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【】d torenderanysortofdefenceagainstthisterribleene. itheyear1224thatthefirstgreattartarinvasion tookpladthatthehordesofjenghizkhan,thenqueror ofadetheirfirst appearaheiesennear thekalkariverandrussiaerongolians. justassuddenlyastheyhadetheydisappeared. thirteenyearslater,in1eyretued.inless thanfiveyearstheynqueredeverypartofthevastrussian plains.untiltheyear1380itrydonskoi,grand dukeofsontheplainsofkulikovo,the tartarsastersoftherussianpeople. allinall,ittooktherussiansturiestodeliver theelvesfrohisyoke.forayokeitost offensiveandobjeableouedtheslavicpeasants intoserableslaves.norussianuldhopetosurviveun lessheanwho satisoheheartofthesteppesofsouthe russiaandspatathiitdeprivedthessofthepeopleof allfeelingofhonourandindependedehungerand seryandltreatntandpersonalabusethenorlstate ofhueilatlasttheaveragerussian,werehe peasantooblen,abouthisbusinesslikeaed dogensooftenthathisspirithasbeenbroken andhedarenotission. thereenofthetartarkhan erciless.theendlessprairiedidnotgivea narossintothesafeterritoryofhisneighbour. hestkeepquietandbearasterdecided toinfliorruntheriskofdeath.ofurse,europe ghthaveinterfered.buteuropewasengageduponbusiness ofitsoingthequarrelsbethepopeand theeerororsuppressingthisorthatortheotherheresy. andsoeuropelefttheslavtohisfate,andforcedhio hisoion. thefinalsaviourofrussiaanysllstates, fouheearlynorserulers.ituatedintheheart oftherussianplain.itscapital,seep hillonthe, bydintofpleasiaro please,andopposinghidoso,had, duringtheddleofthefourteeurydeitselfthe leaderofabereeredthatthe tartarsinnstructivepoliticalability. theyuldoroy.theirchiefainnqueringnew territoriesoobtainreveogetthisrevehe forftaxes,itnantsof theoldpoliticalanizationtontinue.heherewere nylittletohegraceofthegreatkhan, thattheyghtactastaxgatherersandrobtheieighbours forthebeofthetartartreasury. thestateofsattheexpehe surroundiory,finallybecastrongenoughtorisk openrebellionagainstitssters,thetartars.itcessful anditsfaastheleaderinthecauseofrussianindependence deshenaturaltreforallthosewho stillbelievedierfuturefortheslavicratheyear 1458,nstantinopleakenbytheturks.tenyears later,uheruleofivaniii,sedthe totheworldly andspiritualianpire,and suaneireashadsurvivedin nstantinople.ageioerrible, thegranddukesenoughtoadoptthe titleofaionbythee powersofeurope. intheyear1598,usvite dynasty,desanrurik,cato anend.forthesevenyears,atartarhalfbreed,bythe naodunowasduring thisperiodthatthefuturedestinyofthelargessesofthe russianpeoplepirehinland butverypoorihereradeandtherewere nofactories.itsfeposed ofastroandavastnuerof illiteratepeasants.thisgovent,axtureofslavic, norse,byzaartarinfluences,reghing beyoerestofthestate.todefendthisstate,it neededanar.togatherthetaxes,hessary < officialsitneededland.iheeast anddity.but landhoutafeotillthefieldsahe adicpeasants ertheother,untilfinally,during thefirstyearofthesixteeury,theyally deapartofthesoiluponheylived.therussian peasaheybecaserfsorslaves andtheyreinedserfsuntiltheyear1861,heirfate hadbeesoterriblethattheyodieout. inthesevehtury,thissgrowing territorye aforcehherestofeuropeo re.in1618,afterthedeathodunohe russiannobleshadelectedoheirobertobe tsar.heily ofronotlehousejustoutsidethe krein. intheyear1672hisgreatgrandsoer,thesonofanother feodor,hechildenyearsold, hisstepsistersophiatookpossessionoftherussianthrone. thelittleboyospendhisdaysinthesuburbsof thenationalcapital,hefnerslived.surrounded bystchbarkeepers,dutchtraders,shecaries,italian barbers,frenasters, theyoungpriainedafirstbutratherextraordinary iressionofthatfaraysteriouseuropewhere thingsly. whenheeenyearsold,hesuddenlypushed sistersophiafrohethroerhielfbecatheruler ofrussia.heedhbeisarofa sebarbarousandhalfasiatiustbethesn headofacivilisednation.togerussiaoveight frobyzantiartarstateint ...