Unions of tribes of the Eastern Slavs table. Indicate which tribal unions and peoples belonged to

East Slavic tribes are more than a dozen different tribes that can be united under the concept of Eastern Slavs. Their tribal unions eventually merged into a single nationality, forming the basis of the Old Russian state. Over time, there was a political stratification of the Eastern Slavs, which allowed the formation of three main peoples by the 17th century - Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian.

Early history

Very little is known about the early history of the East Slavic tribes. Largely due to the fact that they did not have a written language. Only around 863 did the Glagolitic script, created specially by Byzantine linguists, appear.

Some information about the early history of the East Slavic tribes can be found in Arabic, Byzantine and Persian sources. The first original East Slavic documents date back to the 11th century. But very few of them have survived. Chronicles are considered the most reliable and complete sources. They began to be actively compiled after the adoption of Christianity, following the model of Byzantine chronicles.

The most complete of those that have survived to this day is The Tale of Bygone Years, which was written at the turn of the 11th-12th centuries. At the same time, the author is primarily interested in the Old Russian state, therefore, special attention is paid to the glades and Novgorod Slovenes, while information about the other tribes is extremely scarce.

The resettlement of the Eastern Slavs

The resettlement of the East Slavic tribes began actively in the 7th-8th centuries. Initially, glades lived along the Dnieper River, northerners settled in the north, mainly in the Desna region, and the Drevlyans occupied the northwestern regions.

Dregovichi settled between the Dvina and Pripyat, and the Polotsk people lived along the Polota River. The Krivichi received lands in the region of the Dnieper, Volga and Dvina.

On the Western and Southern Bug there were also territories of East Slavic tribes. Dulebs or Buzhans lived there, some of them eventually moved to the west, mixing with the Western Slavs.

The dominant role in which East Slavic tribes, where they lived, played customs and language, special ways of doing business. Agriculture (growing barley, wheat, millet) remained the key occupation for several centuries, some cultivated rye and oats. Massively bred poultry and cattle.

Anty

If we delve again into ancient history, we will find out that the Antes are one of the early Slavic tribes, from which many tribes of the Eastern Slavs originated. Nowadays, it has been possible to restore ideas about their life and economy as fully as possible.

Now it can be argued that the Antes lived in rural settlements, which were sometimes fortified. Mostly they were engaged in agriculture, arable business. The processing of metals was widespread, archaeologists have repeatedly found bronze and iron workshops of the Ants. The East Slavic tribes and their neighbors not only fought with each other, but in peaceful periods they actively exchanged and traded. First of all, we are talking about the Goths, Scythians, Sarmatians, Roman provinces.

Already at that time, the very first forms of social organization were being created, unions and associations were being formed.

Krivichi

One of the most famous East Slavic tribes is the Krivichi. They were mainly engaged in agriculture, handicrafts and cattle breeding. Their key cities included Smolensk, Izborsk, Polotsk. In a broad sense, it was a union of East Slavic tribes, which was finally formed in the VIII-X centuries. According to the most common hypothesis, the Krivichi became part of the Old Russian people. They belong to the East Slavic tribes along with other ancient tribes of that time.

By the 11th century, the Polotsk and Smolensk principalities and part of the Novgorod possessions were located on the territory of the Krivichi. We can get basic information about them from the "Tale of Bygone Years", which states that they originate from Polotsk.

Where did the Krivichi live?

The Krivichi settled most of modern Belarus over several centuries. Dregovichi and radimichi neighbored with them. From ancient times, the Krivichi closely interacted with the Varangians, and the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII recalled them that they made boats that could go to Constantinople itself.

According to the most common version, in 980 the last prince of the Krivichi, whose name was Rogvolod, was killed. This was done by the Novgorod prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich.

After the formation of Kievan Rus, the Krivichi took part in the colonization of the eastern lands, partially assimilated there.

Vyatichi

Another important East Slavic tribe is the Vyatichi. They settled in the Oka basin in the VIII-XIII centuries. From the "Tale of Bygone Years" we can learn that in the 9th century the Vyatichi began to live under the Khazars, who were paid tribute. Management, as in most other neighboring tribes, was carried out by the prince and veche. Judging by the archaeological finds, the Vyatichi actively participated in international trade.

The power of the prince among the East Slavic tribes was very limited by a powerful veche, that is, a popular assembly. Moreover, it was it that was the initial governing body in the tribes, because it was precisely such an "organization" that invited Rurik to reign.

Presumably, it included adult men. All those who were in the meeting were united not by family ties, but by social social functions. Most likely, it was a highly militarized community.

In the second half of the 10th century, the Vyatichi were subordinated to Kievan Rus after the campaigns of Prince Svyatoslav.

Drevlyans

The names of the East Slavic tribes are largely determined by their place of residence. One of them, which deserves special mention, is the Drevlyans. Mostly they lived in the Ukrainian Polissya (forest, tree strip).

Until they were subjugated by Kievan Rus, they had a highly developed state organization. The political center of the tribe was based in the city of Iskorosten, eventually moved to Ovruch.

The Radimichi tribe is also known. They lived in the upper reaches of the Dniester and Dnieper. On the territory of modern Gomel and Mogilev regions of present-day Belarus. The first written evidence that confirms their existence dates back to the end of the 9th century.

As a result of archaeological excavations, a large number of graves of the Radimichi were discovered, which were carried out according to the rite of cremation. They are characterized by funeral pyres with oval outlines, while in such burial mounds the dead were laid on a fire in the direction from west to east. The structure of the funeral bonfires, which resembled the so-called domino-towers, is also noteworthy.

Most burial mounds do not contain the personal belongings of the deceased. Most likely, they burned to the ground on funeral pyres. By the way, the burial traditions were similar among other East Slavic tribes. For example, the Gnezdovsky burial mounds are known in the places where the Krivichi lived.

Kievan Rus

The ancient East Slavic tribes should include not only the Krivichi, Drevlyans and Vyatichi, but also the Polochans, Polyans, Pskov Krivichi, Zveryans, Bolokhovtsy, Buzhans, Narevyans, Severyans, Tivertsy, Radimichi.

Over time, they began to unite. The state, which included all the East Slavic tribes, is Kievan Rus.

It arose in the 9th century thanks to the dynasty of the princes of Rurik, who united the East Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes.

