Unit 5. From the History of Moscow

5.5.1 Text

The first mention of Moscow appears in the chronicles for 1147, nearly a century before the Mongol-Tatar invasion. In those times Mos­cow belonged to Yury Dolgoruky, Prince of Vladimir. It was a small set­tlement on the banks of the Moskva River. At the prince's order a wood­en fortress (a Kremlin) was erected on a high hill above the river. In the 13^th century Moscow became the centre of a principality. Moscow expanded its territory until it reached supremacy over all the other Rus­sian principalities, though still a Tatar vassal state. In 1320s the Ortho­dox church moved its administration from Vladimir to Moscow and that rose its prestige.

Prince Ivan I Kalita (1325—1341) was the first Moscow prince to be granted the right to collect the tribute money from the other Russian principalities. His grandson, Prince Dmitry Donskoi, was the victor of the battle of Kulikovo over Mongols in 1380.

Prince Ivan III who had earned himself the title Ivan the Great ex­panded Muscovy northwards. He subjugated Novgorod in 1487.

In 1472 Ivan the Great strengthened his position by marrying Sophia Paleologus as his second wife. She was a niece of the last Byzan­tine emperor. Since then Ivan had adopted the prestigious Byzantine em­blem of the double-headed eagle.

Already Ivan III saw Muscovy as an imperial power. Texts were propagated in order to give the dynasty a Roman pedigree and Byzan­tine regalia. To transform Moscow into a capital, a huge building pro­gramme was undertaken, involving the reconstruction of the Kremlin. The results were impressive. After the fall of Constantinople a monk from Pskov, writing to Ivan's son Vassily III, referred to Moscow as the third Rome: "Two Romes have already fallen, but the third remains standing, and the fourth there will not be."

When Ivan III died in 1505, his power of Muskovy was consolidated by his successor Vassily III, who annexed the principalities of Pskov (1510), Smolensk (1514), and Ryazan (1521).

5.5.2 Vocabulary. Pronounce the following words

Muscovy – Москвия

settlement – поселение

principality – княжество

supremacy – зд. верховная власть

vassal – вассальный, зависимый

tribute – дань

to subjugate – покорять, подчинять

to strengthen – усилить

to propagate – распространяться

pedigree – родословная

to undertake – предпринять

successor – преемник

to annex - присоединять

5.5.3 Questions. Answer the questions upon the text

1 Who is considered to be the founder of Moscow?

2 When was Moscow first mentioned?

3 What happened in 1320s?

4 What can you tell about the reign of Ivan Kalita and Ivan the Great?

5 What did Ivan the Great’s second marriage mean for him?

6 What programme was undertaken to transform Moscow into a capital of imperial power?

7 Who consolidated Muscovy after Ivan the Great’s death?

5.5.4 Match the two parts of the sentences

1 The first mention of Moscow … 2 It was a small settlement … 3 In 1320s the Orthodox church … 4 Prince Dmitry Donskoi … 5 In 1472 Ivan the Great strengthened … 6 To transform Moscow into a capital …

a) moved its administration from Vladimir to Moscow. b) was the victor of the battle of Kulikovo over Mongols in 1380. c) on the banks of the Moskva River. d) appears in the chronicles for 1147. e) a huge building programme was undertaken. f) his position by marrying Sophia Paleologus.

5.5.5 Agree or disagree with the following sentences

1 In the 13^th century Moscow became the centre of Russia.

2 Prince Ivan I Kalita was the first Moscow prince to be granted the right to collect the tribute money from the other Russia principalities.

3 In 1472 Ivan I Kalita strengthened his position by marrying Sophia Paleologus as his second wife.

4 Ivan III died in 1505.

5 The first mention of Moscovy appears in the chronicles for 1147.

6 Sophia Paleologus was a daughter of the last Byzantine emperor.

5.5.6 Find the synonyms to the following words according to the text

dependent; levy; to subdue; to intensify; to spread; to join; family tree; to enlarge.

5.5.7 Fill in the blanks with the verb “to be”

1 It … a small settlement on the banks of the Moskva River.

2 Prince Dmitry Donskoi … the victor of the battle of Kulikovo over Mongols in 1380.

3 Texts … propagated in order to give the dynasty a Roman pedigree and Byzantine regalia.

4 “Two Romes have already fallen, but the third remains standing, and the fourth there …”

5 When Ivan III died in 1505, his power of Muskovy … consolidated by his successor Vassily III.