The Kievan Rus was a powerful early state that emerged in Eastern Europe during the 9th century, centered around the city of Kiev (in present-day Ukraine). It was founded by a group of Viking traders and warriors known as the Rus, who came from Scandinavia and mixed with the local Slavic populations. The Kievan Rus became a major trading hub, connecting the Baltic Sea to the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world through a network of rivers.
Under rulers like Oleg, Vladimir the Great, and Yaroslav the Wise, the Kievan Rus grew in size, wealth, and cultural influence. One of the most significant events in its history was the adoption of Orthodox Christianity in 988 by Prince Vladimir, which brought the Kievan Rus into closer contact with the Byzantine Empire and had a lasting impact on Russian and Eastern Slavic culture.
The Kievan Rus declined in the 12th and 13th centuries due to internal divisions and invasions, including the Mongol invasion in the 1240s. However, its legacy lived on, laying the cultural and political foundations for modern Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
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