Russia, the Kievan Rus, and the Mongols: Crash Course World History

“In which John Green teaches you how Russia evolved from a loose amalgamation of medieval principalities known as the Kievan Rus into the thriving democracy we know today. As you can imagine, there were a few bumps along the road. It turns out, our old friends the Mongols had quite a lot to do with unifying Russia. In yet another example of how surprisingly organized nomadic raiders can be, the Mongols brought the Kievan Rus together under a single leadership, and concentrated power in Moscow. This set the stage for the various Ivans (the Great and the Terrible) to throw off the yoke and form a pan-Russian nation ruled by an autocratic leader. More than 500 years later, we still have autocratic leadership in Russia. All this, plus a rundown of some of our favorite atrocities of Ivan the Terrible, and a visit from Putin!”

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• Religious, Political Leaders Mark Historic Anniversary Of Kievan Rus (rferl.org)
• A Brief History of Russian Architecture (architecture.answers.com)
• Religion, Politics Mix As Ukraine Prepares For Kievan Rus Anniversary (rferl.org)
• History of Ukraine (gotodonetsk.wordpress.com)
• The Largest Countries in Asia (geography.answers.com)
• Putin Stumps for the Orthodox Church in a Film Celebrating the Kievan Rus Anniversary (theatlantic.com)

 

From the BBC: Skeleton at Llanbedrgoch, Anglesey, sheds light on Viking Age

From the BBC: Skeleton at Llanbedrgoch, Anglesey, sheds light on Viking Age

The skeleton was found in a shallow grave

Continue reading the main story

• “The discovery of a skeleton in a shallow grave has raised new questions about Wales in the age of the Vikings.

The skeleton, found at Llanbedrgoch, Anglesey, has forced experts to revise the theory that five earlier skeletons were the victims of a Viking raid.

Evidence now suggests the men may have spent the first part of their lives in Scandinavia.

Experts say artefacts discovered confirm Llanbedrgoch as a 10th Century manufacture and trade centre.

The site was discovered in 1994, and in the late 1990s, five bodies – two adolescents, two adult males and one woman – were found.

The bodies were thought to be victims of Viking raiding, which occurred throughout the Viking period (850 to 1,000).

However, the new skeleton discovered this summer was buried in a shallow grave, which National Museum Wales archaeologists say was unusual for the period.

They say the “non-Christian orientation of the body” and its treatment “point to distinctions being made in the burial practices for Christians and other communities during the 10th Century”.

Analysis indicates the males were not local to Anglesey, but may have spent their early years – at least up to the age of seven – in north west Scotland or Scandinavia.

Excavations this year also produced 7th Century silver and bronze sword and scabbard fittings.

Archaeologists believe it suggests the presence of a “warrior elite and the recycling of military equipment” during a period of rivalry and campaigning between kingdoms Northumbria and Mercia.

Excavation director, Dr Mark Redknap, said: “Other finds from the excavation, which include semi-worked silver, silver-casting waste and a fragment of an Islamic silver coin – exchanged via trade routes out of central Asia to Scandinavia and beyond – confirm Llanbedrgoch’s importance during the 10th Century as a place for the manufacture and trade of commodities.”

 

History of English (combined)

“Where did the phrase ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing’ come from? And when did scientists finally get round to naming sexual body parts? Voiced by Clive Anderson, this entertaining romp through ‘The History of English’ squeezes 1600 years of history into 10 one-minute bites, uncovering the sources of English words and phrases from Shakespeare and the King James Bible to America and the Internet. Bursting with fascinating facts, the series looks at how English grew from a small tongue into a major global language before reflecting on the future of English in the 21st century.”

Free learning from The Open University http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/history-the-arts/culture/english-language

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A look at the history of the English language. (this is a combination of all 10 parts of the series into one video)

Related articles

• The Dictionary Interesting? Actually, Yeah It Is. (bitsnbooks.wordpress.com)
• Why Do Americans and Brits Have Different Accents? (uzenglish.wordpress.com)

 

Russia – Land Of The Tsars 1

“Dramatic footage and archival information illuminates the imperial past of the largest nation on earth.

Its forests stretch from Europe to the Pacific. Its winters have vanquished the mightiest armies ever mustered. Its people have borne the excesses of some of history’s most notorious rulers.

RUSSIA: LAND OF THE TSARS illuminates the imperial past of the world’s largest nation. At the heart of this epic tale are the figures whose names have become legend: Ivan the Terrible, who expanded the empire at the rate of 50 miles–and innumerable lives–a day; Peter the Great, whose sweeping reforms westernized the nation; and Catherine the Great, whose rule was marked by conquest, change and controversy.
Filmed on location throughout Russia, enriched by exclusive visits to important sites and museums, and filled with commentary from renowned scholars, this is a kaleidoscopic, captivating portrait of a land that has endured centuries of despair and rebellion, innovation and conflict.”

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• Tsar Nicholas – exhibits from an execution (bbc.co.uk)
• ‘Russia: Land of the Tsars’ A Documentary (royalcorrespondent.com)
• History of Russia, Before 1900 (trifter.com)
• Russian style (followmethereandbackagain.wordpress.com)