The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-05-24
RUSSIA.
A Brief Outline of Russia's History and
Growth from the Earliest Times.
from the PHILADELPHIA Telegraph1

The earliest annals of Russia only
furnish occasional glimpses of Scythian
and other barbarous hordes roaming over
it's surface, and do not begin to bear marks
of authenticity till the middle of the
ninth century. About that time Baltic
freebooter named Rurik, probably a
Dane, having been called in to aid the
people of Novgorod, pursued the course
then common with his class, and made
himself master Of great part of the
country. He was slain, A. D. 883, by
Oleg, who treacherously seized Kiev, and
made it the seat of Government. About
904, he fitted out fleet of 1900 canoes,
embarked $4,000 men, and sailed from
the mouth of the Dnieper to attack Con-
stantinople, but was prevented by a
tempest. A second expedition in 941,
under Igor, son of Rurik, was defeated.
In $50, new era commenced by the ac-
cession of Vladimeer, known in history
by the name of st. Vladimeer the Great.
He married Anna, sister of the Greek
Emperor, Basil H., and in 988 embraced
Christianity. His example was quickly
followed by almost all his subjects, He
is the first Russian sovereign who as
sumed the title of Veliki Kniaz, or
Grand Duke. At his death, in 1915, he
left numerous sons. who quarreled in
dividing his dominions, and commenced
a series of internal feuds, which con-
tinued, with little interruption, to dis
tract the country for about two centuries.
The first appearance of unanimity was
produced by great common danger.
The Tartars, who, under Genghis
Khan, had overrun many countries and
overthrown many dynasties of Asia, ap-
peared under his son Tooshi (Toushi),
on the southeast frontiers of Russia, to
the number of 500, 900, and shortly after,
on the river Kalka, near the Sea of Azov,
gained slight victory over the combined
Russian Princes. The sudden death of
Tooshi prevented the Tartars from COM
pleting their conquest till 1886, when
they returned, headed by Batoo (Batou),
Tooshi's son, wasted the country with
fire and sword, and brought it entirely
under their yoke. For two centuries
and a half the Tartars of Kapchak, whose
Khans now fixed their Golden Horde or
imperial residence on the banks of the
Volga, held Russia in bondage, and,
though allowing the native Princes to
rule as their vassals, subjected them to
the most humiliating treatment. On the
annual visit Of the Khan representatives
to receive tribute, the Russian rulers
were required to lead their horses by the
bride, and feed them with corn out of
their cap OF state. During this disas-
trous period the only part of the country
which remained free was Novgorod,
which, having at an earlier period be-
come an Independent republic, had ac-
quired great commercial importance,
joined the Hanse league, and increased
in population to nearly 500, 900. In 1861,
when the direct line of Batou became ex-
tinct, and the Tartar throne was claimed
by rival competitors, the Russians were
encouraged to resist, and, in 1880, Tenn
nix Mani, one of the competitors, was
encountered ana signally defeated by
Demetrius ~. The Tartar power, how
ever, still remained mistaken, and De-
metrius, Notwithstanding his victory, was
obliged to sue for peace. At length the
Tartars of Kapchak met the celebrated
Timnr who In two invasinns of the Rms