The Making of Russian Political Traditions Essay

The Making of Russian Political Traditions - Essay Example It is obvious that features of such "driving forces" were specific for each empire, so these forces were essential for making political, economic, and even cultural "frames" of these empires. First of all, we need to juxtapose principal historic events of that time. The political and economic decline of Kiev in XII-XIII centuries led to strong regional developments (Keenan and Raeff, 2003). Rostov, the earliest princely centre in the north-east, was included in the princely rotation system for a long time. In the XII century, it became the patrimony of the younger branch of Vladimir II Monomakh's family. Under his son Yury Dolgoruky (1125-1157) and grandson Andrew I (1157-1174), the principality reached a high political and cultural development. In the XIII century, the principality of Moscow was created as an apanage (royal grant) within the grand principality of Vladimir. This new seat grew in importance when Michael Khorobrit, brother of Alexander Nevsky, conquered Vladimir (1248) and made himself prince of both centers. Daniel, Nevsky's son (1276-1303), was the progenitor of all the later Rurikid princes of Moscow. Yet, at that time the principality is very small and has insignificant political influence (Martin, 1995). The beginning of Moscow's rise to its later preeminence came during the reign of Daniel's son Ivan (1328-1341), who, by cooperating with khans of the Golden Horde, and also by his shrewd purchases (probably of tax-farming rights), greatly expanded the influence of his principality (Keenan and Raeff, 2003). We know that in time of the Mongol invasion many of the conquered cities made an unusual recovery and adjustment to the new relationships. Of course, some cities, such as Kiev, never fully recovered in Mongol times. However, new centers, such as Moscow and Tver, arose and flourished in Mongol times. The local princely dynasties continued unchanged in their traditional seats. Moreover, the northern Russian princes fell to quarreling and to maneuvering for their own advantage in the politics of the Golden Horde. In this period, rising of Muscovy was caused by "symbiosis" with the Golden Horde. However, why Muscovy was not "absorbed" by the Golden Horde Firstly, the Golden Horde was unstable as any multinational and highly heterogeneous empire, so its domination was not permanent. Then, this "symbiosis" was not comprehensive. Influence of the Golden Horde in the areas of religion and intellectual life was practically nonexistent. Limited contacts between the Slavic and Turkic populations, and the strong Orthodox clergy control in Muscovy were very favorable for surviving Russian culture. Comprehensive cooperation was only in the areas of the secular culture of the court and counting house. "Here, Slavs and Tatars elaborated together an international subculture whose language was Turkic and whose administrative techniques and chancellery culture were essentially those of the Golden Horde" (Keenan and Raeff, 2003). Severe and destructive conflicts between Muscovy and the Golden Horde appear only in the XIV century, when the Golden Horde was at the stage of decline. Conflicts between Dmitry Donskoy, grand prince of Moscow, and Mamai (1381), and also Tokhtamysh attacks on Moscow (Martin, 1995) signify the end of this "symbiosis" in the political sphere. Next period differs