At its peak, Kievan Rus occupied the territory from the Dniester in the west, the Taman Peninsula in the south, the Northern Dvina in the north, and the tributaries of the Volga in the east.

By the 12th century, feudal wars within the state began, in which about a dozen Russian principalities participated, led by representatives of different branches of the Rurik dynasty.

Kyiv lost its former grandeur and significance, the principality itself was in the collective possession of the princes, but Russia also existed later as an ethno-cultural region, which played a decisive role in the unification of the Slavic lands.

East Slavic unity

The unification of the East Slavic tribes dates back to the end of the 9th century. It was then that the Novgorod prince Oleg, who, most likely, was a Varangian by origin, decided to unite power over Novgorod and Kyiv in his hands. In the annals, this event dates back to 882.

As a result, a class of the early feudal Old Russian state is formed, from which Kievan Rus appeared. This moment was a turning point in the history of the Eastern Slavs. But not everything went smoothly. In some lands, the princes from Kyiv met fierce resistance from local feudal lords, which was suppressed only with the help of weapons.

Drevlyane resistance

The Drevlyans turned out to be one of the most stubborn, the longest struggle was waged with them. When, during the next campaign, Prince Igor decided to collect a double tribute from the Drevlyans, they defeated his squad and took his own life.

Instead of Igor, his wife Olga became the ruler, who finally, using harsh measures, subordinated the Drevlyans directly to Kyiv. Their capital, which was in the city of Iskorosten, was completely destroyed.

At the same time, the centers of the East Slavic tribes were formed, which, ultimately, were subject to Kyiv. So, under Vladimir Svyatoslavich, the lands of the Vyatichi and the modern North Caucasus became part of Kievan Rus. When the early feudal state was finally formed, more favorable conditions were created for economic growth and maintaining security.

Soon, more favorable conditions began to form for economic growth and the maintenance of the country's security. But these processes were associated with restrictions on the freedoms of the peasants, as evidenced by numerous sources.

Neighbors of the Slavs

East Slavic tribes and their neighbors often cooperated with each other. In this article, we have already named several tribes with which the Slavs most often had to intersect.

Now let's look at this issue in more detail. In the west, the main neighbors of the Eastern Slavs were Germanic and Celtic tribes. Finno-Ugric peoples and Balts lived in the east, among them there were Sarmatians and Scythians, some of whom are considered the ancestors of modern Iranians. Over time, the Khazars and Bulgars began to oust them more and more actively.

From the south, the Greeks, Romans, Illyrians, and ancient Macedonians traditionally coexisted with the Slavs.

In the Byzantine chronicles, it was repeatedly emphasized that the proximity to the Slavic tribes turned into a real disaster. The neighborhood and numerous Germanic peoples were also hard pressed, as daring raids were regularly made, as a result of which the most fertile lands were seized, residential buildings and outbuildings were destroyed.

The situation somewhat changed in the 6th century, when Turkic tribes arose in neighboring territories. They began to wage a fierce struggle with the Slavs for the lands located in the Danube and Dniester regions. Moreover, some Slavic tribes eventually went over to the side of the Turks, who set as their ultimate goal the capture of the Byzantine Empire. As a result of a long war, the Byzantines completely enslaved the Western Slavs, but the southern ones were able to defend their independence.

Tribal unions of the Eastern Slavs(East Slavic unions of tribes, tribes of Eastern Slavs) - a form of social organization of East Slavic society during the period of decomposition of the primitive communal system and the formation of statehood. Tribal unions were not only tribal, but also territorial and political in nature. The formation of unions is a stage on the way to the formation of the statehood of the Eastern Slavs.

The Tale of Bygone Years knows no "unions of tribes". After the death of Kiy and his brothers (before the mention of Heraclius and the obrovs), “their clan began to reign among the glades, and the Drevlyans had their own reign, and the Dregovichi had their own, and the Slavs had their own in Novgorod, and the other on the Polota River, where the Polochans” . That is, princely power was inherited. These are the northern archonships of the king of the Antes God (4th century), Ardagast, Pirogast, Musokia, Dobrent (6th century), etc., well known to the Byzantines.

1. The term used to refer to the East Slavic tribes mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years and other written sources. Speaking of "unions", in this case, historians mean that the annalistic "tribes" were complex formations and consisted of several territorial or tribal groups.

1. An association of several tribes (“confederation”), which, as a rule, arises for joint protection against an external threat, and has allied supra-tribal authorities.

Ancestors of the Eastern Slavs in polyethnic tribal unions

The ancestors of the Eastern Slavs, according to various historians, could be part of the allied tribal organizations mentioned by the authors of the second half of the 1st millennium BC. e. - the first half of the 1st millennium.

The union of the Ants was ruled by the veche and the princes, conducted an independent foreign policy, had a customary right that applied only to the Ants, and had an allied militia. At the head of the union could be one prince, designated by a special title, whose power was hereditary.

In the VI-VIII centuries. the Eastern Slavs are often mentioned together with the Khazars, which is assessed by historians as evidence of their allied and, then, tributary relations.

Glade

The Tale of Bygone Years tells a legend about the princes of the Polyan tribe, which has much in common with the history of the Ants. The glades moved from place to place: their homeland is the Danube, they got their name from the fact that they "sat in the field", then they settled on the Dnieper "mountains" and again tried to gain a foothold on the Danube. The glade tribe consisted of several kindred "kinds", ruled by their own heads. According to legend, the brothers Kyi, Shchek and Khoriv united their clans under the rule of Prince Kyi, who led the squad and was in allied relations with the Byzantine emperor. The center of the Polyan tribe was the city of Kyiv, founded by the brothers. It played the role of a veche and religious center. A princely dynasty was established in the tribe: “And after these brothers, their clan began to reign at the glades”,

In the "Tale" there is also an indication of the existence of an alliance between the East Slavic tribes during the time of Prince Kiy: “And the glades, Drevlyans, northerners, Radimichi, Vyatichi and Croats lived among themselves in the world. The Dulebs lived along the Bug, where the Volynians are now, and the Ulichi and Tivertsy sat along the Dniester and near the Danube. Later, this union broke up into separate tribal "principles" and "the Drevlyans and other surrounding people began to oppress the glades." The Kiev veche, which consisted of the military nobility, decided to subjugate the glades to the Khazars and pay tribute to them.

