Geography
The Church
The Byzantine Empire
Kievan Russian
Russia and the Mongols
200

Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, eventually became known as this modern-day Turkish city.

What is Istanbul?

200

After the Iconoclastic Controversy, the Christian church split into the Roman Catholic Church in the West and this church in the East.

What is Eastern Orthodox?

200

This law code served as the basis of law and order in the Byzantine Empire.

What is Justinian's Code?

200

These people, frequently made the subjects of invading peoples, settled in the steppe that would become Kievan Russia.

Who are the Slavs?

200

This powerful city was referred to by Russians as the "third Rome" after the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks.

What is Moscow?

400

Under Justinian, the Byzantine Empire regained most of the lands of this former empire.

What is the Western Roman Empire?

400

At its outset, the Eastern Orthodox Church recognized the patriarch of Constantinople as the central authority of the church, whereas the Roman Catholic Church recognized this position, which is still at the top of the Catholic hierarchy today.

Who is the Pope?

400

The Byzantine Empire developed a strong navy, and ships were equipped with this weapon, which set ships as well as the water surrounding them ablaze.

What is Greek fire?

400
Many regions in Kievan Russia were led by princes, who were advised by councils of nobles, also known as this term.

Who are boyars?

400

Ivan the Terrible took this royal title because he considered himself the heir to the Roman and Byzantine Empires.

What is czar?

600

Kiev developed on the banks of this river, often used as a trade route between the Byzantines, Slavs, and Scandinavian peoples.

What is the Dnieper?

600

This magnificent church, now a mosque in Istanbul, was built in six years during the reign of Justinian.

What is the Hagia Sophia?

600

Brothers Cyril and Methodius created this alphabet, which is still used by many Slavic languages today.

What is Cyrillic?

600

In the 12th and 13th centuries AD, almost all of the cities in Kievan Russia had been either conquered or destroyed by these people, who originated farther east in Asia.

Who are the Mongols?

600

This Russian Great Prince became the first ruler of the independent state of Russia after ceasing to acknowledge the Mongol khan as Moscow's supreme ruler.

Who is Ivan the Great (Ivan III)?

800

Constantinople was situated on this strait, connecting the Black and Aegean Seas.


What is the Bosporus?

800

As the Orthodox Church in Russia became more independent from Constantinople, this branch of the Orthodox Church developed, with its patriarch centered at Moscow.

What is the Russian Orthodox Church?

800

Constantinople, and thus the Byzantine Empire, finally fell in AD 1453 to these people, whose empire would last into the 20th century.

Who are the Ottoman Turks?

800

This leader of a Viking trading people called the Rus, eventually took over Novgorod and Kiev and developed the cities into great trading centers.

Who is Rurik?

800

This Russian ruler's reign included opening the territory of Siberia for Russian settlement as well as the murder of his own son.

Who is Ivan the Terrible?

1000

Under Ivan the Terrible, the Russian state gained new lands, stretching from Siberia in the northeast to this sea in the west.

What is the Caspian?

1000

This ruler of Kievan Russia, who wanted to marry the sister of the Byzantine emperor, was primarily responsible for the diffusion of Christianity into Russia in the late 10th century AD.

Who is Vladimir I?

1000

Under this general of Justinian's army, the Nika Revolt was crushed in 532 AD, and most of the lands of the Western Roman Empire were recaptured.

Who is Belisarius?

1000

The Pravda Russkia, meaning "Russian Justice", which was based on tribal customs as well as older laws and traditions, was introduced by this ruler of Kievan Russia.

Who is Yaroslav the Wise?

1000

This leader of Moscow was awarded the title of Great Prince by the Mongols after cooperating with them.

Who is Ivan I?