29 - Russia

Summary

‘Russia’ is the state descended from the grand principality that coalesced around Moscow in the fourteenth century and began the historical continuum that extended to the Russian Empire (1725– 1917), the Soviet Union (1917– 91) and modern Russia. The fifteenth century was one of the most significant, and underappreciated, centuries in Russian history. At the century’s beginning the grand principality of Muscovy stretched from Mozhaisk (about 100 miles to Moscow’s west) eastward to the Suzdal′-Nizhnii Novgorod grand principality (subject in part to Moscow since 1392), from Riazan′ in the south-east to the northern forests of Beloozero, Vologda and Ustiug. But its power was more tenuous than this geographical expanse would suggest. Moscow’s hold in the north and in Suzdal′ was superficial; surrounding Moscow lay myriad principalities ranging from the weak Rostov and Iaroslavl′ to the more potent grand principalities of Riazan′ and Tver′. Powerful rivals included the city republics of Novgorod and Pskov, not forgetting the grand duchy of Lithuania. Yet by the end of the century Moscow had achieved clear dominance in this area often called north-east Rus′ (in reference to the Kiev Rus′ state that flourished from the tenth to the twelfth centuries and bequeathed to Muscovy some important heritages). The key to Moscow’s success lay in the means, both institutional and symbolic, that it devised to consolidate its authority and to exploit and mobilise social resources. Those means of governance and ideological constructions endured for at least the next two centuries, and resonated beyond.