In The Tale of Bygone Years, the question of the origins of the Russian land is connected with the legend of Kiya, and the glade is directly identified with the Rus people of the 10th-12th centuries.

"Power of the Volhynians", dulebs

"The Tale of Bygone Years" tells about the struggle of the Duleb tribe with the Avars (Obrams) (560s - VIII century): “In those days, there were obras, they fought against King Heraclius and almost captured him. These obry also fought against the Slavs and oppressed the dulebs - real Slavs, and did violence to the wives of the Duleb: it happened, when an obryn went, he did not allow a horse or an ox to be harnessed, but ordered three, four or five wives to be harnessed in a cart and to carry him - an obryn, - and so they tormented the dulebs. These obry were great in body and proud in mind, and God destroyed them, they all died, and not a single obry remained. And there is a saying in Russia to this day: “They perished like a brute”, - they have neither a tribe nor offspring.

Medieval written documents recorded the residence of Dulebs in Volyn, in the Czech Republic, on the middle Danube between Lake Balaton and the Mursa River, as well as on the upper Drava. V.V. Sedov considers the Dulebs an ancient tribe that settled in the 6th-7th centuries. in the area of ​​the Prague-Korchak culture (sklavins).

The Tale of Bygone Years says that the Dulebs lived along the Western Bug, where "now the Volynians", and it also says that the Buzhans were nicknamed so because they "sat along the Bug", and then they "began to be called Volynians". Historians explain this place in the chronicle in different ways. Some see in the Buzhans and Volynians of the 9th-10th centuries. descendants of the dulebs of the 6th-7th centuries. Others see in the Volynians a collective polytonym, derived from the name of the city of Volyn, and denoting the union of several tribes.

The nature of the tribal organization

In historical literature, there are several points of view on the nature of the annalistic tribes of the Eastern Slavs:

1. These were exclusively territorial associations (S. M. Seredonin, V. O. Klyuchevsky, M. K. Lyubavsky).

2. Tribes are ethnographic groups (A. A. Spitsyn, A. V. Artsikhovsky and B. A. Rybakov), the same opinion is shared by philologists A. A. Shakhmatov, A. I. Sobolevsky, E. F. Karsky, D. N. Ushakov, N. N. Durnovo

3. The tribes were political entities (N. P. Barsov). According to the ideas of V. V. Mavrodin and B. A. Rybakov, the chronicle meadows, Drevlyans, Radimichi and others were unions of tribes that united several separate Slavic tribes.

The words "clan" and "tribe" in the Russian chronicle designate a consanguineous group. The word "language" also meant tribes speaking special languages.

Contemporaries distinguished East Slavic tribes according to a number of features: name, habitat, customs and "laws of the fathers", which concerned marriage and family relations and funeral rites, as well as legends. At the same time, according to contemporaries, the tribes did not differ linguistically, although in fact there were serious dialectal differences, and Russia was bilingual and used the Scandinavian language. Archaeologists distinguish tribes by their characteristic decorations (temporal rings) and the type of burials. Ethnographers believe that the Eastern Slavic tribes differed in the religious preferences of one or another god (Perun is “our god” among Russia).

Each tribe had its own "city" (Tivertsy, Ulichi, Drevlyane, Rus) and one main "city": Kyiv (Polyane), Novgorod (Slovene), Smolensk (Krivichi), Polotsk (Krivichi-Polotchan), Iskorosten (Drevlyane) . Archaeologists suggest that some tribes (Smolensk Krivichi) have a “nesting” structure of settlements: next to one fortified “city” there was a nest or two nests of unfortified settlements. "Grad" was a gathering place for veche, religious worship (the swamp settlements of the Smolensk Krivichi) and performed defensive functions.

The chronicler denotes the political organization of the tribes with the word “principality”, listing individual reigns: among the glades, among the Drevlyans, among the Dregovichi, among the Slovenes “in Novgorod” and “on the Polota River, where the Polochans are”. Under "reigning" in a narrow sense was understood the presence of the institution of hereditary princely power. The territorial designation of the tribe was the word "land" (Derevskaya land, Russian land). The power in the tribe belonged to the prince and vech. The chronicler tells about the adoption of a decision at a veche in the city of Iskorosten in 945 with the words “having thought with his prince Mal.” Mal is called the "Prince of the Woods". Also mentioned are the "best men" who "hold the Derevskaya earth". These men were sent to the embassy by the "Derevskoy zemlya" and talked about their "good princes" who "herd" the Derevskaya zemlya. The "elders of the city" are also mentioned. A similar political organization is also found among other East Slavic tribes of the 9th-12th centuries, as well as among the Ants and Polyans in the 6th-8th centuries.

Constantine Porphyrogenitus uses the term "Slavinia" in relation to the East Slavic tribes, which was first used in the 7th century. by Theophylact Simokatta in relation to the Slavs who settled in the Balkans. It meant both the area of ​​​​settlement of the Slavic tribe or tribal union, and the special pre-state socio-political organization of the Slavs, which allowed them to regulate internal relations, defend independence from external forces and organize military enterprises. At the head of each Slavinia was a leader ("archon" or "rix"), surrounded by tribal nobility.

Ibn Ruste (n. X century) describes a more developed system of power among the Slavs (information about different groups of tribes is mixed): “Their head is crowned, they obey him and do not deviate from his words. His seat is in the middle of the country of the Slavs. And the said head, whom they call “head of heads” (ra’is ar-ruasa), is called by them sweet-malik, and he is higher than supanej, and supanej is his deputy (viceroy). This king has riding horses ... He has beautiful, durable and precious chain mail. The city where he lives is called Jarvab... The king visits them every year. And if one of them has a daughter, then the king takes one of her dresses a year, and if a son, then he also takes one of her dresses a year. Whoever has neither a son nor a daughter, he gives one of the dresses of his wife or slave a year. And if the king catches a thief in his country, he either orders him to be strangled, or puts him under the supervision of one of the rulers on the outskirts of his possessions.

If “principalities” and “Slavinia” denote tribal formations of the period of “military democracy”, then in the description of Ibn Rust, historians see signs of an emerging state: the institutionalization of supra-tribal power, reliance on force, the existence of taxes and universally binding law.

