Monday 28, 2015<\/p>\n
After almost two centuries of Mongol rule and influence, the Moscow Empire compiles many of the old Kiev appendages into one Muscovite State.\u00a0 Unlike the governance in Novgorod, in the Muscovite state, the Grand Prince becomes a lord, with all land belonging to him.\u00a0 In fact when property was sold the deed read, \u201cI have sold the land of the sovereign and of my possession,\u201d (Kaiser & Marker, 103).\u00a0 This feudal society is known as an autocracy, the Grand Prince having all the power as the head of state.\u00a0 What unfolds after 1453 (the fall of Constantinople to the Turks) is an additional power and prestige bestowed upon Russia with the world declaration of it being the \u201cNew Israel\u201d or \u201cThe Third Rome,\u201d (Kaiser & Marker, 104).<\/p>\n
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Constantinople became the center of Orthodoxy under the Greek Empire\u2019s control.\u00a0 Rus\u2019 always viewed this area, especially the Byzantine Empire as the source of Orthodoxy, so much so that the Muscovite prices Ivan III and Vasilii III regarded themselves as the descendants of the Greek tsars (Kaiser & Marker, 104).\u00a0 Thus with the fall of Constantinople, the Grand Prince of Moscow adopts another important role, a pope-like figure almost, as the Tsar, or Head of the Orthodoxy.<\/p>\n
A monk named Filofei declared Moscow as the Third Rome and emphasized it\u2019s importance as the center for Orthodoxy for the entire world.\u00a0 The Turks, who took over Constantinople were regarded as \u201cGodless infidels\u201d and it was up to the Tsars of Russia to create a place of salvation for the world, (Kaiser & Marker, 104).\u00a0 In the Filofei excerpts, the monk emphasizes the importance of this new capital of Orthodoxy, but also yields the Grand Prince of not abusing this power and that the Tsar is a servant for God.\u00a0 Filofei by declaring the Muscovite State as the new Rome also states, \u201cAnd there will not be a fourth. No one will replace your Christian tsardom,\u201d implying not only Russia\u2019s new position in the world, but also indefinitely expanding the autocracy of the Tsar, (Filofei, 1).<\/p>\n
With this in mind:<\/p>\n
By comparing the two documents we read for Monday\u2019s class, which form of governance holds more power?\u00a0 The Tsar, who is a representative of Orthodoxy for the world?\u00a0 Or does the Church have more power over the Tsar?<\/p>\n
After reading the new law codes of Moscow and their strict punishments, in what ways in religion a unifier for the new Moscow Empire?<\/p>\n
Do you think there could be possible problems that arise from the Tsar being aligned with the Church?\u00a0 Does this give him ultimate power?<\/p>\n
Works Cited<\/p>\n
Filofei. Moscow The Third Rome<\/em> (Excerpts). Harrington. Community UK. http:\/\/community.dur.ac.uk\/a.k.harrington\/3rdrome.html<\/p>\n Kaiser, Daniel H. and Gary Marker. Reinterpreting Russian History: Readings, 860-1860s. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Monday 28, 2015 After almost two centuries of Mongol rule and influence, the Moscow Empire compiles many of the old Kiev appendages into one Muscovite State.\u00a0 Unlike the governance in Novgorod, in the Muscovite state, the Grand Prince becomes a … Continue reading