Ancient Origins of the Kyivan Rus: From Rurikids to Mongols DOCUMENTARY

Kings and Generals' historical animated documentary series on Medieval History continues with a feature length episode on Ancient Origins of the Kievan Rus: from Rurikids to Mongols, as we will talk about the history of the Eastern Slavs, their relationships with the Turkic steppe peoples, Eastern Roman Empire and the Norse. This video will cover the rise and fall of Kiev, Christianization of the Rus, attacks against Constantinople, the wars against the Khazars and other nomads, as well as the Mongol invasions and the struggle of the Novgorod Republic against the crusaders. We will talk about the Sieges of Constantinople, Battle of Kalka and battle onthe Ice (Lake Peipus).

Script: Leo Stone,
Machinima: Arif Azaman using Total War: Attila engine.

0:00 Introduction
1:49 The Slavs and Scandinavians
13:47 The Rurikids - From Rurik to Igor
31:33 The Rurikids - From Saint Olga to Sviatoslav
41:17 Vladimir The Great
58:06 Yaroslav The Wise
1:09:14 First Signs of Decline
1:13:32 Battle of The Kalka river
1:22:45 Mongol Invasions
1:37.18 Alexander Nevsky and the Battle on The Ice

#Caesar #AncientRus #KievanRus

[KingsandGenerals]

We spend an ungodly amount of time making these 2-hour documentaries and we hope that you will give us your like - press that button, it is so important!
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[channellegendarium]

It's wonderful to think that we live in an age where content like this is free and available to anyone with an Internet connection! Keep up the great work.

[Yee]

Thank you so much for these masterpieces

[ssivachev]

Thanks a lot for such a detailed crash course. Being russian myself it's greate to refresh the memories of school history classes from a bit different angle. Finally figure out connection between Alexander Nevski and mongols. As I recall our historian teachers explained the mongolian invasion ad subjugation as GREAT EVIL (which could be true), but never explains the vassalage and feudal system causes well enough.

[tomredd]

Very much enjoyed this video. I would just like to make a couple of comments about some minor issues. Actually, it appears that Saints Cyrill and Methodius initially used the Roman Rite of the Mass in their missionary work. There is archaeological evidence of a Roman Rite missal in old Slavonic from that time period. Furthermore, Cyril and Methodius had traveled to Rome to get approval of the Pope for their efforts. The Pope blessed their Slavonic language Missal on the altar and issued a bull approving of their work. However, Cyril and Methodius met considerable resistance from the adjacent Frankish ruler and bishops who had political designs on Great Moravia and pushed the Roman Rite but in the Latin Language. They even imprisoned Methodius in spite of his appointment as archbishop by the Pope himself and multiple appeals by the Pope for Methodius' release. After, Methodius' release and death, his followers were forced out of Great Moravia and began using the Byzantine liturgy. Another, issue is that prior to 1054 AD, the putative date of the Great Schism between Rome and Constantinople, you use the term Catholic and Orthodox as if they are separate churches like today. Prior to 1054 AD, both groups considered themselves both Catholic and Orthodox. It would have more appropriate to use the terms Eastern and Western Christianity or Roman and Byzantine until the actual split. None-the-less, a very enjoyable video.

[wodinnn]

The art is great, love seeing quality! Keep it up!

[alexeykh]

1:53:19 If there was no ice (as this documentary is disputing), how did all these forces cross the lake (espacially the cavalry)?

[kievsoloma]

Russians are not Slavs. they are a mixture of immigrants from Kievan Rus (a small part), but mostly they are: Mongols, Udmurts, Kazakhstan, Tatars, Chinese and a hundred others. Russians are Asians, not Europeans.

[LeoWarrior]

"Okay, so after establishing trade with the Bulgars and Jewish Turks, the Vikings went on to lay siege to the Greeks"
"Isn't this the history of the Russians?"
"We get there when we get there."

[rageraptor]

Yaroslav and sviatopolk lore is actually so awesome. It sounds like something straight out of a movie. All the elements of a good story are present. Even a main protagonist and antagonist with ambition. His fathers stories too. So interesting. (Even if it may be wrong in it’s real depiction of events)

[WizardsandWarriors]

What about fantasy Slavs-adjecent people? Videos on Witcher Universe over here!

[Draeandor]

Who needs GOT when you have equal as epic real world history?? Seriously great job guys! Love all your documentaries! Keep up the great work!!

[jamielonsdale]

Olga's fire-attack on the Drevylans may be the first account of an air-strike, over 900 years before the Wright brothers managed their first flight.

[APinchOfHistory]

As a slav myself, it's excellent that you make the documentaries on the lesser-known topic too. Thanks!

[burtreynolds]

I love that you guys cover topics like this, and 2 hours none the less. My AP Euro class started in 1066 and that’s just a crime

[jetevening]

“The Slavic tribes begged the Scandinavian nobility to come south and rule over them”. This is more prof that history is written by the victors

[valentinstoyanov]

The Slavic God of the sun was called Yarlo. Interestingly enough, one of my grandfathers comes from a small village in Northwest Bulgaria called Yarlovitsa. It is amazing that this "divine" toponym from pre-Christian times survived...

[robt]

I have my summer house in Roslagen. The home of the Rus viking tribe. Great channel. Cheers from Sweden

[TheJackmeisterMongolHistory]

At 1:24:17, you guys made Ögedai way too sexy. He was pretty much a gouty lump by that point. Just another unrealistic beauty standards for Kha'ans.

[AKAZA-kqjd]

Subutai did the impossible he went into Russia in winter and won.
I know medieval times different era.