Hierarchy of tribes

The tribal structure of the East Slavic society of the period of "military democracy" is characterized by the desire of one tribe to rise above other neighboring tribes.

In the 6th century, the Antian envoy Mezamir, who himself was called "an empty talker and a braggart", upon arrival at the Avars, "threw them with arrogant and even impudent speeches." The words of a similar speech by the Slavic leader Davrit have been preserved: “Was that person born into the world and warmed by a ray of the sun who would subdue our strength? Not others are our land, but we are accustomed to possessing someone else's.

The primordial Slavs in the legends called themselves the Polans, the Volynians and, mentioned by the Bavarian Geographer, the Dawns, “who alone have a kingdom and from whom all the tribes of the Slavs ... originate and lead their kind.” For other tribes, all sorts of offensive names were invented: “talkers” (Tivertsy), “carpenters” (residents of Novgorod), “Pishchantsy” (Radimichi), “finders”, “dromites”, “nomads” (Rus), “paktiots” ( Slavs according to Constantine Porphyrogenitus, X century), “Germans” (Drevlyans according to Leo the Deacon, X century), “fleeing slaves” (residents of Kyiv according to Titmar of Merseburg, n. XI century), etc.

To designate a place in the tribal hierarchy, associations with shoes were used: “in boots” - the dominant tribe, “bast shoes” - tributaries, the custom of leaving the city of a barefoot elder is described, which meant submission to the conqueror (Smolensk, Vladimir Volynsky). The occupation of the tribe (“men of the blood” - Rus), the color of the tents, the material and size of clothes, sails, etc., also played an important role.

The Tale of Bygone Years tells that the meadows “have the custom of their fathers meek and quiet”, and the Drevlyans, Radimichi, Vyatichi, Northerners and Krivichi “lived the animal custom, lived like cattle”, “in the forest, like all animals” : "they killed each other, ate everything unclean, and they did not have marriages, and shamed them in the presence of their fathers and daughters-in-law."

Near the year 907, it is told about the Rus and Slovenes: “And Russia raised the sails from the curtains, and the Slavs are kopriny, and the wind tore them apart; and the Slavs said: “Let’s take our thick ones, the sails from the curtains were not given to the Slavs.”

Tribal confederations

Historians believe that the tribes of The Tale of Bygone Years included several tribal groups (“clans”, “tribes”), whose names, unknown to the chronicler, are given by the Bavarian Geographer. The number of cities named in the source is compared with the number of tribal communities (100-150 people each) or their groups united around the “city”, in which city elders, representatives of the surrounding clans, gathered at the veche.

It is most likely that the Krivichi tribe, indeed, consisted of several groups: the annals mention "all Krivichi", Krivichi-Polotchan and Smolensk Krivichi, who pursued an independent foreign policy, are distinguished. Archaeologists separate the Pskov Krivichi from the Smolensk-Polotsk. In addition, the Latvians still call the Russians an ethnonym derived from the name of the Krivichi (krievs), which indicates its collective nature. Archaeologists call the Krivichi a "tribal group" formed as a result of the interaction of Slavic settlers with the local Baltic-speaking population. It is possible that the Krivichi are a political entity known from the Baltic legends about the Great Krivi.

The Ilmen Slovenes were also in confederate relations with neighboring peoples. It is believed that on the site of Novgorod there were settlements of various tribes that surrounded the empty space, which served as a gathering place for the allied council. From these settlements, the "ends" (self-governing districts) of the city arose, including the Slovenian and Nerevsky ends (Nereva - a Baltic tribe). In the middle of the 9th century, a confederation of tribes was formed, located on vast expanses, which included Chud, Slovene (Novgorod), Krivichi (Polotsk), Vesy (Beloozero), Merya (Rostov) and Muroma (Murom).

Northerners, according to historians, united three tribal groups. Uchi and Tivertsy acted in the union. Radimichi and Vyatichi are believed to have originally been one tribe (Vyatichi), and then separated, as the legend of the brothers Radim and Vyatko speaks of.

The institutionalization of power in tribal alliances

When tribes united into unions, supra-tribal power arose, which was not reduced to patriarchal tribal power. Since alliances were created in connection with the need to protect themselves from external enemies, the princes, who had the strongest squads of professional warriors, had special authority among the tribes. Such princes led the tribal militias and thus institutionalized their power. Ibn Ruste calls the chief prince of the union "light malik (ruler)", which can be understood as "bright prince". The treaty of 911 mentions the "light and great princes" of the Eastern Slavs. These titles denoted the “prince of princes” of the union, that is, an institution appeared that was not characteristic of a separate clan or tribe.

The union veche also differed from the usual people's assembly. The Scandinavian saga about Olaf mentions a people's meeting in Novgorod, which was attended by "people from all nearby areas", but in practice this was impossible, so it should be assumed that the tribes were represented by "the best men" at the veche of the union. If you literally trust the legend of the “Khazar tribute”, when the clearing at the veche decided to pay tribute with swords, then it can be argued that representatives of the military nobility were included in the veche.

The prince, squad and veche, consisting of military and tribal nobility, began to separate from ordinary fellow tribesmen. They personified tribal power. This power was denoted by the words "prince", "own" and "hold", and the ruling elite designated themselves with the words "lord" (Dobragast, Kelagast, Ardegast, Gostomysl) and "owner" (Volodislav, Volodimer).

Tribal relations

Unlike the state, tribal unions did not imply the establishment of tributary relations between tribes. Tribute was established, as a rule, when multilingual tribes were subjugated to each other. Scythian kings collected bronze tips and grain from subject tribes. Primitive taxes, judging by the German epic about Woden, existed among the Goths in the Black Sea region. Huns and Avars burdened neighbors with payments. Avars and Hungarians wintered in Slavic villages. In the 7th-10th centuries Slavs (Polyans, northerners, Vyatichi and Radimichi) paid tribute to the Khazars with fur "from the smoke" (at home) or money "from the ral" (from the plow). In the VIII-IX centuries. the northern confederation of tribes paid tribute to the Varangians.

