The Fall of Kiev

The Fall of Kiev

Jerry Falwell Library, Terrace Conference Room B

I propose for the Research Symposium to present on: the destruction of Kiev by the Mongols in 1240 AD.

I believe this topic is important because, if Kiev would have never been obliterated, then Moscow would have never been able to rise and permit Russia to become westernized. However, how many times is it asked: “how was Kiev destroyed?” “How did the Mongol hordes take Kiev?”

So, how did Kiev come to rise to power? According to Jonathan Shepard,

“…Demand in Byzantium was particularly strong for slaves and this was of practical convenience to the Rus’ because, unlike inanimate goods, slaves could disembark and walk their way round the most hazardous of the Rapids…Around that time a Rus’ leader was impelled by the Byzantine government ‘with great presents’ to seize the Khazar fortress guarding the Straits of Kerch.”[1]

The leader of Rus was, the son of Ruirik, Igor; and Igor and Ruirik were the Princes of Kiev. Thereby, Byzantium favoured the Kievian Princes, over that of any other Rus-ian princes. Thereby, Kiev would become the capital or Rus.

Only three hundred years later, Kiev would fall to the Mongols. Prior to this, there was a civil war between the princes for the Prince-ship of Kiev, just like that seen in 1066 with the Norman Invasion. In 1240 Mikhail forced Vladimir out of Kiev, thereby Mikhail united the providences of Rus. In December of 1237, the Tatars invaded Rus, destroying Riazan and razed multiple cities. By December 6, 1240 AD, the Tatars took Kiev. Thereby ending the rule of Kievian Princes over all of Rus.

In conclusion, I propose that, I research and present on: The Fall of Kiev. I wish to tell the tale of how the Great Russian city, Kiev, rose to its peak and would end up falling to barbarians on December 6, 1240 AD.

[1] Johnathan Shepard, The Origins of Rus’ (c. 900-1015), The Cambridge History of Russia: Volume I From Early Rus’ to 1689 (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006) 56-57.