Перед Русью (Восточная Европа в IX столетии: опыт реконструкции)
Before the Rus’ (Eastern Europe in IX Century: experience of reconstruction)

Summary/Abstract: This article is devoted to the problems of historic development of Slavic population on the Dnieper Left Bank during the old Russian state formation. The analysis of archaeological materials and other available sources allowed the authors to make the following conclusions.In the middle of 9th century, on the Dnieper’s Left Bank a prototype state was growing up based on the tribes union of Severa led by Khazar noble offsprings, who settled there after a civil war in khaganate and received the rights of Itil vassals.In the first half of 9th century, in the North (the territory of Krivichi, Slovenes, Merya and Chud’), the prototype state formation («Rus’») was growing up, headed by Varangians «coming from overseas», and their ruler accepted the title of «khagan». Its outposts were Gnezdovo on the Dnieper and Yaroslavl’ region on the Volga. The Rus’ troops began their raids in the Dnieper and Volga directions to bring these places under control. In the Dnieper directions Rus’ supported its trade interests by military activities, i.e. by organizing campaigns against the Byzantine Empire (Sourozh and Amastrida) and the Northern outskirts of Khazar Khaganate (the ruin of Novotroitskoe hillfort, the appearance of treasure group on the Desna River, lower Seim and Oka buried in late 830s). On the Volga River, the politics carried out by the Volga Bulgars to restrain the Russian activity led to making roundabout ways by the Rus’ through Byzantine and Khazar possessions, letting them penetrate into the Caspian Sea and far into Arabian East countries.The middle - the second part of 9th century is a period of military activity on the Dnieper’s Left Bank where Rus’ played a leading role. The territory of the Severa, Viatichi and Radimichi - Khazar tributaries - was exposed to attacks, which is proved by the treasure group in the Seim region and on the Upper Oka River, as well as by destruction of Souprut hillfort. This fact can be connected with Oleg’s campaigns in his struggle for joining the Northern Rus’ Khaganate and Kievan separate region of Askold’s and Dier’s Rus’ into a solitary state. These campaigns and the battles of Rus’ against the Slavic tribes resulted in the Dnieper trade way «from the Varyangians into the Greeks» falling under control of the Kiev dukes.

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