The tribute arose from the payment of an indemnity to the winner. Since the 6th century, the Slavs and Antes themselves received cash payments in exchange for an alliance from Byzantium. East Slavic folklore mentions tribute by girls, the winners demanded women as prey from the defeated tribe (in the annals - Rogneda, Olga). Olga, having gained the upper hand over the Drevlyans, gave some of them into slavery to her soldiers. The capture of slaves with the subsequent demand for ransom has been known among the Slavs and Antes since the 6th century. Arab authors call the Slavic tribes the slaves of the Rus tribe. Probably, some tribes fell into collective slavery to others, so the Slavs, according to the annals, say to the Rus: "Come reign and rule over us."

There is a version of the appearance of tribute as sacred gifts to the prince, who personified the sun. The myth about the origin of the princes from Dazhbog (“the sun-king”), the winter time for the collection of tribute and its name “circling” the prince and his squad (Konstantin Porphyrogenitus) are pointed out.

With the separation of the tribal nobility and professional squads, tributary relations began to arise within the tribes as well. The tribute was natural. The tribute to dresses described by Ibn Rust is fixed by linguistic data about the “pay money” among the Slavs (cf. Russian “to pay”). In The Tale of Bygone Years, particular importance is given to the prince's right to hunt (including birds) in the lands of tributary tribes. The Scandinavians borrowed from the Slavs the word "polyudye", which meant the collection of tribute. The presence of a prince with a retinue in the lands of tributaries was called "feeding", and the place of residence of the prince was called "table". The traditional tribute from the Slavs was collected in fur, honey and wax. The Rus tribe established a monetary percentage form of tribute.

Formation of statehood among the Eastern Slavs

There are different points of view on the process of turning tribal unions into a state.

In the XI-XVI centuries. dominated by theological and dynastic concepts. According to the first, dating back to the Cyril and Methodius tradition, the state arose in the confrontation between paganism (“old”) and Christianity (“new”). The fertile Christian beginning was personified by the apostles (Paul, Andronicus, Andrew), Christian martyrs and Christian princes (Askold, Olga, Vladimir). Christians, the "new people", were opposed to the tribes, "who do not know the law of God, but establish the law for themselves." Vladimir was considered the founder of the state, and the entire previous history acted only as a “shadow” of the Baptism of Russia in 988. Ivan the Terrible wrote: “The autocracy of the Russian Tsardom, filled with this true Orthodoxy, began by God’s will from the Grand Duke Vladimir, who enlightened the Russian land with holy baptism ...”

The dynastic concept traces the foundation of the state to the establishment of a new Rurik dynasty in 862, when Rurik headed the East Slavic tribes. Particular attention is paid to the origin and dynastic ties of the first Russian princes.

According to the theory of social contract, the state among the Eastern Slavs arose as a result of the voluntary calling of the Varangians and the establishment of contractual relations between Russia and other tribes: the existence of a special “row” (“pact”) is noted. Such agreements are known not only in Novgorod, but also in Kyiv (“Askold and Dir remained in this city and began to own the land of the glades”), Smolensk (“the Smolensk saw this, their elders went out to the tents” of Oleg), Severskaya land (laid a light tribute on them, and did not order them to pay tribute to the Khazars, saying: “I am their enemy and you (they) have no need to pay”), an agreement with the Radimichi (Oleg told them: “Don’t give the Khazars, but pay me”), and even in the Caucasus. The Russians, who took over the Caucasian city of Berdaa, declared: “There is no disagreement in faith between us and you. The only thing we want is power. It is our duty to treat you well, and it is your duty to obey us well.”

The patriarchal theory, popularized in Soviet times as a scientific one, insists that the state arose when clans united into tribes, tribes into unions, unions into “super unions”. At the same time, the power hierarchy became more complex. On the eve of the appearance of Russia in Eastern Europe, the existence of “three parts of the Rus” was recorded: Kuyavia (with a center in Kyiv), Artania (east of Slovenian lands) and Slavia (Slovenian land). When they were united in 882, under the rule of Oleg, a state arose.

The concept of conquest explains the emergence of the state among the Eastern Slavs by their subjugation to the Scandinavians. At the same time, the process of state formation dragged on for a long time, until a single state was formed from the scattered Varangian possessions by the middle of the 10th century, headed by Prince Igor, the first authentically known ruler of the dynasty of Kievan princes. Since that time, the process of centralization of the "patchwork empire" began, consisting of Slavic tribes that paid tribute to the Varangians.

The socio-economic concept that dominated Soviet science draws attention to the formation in the East Slavic society of social prerequisites for the formation of the state: the development of labor tools, the emergence of surpluses, inequality, private property and classes. The role of the tribes differed from the degree of development - readiness for the emergence of the state. The center for the formation of the prerequisites was the "Russian land" in the Middle Dnieper region (tribes of Polyans, Sevreyans and "Roses"). Within the framework of the concept, the identity of the tribes of the Polyans and Rus (“Roses”), ascending to the Ants, is affirmed. About the emergence of the state in the 850s. in the Middle Dnieper region, there is a mention of the “king of the Slavs”, which could well be the king of the Slavs Dir, the mentioned Masudi, whose grave is known in Kyiv, and he himself is mistakenly called the co-ruler of the Varangian Askold.

Another point of view singles out, as a decisive, foreign policy factor. To fight the Khazars, the tribes of the Middle Dnieper united in an alliance and created in the 830s - 840s. own state, headed by a kagan and a squad of hired Varangians.

Wikipedia

Kievan Rus 862 1240 ... Wikipedia

Kievan Rus 862 1240 ... Wikipedia

862 1240 ... Wikipedia

To the question who belongs to the Eastern Slavs? given by the author headman the best answer is Eastern Slavs - a cultural and linguistic community of Slavs who speak East Slavic languages. The East Slavic tribes, which, according to most scientists, managed to merge into a single ancient Russian people, made up the main population of the medieval state of Kievan Rus. As a result of the subsequent political stratification of the Eastern Slavs, by the 17th century, the Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples had formed (in descending order of numbers). Also, some sources consider the Carpathian Rusyns to be a separate East Slavic people.
East Slavic tribes
Proto-Russian





Proto-Ukrainians







Proto-Belarusians

Answer from 22 answers[guru]

Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: who belongs to the Eastern Slavs?

