The Empire of Russia | Page 2

Expedition.--Pusillanimity of the Greeks.--Death of Igor.--Regency of Olga.--Her Character.--Succession of Sviatoslaf.--His Impiety and Ambition.--Conquest of Bulgaria.--Division of the Empire.--Defeat, Ruin and Death of Sviatoslaf.--Civil War.--Death of Oleg.--Flight of Vladimir.--Supremacy of Yaropolk.


CHAPTER III.
REIGNS OF VLADIMIR, YAROSLAF, YSIASLAF AND VSEVOLOD.
From 973 to 1092.
Flight of Vladimir.--His Stolen Bride.--The March Upon Kief.--Debauchery of Vladimir.--Zealous Paganism.--Introduction of Christianity.--Baptism in the Dnieper.--Entire Change in the Character of Vladimir.--His Great Reforms.--His Death.--Usurpation of Sviatopolk the Miserable.--Accession of Yaroslaf.--His Administration and Death.--Accession of Ysiaslaf.--His Strange Reverses,--His Death.--Vsevolod Ascends the Throne.--His Two Flights to Poland.--Appeals to the Pope.--Wars, Famine and Pestilence.--Character of Vsevolod.


CHAPTER IV.
YEARS OF WAR AND WOE.
From 1092 to 1167.
Character of Vsevolod.--Succession of Sviatopolk.--His Discomfiture.--Deplorable Condition of Russia.--Death of Sviatopolk.--His Character.--Accession of Monomaque.--Curious Festival At Kief.--Energy of Monomaque.--Alarm of the Emperor At Constantinople.--Horrors of War.--Death of Monomaque.--His Remarkable Character.--Pious Letter To His Children.--Accession of Mstislaf.--His Short But Stormy Reign.--Struggles For the Throne.--Final Victory of Ysiaslaf.--Moscow in the Province of Souzdal.--Death of Ysiaslaf.--Wonderful Career of Rostislaf.--Rising Power of Moscow.--Georgievitch, Prince of Moscow.


CHAPTER V.
MSTISLAF AND ANDRé.
From 1167 to 1212.
Centralization of Power At Kief.--Death of Rostislaf.--His Religious Character.--Mstislaf Ysiaslavitch Ascends the Throne.--Proclamation of the King.--Its Effect.--Plans of André.--Scenes At Kief.--Return and Death of Mstislaf.--War in Novgorod.--Peace Concluded Throughout Russia.--Insult of André and Its Consequences.--Greatness of Soul Displayed By André.--Assassination of André.--Renewal of Anarchy.--Emigration From Novgorod.--Reign of Michel.--Vsevolod III.--Evangelization of Bulgaria.--Death of Vsevolod III.--His Queen Maria.


CHAPTER VI.
THE GRAND PRINCES OF VLADIMIR, AND THE INVASION OF GENGHIS KHAN.
From 1212 to 1238.
Accession of Georges.--Famine.--Battle of Lipetsk.--Defeat of Georges.--His Surrender.--Constantin Seizes the Scepter.--Exploits of Mstislaf.--Imbecility of Constantin.--Death of Constantin.--Georges III.--Invasion of Bulgaria.--Progress of the Monarchy.--Right of Succession.--Commerce of the Dnieper.--Genghis Khan.--His Rise and Conquests.--Invasion of Southern Russia.--Death of Genghis Khan.--Succession of His Son Ougadai.--March of Bati.--Entrance into Russia.--Utter Defeat of the Russians.


CHAPTER VII.
THE SWAY OF THE TARTAR PRINCES.
From 1238 to 1304.
Retreat of Georges II.--Desolating March of the Tartars.--Capture of Vladimir.--Fall of Moscow.--Utter Defeat of Georges.--Conflict of Torjek.--March of the Tartars Toward the South.--Subjugation of the Polovtsi.--Capture of Kief.--Humiliation of Yaroslaf.--Overthrow of the Gaussian Kingdom.--Haughtiness of the Tartars.--Reign of Alexander.--Succession of Yaroslaf.--The Reign of Vassuli.--State of Christianity.--Infamy of André.--Struggles With Dmitri.--Independence of the Principalities.--Death of André.


