Kievan Rus': Map & History
Kievan Rus', also known as Kyivan Rus', was the first East Slavic state and, later, an amalgam of principalities, in Eastern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.
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Kievan Rus', also known as Kyivan Rus', was the first East Slavic state and, later, an amalgam of principalities, in Eastern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century. Encompassing a variety of polities and peoples, including East Slavic, Norse, and Finnic, it was ruled by the Rurik dynasty, founded by the Varangian prince Rurik. The name was coined by Russian historians in the 19th century to describe the period when Kiev was preeminent. At its greatest extent in the mid-11th century, Kievan Rus' stretched from the White Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south and from the Carpathian Mountains in the west to the Taman Peninsula in the east, uniting the East Slavic tribes.
Modern Countries Once Part of Kievan Rus'
At its mapped extent, Kievan Rus' covered territory in 6 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Belarus882–1235 CE · nearly all
- Ukraine882–1235 CE · a large part
- Bulgaria970–979 CE · a large part
- Romania970–979 CE · a small part
- Lithuania990–1235 CE · a small part
- Russia882–1235 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Kievan Rus''s borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Kievan Rus' in Depth
History
Prior to the emergence of Kievan Rus' in the 9th century, most of the area north of the Black Sea was primarily populated by eastern Slavic tribes. In the northern region around Novgorod were the Ilmen Slavs and neighboring Krivichi, who occupied territories surrounding the headwaters of the West Dvina, Dnieper and Volga rivers. To their north, in the Ladoga and Karelia regions, were the Chud: various Baltic Finnic peoples. In the south, in the area around Kiev, were the Poliane, the Drevliane to the west of the Dnieper, and the Severiane to the east. To their north and east were the Vyatichi, and to their south was forested land settled by Slav farmers, giving way to steppelands populated by nomadic herdsmen.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kievan Rus' (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kievan Rus': Key Facts
| Capital | Kyiv |
|---|---|
| Official language | Old East Slavic |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Currencies | kuna, grivna, nogata |
| Founded | 882 CE |
| Dissolved | 1240 |
Facts from Wikidata Q1108445 (CC0).
Kievan Rus' Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Kievan Rus' appears, with the other states of the time.
Kievan Rus' Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 1,199,848 km² in 1036 CE.
Kievan Rus': Frequently Asked Questions
When did Kievan Rus' exist?
Kievan Rus' is dated to 882 CE – 1240 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Kievan Rus'?
The capital of Kievan Rus' was Kiev (882–1240).
How large was Kievan Rus' at its peak?
At its peak in 1036 AD Kievan Rus' covered about 1,199,848 km².
How did the map of Kievan Rus' change over time?
Kievan Rus' appears on 4 dated world maps in the atlas, from 900 CE to 1200 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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