CHAPTER V.

Principalities Headship of House of Rurik Relation of Grand Prince to the Others Civilizing Influences from Greek Sources Cruelty not Indigenous with the Slavs How and Whence it Came Primitive Social Elements The Drujina End of Heroic Period Andrew Bogoliubski New Political Center at Suzdal

CHAPTER VI.

The Republic of Novgorod Invasion of Baltic Provinces by Germans Livonian and Teutonic Orders Russian Territory Becomes Prussia Mongol Invasion Genghis Khan Cause of Downfall

CHAPTER VII.

The Rule of the Khans Humiliation of Princes Novgorod the Last to Fall Alexander Nevski Russia Under the Yoke

CHAPTER VIII.

Lithuania Its Union with Poland A Conquest of Russia Intended Daniel First Prince of Moscow Moscow Becomes the Ecclesiastical Center Power Gravitates Toward that State Centralization Dmitri Donskoi Golden Horde Crumbling

CHAPTER IX.

Origin of Ottoman Empire Turks in Constantinople Moscow the Spiritual Heir to Byzantium Ivan Married to a Daughter of the Caesars Civilizing Streams Flowing into Moscow Work for Ivan III. And How He Did it Friendly Relations with the Khans Reply to Demand for Tribute in 1478 The Yoke Broken

CHAPTER X.

Vasili the Blind Fall of Pskof Splendor of Courts Ceremonial Nature of Struggle which was Evolving

CHAPTER XI.

Ivan IV. His Childhood Coup d'État Unmasking of Adashef and Silvester A Gentle Youth Developing into a Monster Solicitude for the Souls of his Victims Destruction of Novgorod England Enters Russia by a Side Door Friendship with Elizabeth Acquisition of Siberia The Sobor or States General Summoned Ivan Slays his Son and Heir His Death

CHAPTER XII.

Boris Godunof The Way to Power A Boyar Tsar of Russia Serfdom Created The False Dmitri Mikhail the First Romanoff

CHAPTER XIII.