Answer from Neurologist[guru]
Eastern Slavs is like?
according to Levashov (the deceased), all peoples descended from the Slavs, excluding the Jews, since they descended from evil aliens. therefore the Chinese are Slavs.
The Chinese believe that the first man was not a Negro in Africa, but a slanted Asian from the Middle Kingdom, so the Slavs are Chinese!
Americans (those who are not the first generation of visitors) firmly believe that the Slavs are stupidly evil Russians, the Poles are non-Slovenes, Bulgarians and Turks are united, and Persia is a fruit!

Answer from dry out[newbie]

East Slavic tribes
Proto-Russian
Vyatichi - the upper and middle Oka and the Moscow River
Radimichi (partially Proto-Belarusians) - the interfluve of the upper Dnieper and Desna along the Sozh and its tributaries
Northerners (partly Proto-Ukrainians) - the territory of modern Chernihiv, Sumy, Kursk and Belgorod regions
Ilmen Slovenes - the basin of Lake Ilmen and the upper reaches of the Mologa
Krivichi (partially Proto-Belarusians) - the territory of the current Vitebsk, Mogilev, Pskov, Bryansk and Smolensk regions, as well as eastern Latvia
Proto-Ukrainians
White Croats - neighborhood of the city of Przemysl on the river San
Buzhans, or dulebs (from the tenth century - Volynians) - the basin of the upper reaches of the Western Bug
Drevlyans - Ukrainian Polissya (mainly in Zhytomyr and the west of the Kyiv region)
Glade - the middle course of the Dnieper, on its right bank
Northerners (partially Proto-Russian) - the territory of modern Chernihiv, Sumy, Kursk and Belgorod regions
Tivertsy - the interfluve of the Dniester and Prut, as well as the Danube, including the Budzhak coast of the Black Sea on the territory of modern Moldova and Ukraine
Ulichi - lands along the lower reaches of the Dnieper, the Southern Bug and the Black Sea coast
Proto-Belarusians
Dregovichi - a district of the Gomel, Brest and Minsk regions of Belarus
Krivichi (partly Pranovgorodtsy) - the territory of the current Vitebsk, Mogilev, Pskov, Bryansk and Smolensk regions, as well as eastern Latvia
Radimichi (partly Proto-Russian) - the interfluve of the upper Dnieper and Desna along the Sozh and its tributaries

Answer from Vika Vasilyeva[newbie]
b

Answer from Liza Kuzina[newbie]
I do not remember.

Answer from Mikhail Bobreshov[active]
Many tribes of Eastern Slavs and their tribal unions. Enumeration will not give a complete picture. In the West: Poles, Czechs, Serbs, etc. - all Slavs. The Slavs are an ancient people who had bright knowledge and culture. The Slavs are at least 10 thousand years old. Rus is the ancestral way of the Slavs. Russia is the generic device of the country among the Slavs.

Answer from Yury Ryabov[newbie]
Eastern Slavs are not a cultural and linguistic community of Slavs speaking East Slavic languages. The East Slavic tribes, which, according to most scientists, managed to merge into a single ancient Russian people, made up the main population of the medieval state of Kievan Rus. As a result of the subsequent political stratification of the Eastern Slavs, by the 17th century, the Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples had formed (in descending order of numbers). Also, some sources consider the Carpathian Rusyns to be a separate East Slavic people.
East Slavic tribes
Proto-Russian
Vyatichi - the upper and middle Oka and the Moscow River
Radimichi (partially Proto-Belarusians) - the interfluve of the upper Dnieper and Desna along the Sozh and its tributaries
Northerners (partly Proto-Ukrainians) - the territory of modern Chernihiv, Sumy, Kursk and Belgorod regions
Ilmen Slovenes - the basin of Lake Ilmen and the upper reaches of the Mologa
Krivichi (partially Proto-Belarusians) - the territory of the current Vitebsk, Mogilev, Pskov, Bryansk and Smolensk regions, as well as eastern Latvia
Proto-Ukrainians
White Croats - neighborhood of the city of Przemysl on the river San
Buzhans, or dulebs (from the tenth century - Volynians) - the basin of the upper reaches of the Western Bug
Drevlyans - Ukrainian Polissya (mainly in Zhytomyr and the west of the Kyiv region)
Glade - the middle course of the Dnieper, on its right bank
Northerners (partially Proto-Russian) - the territory of modern Chernihiv, Sumy, Kursk and Belgorod regions
Tivertsy - the interfluve of the Dniester and Prut, as well as the Danube, including the Budzhak coast of the Black Sea on the territory of modern Moldova and Ukraine
Ulichi - lands along the lower reaches of the Dnieper, the Southern Bug and the Black Sea coast
Proto-Belarusians
Dregovichi - a district of the Gomel, Brest and Minsk regions of Belarus
Krivichi (partly Pranovgorodtsy) - the territory of the current Vitebsk, Mogilev, Pskov, Bryansk and Smolensk regions, as well as eastern Latvia
Radimichi (partly Proto-Russian) - the interfluve of the upper Dnieper and Desna along the Sozh and its tributaries

Answer from Maxim Pakolov[newbie]
Eastern Slavs are not a cultural and linguistic community of Slavs speaking East Slavic languages. The East Slavic tribes, which, according to most scientists, managed to merge into a single ancient Russian people, made up the main population of the medieval state of Kievan Rus. As a result of the subsequent political stratification of the Eastern Slavs, by the 17th century, the Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples had formed (in descending order of numbers). Also, some sources consider the Carpathian Rusyns to be a separate East Slavic people.
East Slavic tribes
Proto-Russian
Vyatichi - the upper and middle Oka and the Moscow River
Radimichi (partially Proto-Belarusians) - the interfluve of the upper Dnieper and Desna along the Sozh and its tributaries
Northerners (partly Proto-Ukrainians) - the territory of modern Chernihiv, Sumy, Kursk and Belgorod regions
Ilmen Slovenes - the basin of Lake Ilmen and the upper reaches of the Mologa
Krivichi (partially Proto-Belarusians) - the territory of the current Vitebsk, Mogilev, Pskov, Bryansk and Smolensk regions, as well as eastern Latvia
Proto-Ukrainians
White Croats - neighborhood of the city of Przemysl on the river San
Buzhans, or dulebs (from the tenth century - Volynians) - the basin of the upper reaches of the Western Bug
Drevlyans - Ukrainian Polissya (mainly in Zhytomyr and the west of the Kyiv region)
Glade - the middle course of the Dnieper, on its right bank
Northerners (partially Proto-Russian) - the territory of modern Chernihiv, Sumy, Kursk and Belgorod regions
Tivertsy - the interfluve of the Dniester and Prut, as well as the Danube, including the Budzhak coast of the Black Sea on the territory of modern Moldova and Ukraine
Ulichi - lands along the lower reaches of the Dnieper, the Southern Bug and the Black Sea coast
Proto-Belarusians
Dregovichi - a district of the Gomel, Brest and Minsk regions of Belarus
Krivichi (partly Pranovgorodtsy) - the territory of the current Vitebsk, Mogilev, Pskov, Bryansk and Smolensk regions, as well as eastern Latvia
Radimichi (partly Proto-Russian) - the interfluve of the upper Dnieper and Desna along the Sozh and its tributaries

