Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-06-06
RUSSIA.
A Brief Outline of RusSia's History
and Growth from the Earliest
Philadelphia Telegraph.

A Brief Outline of Russia's History
and Growth from the Earliest
Philadelphia Telegraph.
The earliest annals of Russia only fur
nish occasional glimpses Of Scythian and
other barbarous hordes roaming over it's
surface, and do not begin to bear authen-
ITCHY till the middle of the ninth CEN
fury. About that time a Baltic free
booter, named Rurik, probably Dane,
having been called in to aid the people of
Novgorod, pursued the course then com
mon with his class, and made himself
master of a great part of the
country. He was slain, A. D.
883, by Oleg, who treacherously seized
Kiev, and made it the seat of govern
ment About 954, he fitted out feet
of 1000 canoes, embarked $4,000 men,
and sailed from the mouth of the Dnieper
to attack Constantinople, but was pre-
vented by a tempest. A second expedi-
ton in GAL, under Igor, son of Rurik,
was defeated. In $50, new era COM
menced by the accession Of Vladimeer,
known in history by the name of ST..
Vladimeer the Great. He married
Anna, sister of the Greek emperor, Basil
/ IL, 1ue LII 700 CIIIDIdCCu OuIlSCldulUy.
His example was quickly fol-
lowed by almost all his subjects. He is
the first Russian sovereign who assumed
the title of Velike-Kniaz, or Grand
Duke. At his death, in 1915, he left
numerous sons, who quarreled in divid-
ing his dominions, and commenced a
series of internal feuds, which continued,
with little interruption, to distract the
country for about two centuries. The
first appearance Of unanimity was pro-
duced by a great common danger.
THE TARTARs,
who, under Genghis-Kahn, had overrun
many countries and overthrow many
dynasties of Asia, appeared under his
son Tooshi (Toushi), ON the southeast
frontiers of Russia, to the number of
$780, 900, and shortly after, Oh the river
Kalka, near the Sea of Azov, gained a
slight victory over the combined Russian
princes. The sudden death of Tooshi
prevented the Tartars from completing
their conquest till 1886, when they re-
turned, headed by Batoo (Batou),
Toosbi's son, wasted the country by fire
and sword, and brought it entirely under
their yoke. For two centuries and a
half the Tartars of Yapchak, 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's represen-
tatives to receive tribute, the Russian
rulers were required to lead their horses
by the bride, and feed them with corn
out of their cup Of state. During this
disastrous period the only part of the
country which remained free was Novgo-
rod, which, having at an earlier period
become an Independent republic, had
acquired great commercial Importance,
joined the Hanse league, and increased
III population to nearly 100000. In
1871, when the direct line of Batou be-
came extinct, and the Tartar throne was
claimed by rival competitors, the
and in 1880, Temnik-Mami, one of the
competitors, was encountered and sig
nally defeated by Demetrius ". The
Tartar power, however, still remained
mistaken, and Demetrius, notwithstand-
ing his victory, was obliged to sue for
peace. At length the Tartars of Kap-
chak met the celebrated Timor, who, in
two invasions of the Russian territory,
one in 1889 and another in 1895, afflicted
on them blows from which they never
recovered. The Russians were now able
to war with the Tartars on more than
equal terms. By the victories of Ivan
or John Ill, who began to rule in 1852,
their vassalage was off, and in 1880 the
Golden Horde itself ceased to exist.
FROM IVAN TO PETER THE GREAT.
The reign of Ivan commences new
epoch in Russian history. He not only
subdued the Tartars, but defeated the
Poles and Lithuanians, reunited the
minor principalities, and captured Nov
gorod. His name and deeds became we'll
known in the west, and ambassadors from
the European powers were seen for the
first time in his capital at Moscow. In
internal administration he proved him
self relentless despot, but the vastness
and splendor of his achievements entitle
him to be regarded as the founder of the
Russian Empire. He died in 1888, his
son and successor, Ivan w., who was
| CltI1 Jill yOdIo Oltt, stSouIIiCi U1lO 1CIIo
in 1913, and substituted title 'of Gar
for that of Veliki Kniaz, he is known in
history by the surname of the terrible,
and yet by his energetic measures, both
at home and abroad, he raised the
country to an unexampled height Of
prosperity. He died in 1854, having
added Siberia to the Empire. On the
death of his son Feodor, in 1898, the
male line of the freebooter, Rurik, whose
dynasty had furnished ffty-six sover-
eigns, and endured seven centuries be-
came extinct. For many years the
country was ruled by the oyrant Boris,
and afterwards became the prey of an
archy till 1913, when the national spirit
took fire, and Michael Romanof (Ro-
manow), descendent in the female line
from the house of Rurik, was after Sc
we're struggle, placed on the throne. From
him the present ruling dynasty is di-
rectly descended. Athis death, in 1915,
he was succeeded by his son Alexis.
This sovereign was twice married, and
left sons by both wives-Feodor and
| Ivan hv the f1rSt and Peter hv the Sec