Summary
This history of Russia argues that the country’s vast plains are geographically destined for political unity, with the mountain girdle between the Carpathians, Urals, Caucasus, and Finland forming the framework of a single empire. The book traces how this framework was filled in from the earliest Slavic settlements through the Mongol yoke, the rise of Muscovite Russia, and the reign of Peter the Great. Key episodes include the Varangian formation of Russia under Rurik, the conversion under Saint Vladimir, the splendor of Kief under Iaroslaf the Great, the Tatar Mongol enslavement after the battles of Kalka and the Sit, and the Lithuanian conquest of western Russia. The reader learns how geography, foreign invasions, and princely struggles shaped Russia’s development, culminating in the unification under Ivan the Great and the westernizing reforms of Peter the Great.
Key concepts
- Varangians — Northmen from Scandinavia who formed the early Russian state under Rurik, Oleg, and Igor, and led expeditions against Constantinople.
- The Mongol yoke — The period of Tatar Mongol domination over Russia following the conquests of the 13th century, which influenced Russian development.
- The Russian republics — The city-states of Novgorod, Pskof, and Viatka, which operated with distinct institutions and commerce until 1224.
- The four zones — The geographical division of Russia into distinct climatic and economic regions, which shaped its historical development.
- The mir or commune — The domestic and political unit of primitive Slavic society, representing the family-based communal organization.
- The grand princes of Moscow — The rulers who organized eastern Russia from 1303 to 1462, leading to the unification under Ivan the Great.
From the book
Alfred Nicolas Rambaud 9667 History of Russia 1898 Leonora Blanche Lang Preface edit This translation of M. Alfred Rambaud's “Histoire de la Russie” (Paris, 1878) contains a number of emendations by the Author. M. Rambaud has also written many additional pages: on Russian ethnography; on the Esthonian Epic; on the early relations of England and Russia; and on the Emperor Paul's project of attacking England in India. The Translator has to express a grateful sense of M. Rambaud's constant and courteous aid. In whatever is hasty or inaccurate in these volumes, he has no share. The Translator has compiled Genealogical Tables, of which M. Rambaud has approved. The French book has no index, and an attempt has been made to supply this deficiency. The Translator regrets that, by a too close…
Popular questions readers ask
- Given that the text is introduced under Mikhail Lomonosov's title but details a translation of Alfred Rambaud's work, what does this initial discrepancy imply about the nature of historical scholarship or the presentation of historical materials?
- The translator describes difficulties like compiling an index, incorporating author's emendations, and reconciling varied spellings of tribal names. What do these specific challenges reveal about the active, interpretative role of a translator in shaping a historical text, rather than simply transferring words?
- Rambaud's table of contents begins with chapters on "Geography" and "Ethnography" before moving into chronological events. What intellectual argument or foundational understanding does this structural choice establish for the reader, and how might it influence one's approach to the subsequent historical narrative?
- The translator expresses regret for introducing new spelling varieties by "too close following of the French spelling." What deeper tension does this highlight between a translator's fidelity to the source text and the imperative to ensure clarity and consistency for the target audience?
- Imagine you must explain to someone, using only this excerpt, that historical knowledge is not merely a collection of facts but a constructed and mediated product. What specific elements from this text would you highlight to illustrate the complex processes of historical research, writing, and dissemination?