Answer from Andrey cherapkin[newbie]
The Eastern Slavs are those who are Orthodox and write in Cyrillic, this is not one ethnic group, this includes the Polan tribes and the Balts and the Finns and the Rus-Vikings .. and why they began to call them all Russians because at the end of the 16th century an Orthodox patriarch appeared in Moscow (dad ) and he was called the Patriarch of All Russia, this was a way to influence Orthodox Russia. Russia then entered into an alliance with Protestant Sweden, fleeing from the Moscow oprichnina .. and the Orthodox who lived in the Commonwealth but obeyed the patriarch began to be called Russians, in Polish Russian

Answer from Kadiali Magomedgadzhiev[newbie]
.

Eastern Slavs on Wikipedia
Check out the wikipedia article on East Slavs

Buzhan - the name of a group of tribes of Eastern Slavs who lived in the upper reaches of the Western Bug. From the end 10th century were part of the Old Russian state.

Vyatichi - the union of the East Slavic tribes of the upper and middle reaches of the river. Okie. As part of Kievan Rus from ser. 10th century From the 12th century the territory of the Vyatichi was part of the Chernigov, Rostov-Suzdal and Ryazan principalities.

Drevlyans - a tribal association that occupied in VI-X centuries territory of Polissya, Right-bank Ukraine according to tech. rr. Black grouse, Uzh, Harvest, Stviga. They bordered on the Volhynians, Buzhans, Dregovichi. The main city is Iskorosten. For a long time they resisted inclusion in the Kievan Rus. They were taxed by Oleg in 883.

Dregovichi - tribal union of the Slavs. Habitats - northern regions of the Dnieper right bank. In ancient times, they had their reign with the main city of Turov on Pripyat. As part of Kievan Rus from the 10th century. They became the basis of the Turov principality.

Duleby - a tribal association on the territory of Western Volhynia. AT VII in. subjected to devastating raids by the Avars. In 907, the duleb squad participated in Oleg's campaign against Tsargrad. Under the name of Buzhan and Volynyan in X in. became part of Kievan Rus.

Ilmen Slovenes - one of the largest Slavic associations located near Fr. Ilmen, along the river. Volkhov, Lovat, Msta, Molocha. Neighbors are the Finno-Ugric tribes of Chud and Merya. In the beginning. IX in. Together with the Krivichi and Chud, they created the union of Slavia, which became the core of the Novgorod land.

Krivichi - union of East Slavic tribes in VI–X centuries It was located on the watershed of the Western Dvina, Dnieper and Volga. The main cities are Smolensk, Polotsk and Izborsk. FROM IX in. within Kievan Rus. AT 11th-12th centuries the territory of the Krivichi - in the Smolensk and Polotsk principalities, the northwestern part - in the Novgorod possessions.

Glade - East Slavic tribal union VI-IX centuries along the middle course of the Dnieper from Pripyat to Ros. They formed the core of the ancient Russian state.

Radimichi - a tribal association located in the eastern part of the upper Dnieper region, along the river. Sozh and its tributaries. As well as Vyatichi, it is possible that they are connected with the Western Slavs. From Ser. IX in. paid tribute to the Khazars. In 885 they were annexed by Oleg, they finally lost their political independence in 984, when their army was defeated by the Wolf's Tail - the governor of Prince Vladimir.

Northerners - an alliance of tribes in the 7th - 9th centuries, located along the river. Desna, Sejm, Sule. They paid tribute to the Khazars. From about 865 they were part of Russia.

Tivertsy - a tribal association that lived along the Dniester to the Black Sea and the mouth of the Danube. In 907 and 944 they took part in the campaign against Tsargrad. C ser X in. within Kievan Rus. Under the blows of the Pechenegs and Polovtsy to 12th century moved north, where they gradually mixed with other tribes.

Uchi - one of the tribal associations of the Eastern Slavs, who lived, according to the PVL, in the Lower Dnieper region, the Bug region and on the shores of the Black Sea. They waged a stubborn struggle with Kyiv for independence. For three years, their main city Peresechen was besieged by the Kyiv governor Sveneld. Under the onslaught of nomadic tribes, they retreated to the North. From Ser. X in. as part of the Old Russian state

The Eastern Slavs are a large group of kindred peoples, which today number more than 300 million people. The history of the formation of these peoples, their traditions, faith, relations with other states are important moments in history, since they answer the question of how our ancestors appeared in antiquity.

Origin

The question of the origin of the Eastern Slavs is interesting. This is our history and our ancestors, the first mention of which dates back to the beginning of our era. If we talk about archaeological excavations, then scientists find artifacts indicating that the nationality began to form even before our era.

All Slavic languages ​​belong to a single Indo-European group. Its representatives stood out as a nationality around the 8th millennium BC. The ancestors of the Eastern Slavs (and many other peoples) lived near the shores of the Caspian Sea. Around the 2nd millennium BC, the Indo-European group broke up into 3 peoples:

• Pro-Germans (Germans, Celts, Romans). Filled Western and Southern Europe.
• Baltoslavs. They settled between the Vistula and the Dnieper.
• Iranian and Indian peoples. They spread throughout Asia.

Around the 5th century BC, the Balotoslavs are divided into Balts and Slavs, already in the 5th century AD, the Slavs, in short, are divided into eastern (eastern Europe), western (central Europe) and southern (Balkan Peninsula).