CHAPTER VIII.
RESURRECTION OF THE RUSSIAN MONARCHY.
From 1304 to 1380.
Defeat of Georges and the Tartars.--Indignation of the Khan.--Michel Summoned To the Horde.--His Trial and Execution.--Assassination of Georges.--Execution of Dmitri.--Repulse and Death of the Embassador of the Khan.--Vengeance of the Khan.--Increasing Prosperity of Russia. --The Great Plague.--Supremacy of Simon.--Anarchy in the Horde.--Plague and Conflagration.--The Tartars Repulsed.--Reconquest of Bulgaria.--The Great Battle of Koulikof.--Utter Rout of the Tartars.


CHAPTER IX.
DMITRI, VASSALI, AND THE MOGOL TAMERLANE
From 1380 to 1462.
Recovery of Dmitri.--New Tartar invasion.--The Assault and Capture of Moscow.--New Subjugation of the Russians.--Lithuania Embraces Christianity.--Escape of Vassali From the Horde.--Death of Dmitri.--Tamerlane--His Origin and Career.--His Invasion of India.--Defeat of Bajazet.--Tamerlane Invades Russia.--Preparations for Resistance.--Sudden Retreat of the Tartars.--Death of Vassali.--Accession of Vassali Vassilievitch.--The Disputed Succession.--Appeal to the Khan.--Rebellion of Youri.--Cruelty of Vassali.--The Retribution.


CHAPTER X.
THE ILLUSTRIOUS IVAN III.
From 1462 to 1480.
Ivan III.--His Precocity and Rising Power.--The Three Great Hordes.--Russian Expedition Against Kezan.--Defeat of the Tartars.--Capture of Constantinople By the Turks.--The Princess Sophia.--Her Journey To Russia, and Marriage With Ivan III.--Increasing Renown of Russia.--New Difficulty With the Horde.--The Tartars invade Russia.--Strife On the Banks of the Oka.--Letter of the Metropolitan Bishop.--Unprecedented Panic.--Liberation of Russia.


CHAPTER XI.
THE REIGN OF VASSILI.
From 1480 to 1533.
Alliance With Hungary.--A Traveler From Germany.--Treaty Between Russia and Germany.--Embassage to Turkey.--Court Etiquette.--Death of the Princess Sophia.--Death of Ivan.--Advancement of Knowledge.--Succession of Vassili.--Attack Upon the Horde.--Rout of the Russians.--The Grand Prince Takes the Title of Emperor.--Turkish Envoy to Moscow.--Efforts To Arm Europe Against the Turks.--Death of the Emperor Maximilian, and Accession of Charles V. to the Empire of Germany.--Death of Vassili.


CHAPTER XII.
IVAN IV.--HIS MINORITY.
From 1533 to 1546.
Vassili At the Chase.--Attention To Distinguished Foreigners.--The Autocracy.--Splendor of the Edifices.--Slavery.--Aristocracy.--Infancy of Ivan IV.--Regency of Hélène.--Conspiracies and Tumults.--War with Sigismond of Poland.--Death of Hélène.--Struggles of the Nobles.--Appalling Sufferings of Dmitri.--Incursion of the Tartars.--Successful Conspiracy.--Ivan IV. At the Chase.--Coronation of Ivan IV.


CHAPTER XIII.
THE REIGN OF IVAN IV.
From 1546 to 1552.
The Title of Tzar.--Marriage of Ivan IV.--Virtues of His Bride.--Depraved Character of the Young Emperor.--Terrible Conflagrations.--Insurrections.--The Rebuke.--Wonderful Change in the Character of Ivan IV.--Confessions of Sin and Measures of Reform.--Sylvestre and Alexis Adachef.--The Code of Laws.--Reforms in the Church.--Encouragement To Men of Science and Letters.--The Embassage of Schlit.--War With Kezan.--Disasters and Disgrace.--Immense Preparation For the Chastisement of the Horde.--The March.--Repulse of the Tauredians.--Siege of Kezan.--Incidents of the Siege.


CHAPTER XIV.
THE REIGN OF IVAN IV.--CONTINUED.
From 1552 to 1557.
Siege of Kezan.--Artifices of War.--The Explosion of Mines.--The Final Assault.--Complete Subjugation of Kezan.--Gratitude and Liberality of the Tzar.--Return To Moscow.--Joy of the inhabitants.--Birth of An Heir To the Crown.--Insurrection in Kezan.--The Insurrection Quelled.--Conquest of Astrachan.--The English Expedition in Search of a North-East Passage to India.--The Establishment at Archangel.--Commercial Relations Between France and Russia.--Russian Embassy to England.--Extension of Commerce.


CHAPTER XV.
THE ABDICATION OF IVAN IV.
From 1557 to 1582.
Terror of the Horde in Tauride.--War