Why is Russia called Russia?

 

Comprehensive answers to the most important points in Russian history with references for you. .

Why is Russia called Russia?

The name of the country "Russia" is derived from the word "Russ". However, its exact origins are unknown. Some historians claim that 'Russia' is derived from the Roman word 'russ'. Which means 'red'. Another version suggests that 'Russia' originated from the Scandinavian languages. And it is used by the Slavic people who were ruled by the Vikings (Rurikids).

1.      Who was the first ruler of Russia?

Rurik, a Varangian prince, is believed to have been the first prince invited to rule the Russian city of Novgorod around 862. While Rourke is considered the founder of the Rourkead dynasty. Rurikid princes ruled over different parts of Russia. And they continued to fight each other until the power in Moscow was strengthened.

 

2.      Why did the Mongol-Tatar attack happen?

The so-called Mongol-Tatar invasion of Russian territory began in the 13th century as part of the complete conquest of the Mongol Empire. Which was headed by Genghis Khan. The vast professional army of the Mongol Empire conquered lands from China to modern-day Hungary. Including Russian duchess. The Mongols taxed the Russian princes as punishment and deprived them of political freedom.

Soon, however, the Mongol Empire collapsed and the Russian lands eventually became subject to the Golden Horde. Which is one of the remnants of the Mongol Empire. In the 14th century, Russian princes began to oppose the Horde. and in 1380, at the Battle of Kulikovo, defeated the armed forces of the Horde for the first time. A century later, in 1480, dependence on the group ended with the Battle of Ogra.

 

3.       Who was the first Russian Tsar?

Ivan IV Weslevitch, also known as Ivan the Terrible. He was the first Grand Prince of Moscow to be crowned and anointed Tsar. The word 'Czar' is derived from the Latin title of the Roman Emperor - 'Caesar'. It appears in Old East Slavonic in the Eleventh century. It was used for the boxes of the Bible and ancient kings, Byzantine emperors and the Golden Horde.

Constantinople was captured by the Ottomans in 1453. That is, there was no longer a Byzantine 'tsar'. And in 1480, the Golden Horde was turned back at the Battle of Ugra. The Moscow State became independent and its ruler became independent. In the eyes of the Russians, such a ruler was called a tsar.

. In 1547 Ivan Vasilievich, son of the Grand Prince of Moscow Vasili III, was crowned the first Tsar of All Russia.

 

4.      How many ruling families were there  total in ' Russia?

There were only 2 ruling families in Russia. The Rurikid  finished its standard in the sixteenth century. When Tsar Fyodor Lonovich (son of Ivan the Terrible) and his wife Irina Godinova produced no heir to the throne. A family crisis, known as the Time of Troubles, followed. Many tsars ruled Russia for short periods – Boris Godunov, False Dmitri I, as well as Vasily Shuisky. However, only Shuske was a Rurikid and after his death, Russia had no Rurikid prince to take the throne.

After the Time of Troubles, the Russians convened the Zemsky Sobor ('Assembly of the Land') to elect a new tsar. Which was a kind of pop-up parliament at that time. However, the choice was already made by the ruling elite. The new Tsar, Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov, was a distant relative of Fyodor Ivanovich. He began the Romanov line, which finished its standard in 1917 with the resignation of the last tsar, Nicholas II.

 

5.      Why did Moscow turn into the capital of Russia?

And in the 12th century Moscow was already a fortress and trading center, thanks to its location – relatively close to the Volga, Russia's main trade and transport artery in the Middle Ages. The lands of northeastern Russia, including Moscow, Vladimir, Suzdal, were relatively unscathed during the Mongol-Tatar invasion. which crushed the duchies of Kievan Rus and South Rus. For this reason Moscow turned out to be increasingly strong after the thirteenth century. In the 14th century, the princes of Moscow succeeded all other Rurikid princes as Grand Princes of Vladimir and Moscow.

Prince Dmitry Donskoy, who defeated the Tatars at the Battle of Kulikovo, was a prince of Moscow. In 1389, Vladimir, the town that was viewed as the "primary" Russian city.Assigned to the princes of Moscow as their hereditary estates. Since then, Moscow was considered the main city of the Russian land. When the Russian land became independent from the Golden Horde in the 15th century, the princes of Moscow became its rulers. And when Ivan the Terrible was crowned Tsar in 1547, the state was renamed the Moscow Tsardom.

 

6.       For what reason was the capital moved to St. Petersburg?

Peter the Incomparable moved the capital from Moscow to Holy person Petersburg in 1712. Peter waged a war against Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea – the Northern War (1700–1721) and, during this war, Russia was able to seize lands belonging to Sweden. which is the area of ​​contemporary Saint Petersburg.

Peter established St. Petersburg as a capital on the shores of the Baltic Sea – as Moscow was too deep into Russian territory to ensure fast and secure trade and maintain political ties with Europe. Peter wanted his foreign guests to arrive quickly by sea. Additionally, Peter could have done without the customary, for the most part Asian, arranging and engineering of Moscow. He believed his new capital should look more European. Peter invited all his ruling elite to St. Petersburg in 1712, moving the imperial court there.

 

7.       Why are Moscow and St. Petersburg still called "the two capitals"?

Saint Petersburg remained the capital until 1918, despite a brief period between 1728 and 1732, when the capital (and court) moved back to Moscow. And got the title of 'Old Capital'.

When Moscow became the capital again in 1918 under the Bolsheviks, Petersburg (renamed Petrograd and Leningrad after Lenin's death in 1924) became known as the 'Northern Capital'.

 

8.      How was the Russian ruler called? Prince, Czar, Emperor?

The first known ruler of the Russian land, Rurik is traditionally referred to as 'Prince'. As were all the famous rulers after him. The lack of historical sources prevents us from understanding who the first prince in Russia really was. And were there other royal families besides the Rorkids?

However, by the time the Mongol-Tatar invasion ended, the ruler of the Russian land was known as the 'Great Prince of Moscow'. After 1547, Russia was ruled by the Tsar of Moscow and All Russia. In 1721, after victory in the Northern War, Russia's governing senate presented Tsar Peter with the title of emperor and the Russian Empire was created.

 

9.       Who ruled Russia the most?

The longest-reigning first Russian tsar, Ivan the Terrible, was from 1584 to 1584. On paper, he became Grand Prince of Moscow in 1533 at the age of just three, following the death of his father, Vasily 111 of Moscow. Until 1547, he ruled only formally, with most decisions being made by the boyar aristocracy. In 1547, at the age of 16, he was crowned Tsar of All Russia and his real reign began.

Ivan passed on in 1584 at 54 years old.. He is still the longest-reigning Russian leader, having ruled the country for 50 years and 3 months.