To date, the Eastern Slavs include: Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians.

The invasion of the Hun tribes into the territory of the Black Sea region in the 4th century destroyed the Greek and Scythian state. Many historians call this fact the root cause of the future creation of the ancient state by the Eastern Slavs.

History reference

resettlement

An important question is how the development of new territories by the Slavs took place, and how their resettlement took place in general. There are 2 main theories of the appearance of the Eastern Slavs in Eastern Europe:

• Autochthonous. It assumes that the Slavic ethnos was originally formed on the East European plain. The theory was put forward by the historian B. Rybakov. There are no significant arguments in its favor.
• Migration. Suggests that the Slavs migrated from other regions. Solovyov and Klyuchevsky argued that the migration was from the territory of the Danube. Lomonosov spoke about migration from the Baltic territory. There is also a theory of migration from the regions of Eastern Europe.

Around the 6th-7th centuries, the Eastern Slavs settled the territory of Eastern Europe. They settled in the territory from Ladoga and Lake Ladoga in the North to the Black Sea coast in the south, from the Carpathian Mountains in the West to the Volga territories in the East.

13 tribes lived in this territory. Some sources speak of 15 tribes, but these data do not find historical confirmation. The Eastern Slavs in ancient times consisted of 13 tribes: Vyatichi, Radimichi, Polans, Polochans, Volynians, Ilmens, Dregovichi, Drevlyans, Ulichi, Tivertsy, Northerners, Krivichi, Dulebs.

The specifics of the settlement of the Eastern Slavs on the East European Plain:

• Geographic. There are no natural barriers, which facilitated movement.
• Ethnic. A large number of people with different ethnic composition lived and migrated in the territory.
• Sociability. The Slavs settled near captivity and unions, which could influence the ancient state, but on the other hand could share their culture.

Map of the settlement of the Eastern Slavs in antiquity

Tribes

The main tribes of the Eastern Slavs in antiquity are presented below.

Glade. The most numerous tribe, strong on the banks of the Dnieper, south of Kyiv. It was the clearing that became the sink for the formation of the ancient Russian state. According to the chronicle, in 944 they stopped calling themselves glades, and began to use the name Rus.

Slovenian Ilmen. The northernmost tribe that settled around Novgorod, Ladoga and Lake Peipus. According to Arab sources, it was the Ilmens, together with the Krivichs, who formed the first state - Slavia.

Krivichi. They settled north of the Western Dvina and in the upper reaches of the Volga. The main cities are Polotsk and Smolensk.

Polochane. Settled south of the Western Dvina. A minor tribal union that did not play an important role in the fact that the Eastern Slavs formed a state.

Dregovichi. They lived between the upper reaches of the Neman and the Dnieper. They mostly settled along the Pripyat River. All that is known about this tribe is that they had their own principality, the main city of which was Turov.

Drevlyans. Settled south of the Pripyat River. The main city of this tribe was Iskorosten.

Volynians. They settled earlier than the Drevlyans at the headwaters of the Vistula.

White Croats. The most western tribe, which was located between the rivers Dniester and Vistula.

Duleby. They were located east of the White Croats. One of the weakest tribes that did not last long. They voluntarily became part of the Russian state, having previously broken up into Buzhans and Volhynians.

Tivertsy. They occupied the territory between the Prut and the Dniester.

Uglichi. They settled between the Dniester and the Southern Bug.

northerners. They mainly occupied the territory adjacent to the Desna River. The center of the tribe was the city of Chernihiv. In the future, several cities were formed on this territory at once, which are known today, for example, Bryansk.

Radimichi. They settled between the Dnieper and the Desna. In 885 they were annexed to the Old Russian state.

Vyatichi. They were located along the sources of the Oka and Don. According to the chronicle, the legendary Vyatko was the ancestor of this tribe. At the same time, already in the 14th century there were no mentions of the Vyatichi in the annals.

Tribal unions

The Eastern Slavs had 3 strong tribal unions: Slavia, Kuyavia and Artania.

In relations with other tribes and countries, the Eastern Slavs carried out attempts to capture raids (mutual) and trade. The main contacts were with:

• Byzantine Empire (Slav raids and mutual trade)
• Varangians (Varangian raids and mutual trade).
• Avars, Bulgars and Khazars (raids on the Slavs and mutual trade). Often these tribes are called Turks or Türks.
• Finno-Ugrians (Slavs tried to seize their territory).

What did you do

The Eastern Slavs were mainly engaged in agriculture. The specifics of their settlement determined the methods of cultivating the land. In the southern regions, as well as in the Dnieper region, chernozem soil dominated. Here the land was used up to 5 years, after which it was depleted. Then people moved to another site, and the exhausted one recovered for 25-30 years. This farming method is called shifting .

The northern and central regions of the East European Plain were characterized by a large number of forests. Therefore, the ancient Slavs first cut down the forest, burned it, fertilized the soil with ashes, and only then proceeded to field work. Such a site was fertile for 2-3 years, after which it was left and moved on to the next one. This type of farming is called slash-and-burn .

If you try to briefly describe the main activities of the Eastern Slavs, the list will be as follows: agriculture, hunting, fishing, beekeeping (honey collection).

The main agricultural culture of the Eastern Slavs in ancient times was millet. Marten skins were mainly used by the Eastern Slavs as money. Much attention was paid to the development of crafts.

Beliefs

The beliefs of the ancient Slavs are called paganism, because there was a worship of many gods. Mostly deities were associated with natural phenomena. Almost every phenomenon or important component of life that the Eastern Slavs professed, corresponded to a certain god. For example:

• Perun - god of lightning
• Yarilo - god of the sun
• Stribog - the god of the wind
• Volos (Veles) - the patron saint of cattle breeders
• Mokosh (Makosh) - goddess of fertility
• And so on

The ancient Slavs did not build temples. They built rituals in groves, in glades, near stone idols and in other places. Attention is drawn to the fact that almost all fairy-tale folklore in terms of mysticism belongs precisely to the era under study. In particular, the Eastern Slavs believed in the goblin, brownie, mermaids, water and others.

How were the occupations of the Slavs reflected in paganism? It was paganism, which was based on worship of the elements and elements that affect fertility, that formed the attitude of the Slavs to agriculture as the main way of life.

social order