History of the origin of the names of various countries. When Russia appeared

The history of the formation of the Russian state includes several hundred years of formation, political struggle and geographical changes. Let's try to find out when Russia appeared.

• The first mention of Russia appeared already in 862 ("The Tale of Bygone Years").
• The very word "Russia" was introduced by Peter I in 1719-1721.
• The Russian Federation was founded on December 25, 1991 after the collapse of the USSR.

And now let's look at the history of our state in more detail, highlighting the main historical periods development, and also find out what Russia was called at different times.

Old Russian state

The first mention of the Russian state in literary monuments is considered to be the calling of the Varangians in The Tale of Bygone Years. In 862, Russia already existed in the form of the Old Russian state, with its capital first in Novgorod, and then in Kyiv. The Rurik dynasty ruled the ancient Russian state. Subsequently, in 988, under the rule of Prince Vladimir, Russia, at that time already Kievan, adopted Christianity.

In 1132, when the last of the rulers, Mstislav Vladimirovich, died, the period of fragmentation of the Old Russian state began, and further, until the middle of the XIV century, Russia existed in the form of separate principalities, suffering from the Mongol-Tatar yoke and attacks from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Moscow State

Finally, in 1363, the Russian princes managed to combine their efforts and form a new Moscow principality, and later, thanks to the reign of Ivan III and the weakening of the power of the Golden Horde, Moscow stopped paying tribute to it, thus marking the end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke and a new milestone in the history of the Russian state.

In 1547, Ivan IV the Terrible came to power, and now the head of state is not a prince, but a tsar. Despite the fact that Ivan the Terrible was known for his cruelty, it was he who managed to significantly expand the borders of Russia.

After the reign of Ivan the Terrible in Russia, Time of Troubles- era coup d'état and riots. The Time of Troubles was brought to an end only in 1613, when the Romanov dynasty came to power.

Russian empire

At the beginning of the 17th century, when Tsar Peter I came to power, Russia began to develop by leaps and bounds. Actually, the word "Russia" itself was introduced into general use by Perth I, although it was used every now and then earlier in different sources, but mostly as a country name for foreigners. If before that the phrase "All Russia" was added to the title of the ruler (for example, Ivan IV the Terrible - Grand Duke of Moscow and All Russia or Mikhail Fedorovich - Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke of all Russia), then even before Peter I took the title of emperor, the following was engraved on the coins: "Tsar Peter Alekseevich, ruler of all Russia."

Further, thanks to the reforms of Peter I, Russia strengthens its army and becomes an Empire, at the head of which emperors often change after the death of Peter I. Under Catherine II Great Russia wages war with Turkey, the development of America begins, and foreign citizens are allowed to enter the territory of the Russian Empire itself and their residence in the country.

Russian republic

At the beginning of the 20th century, the first civil revolution took place (1905-1907), and then the second February Revolution of 1917. After it, the Provisional Government decided that from now on Russian empire becomes the Russian Republic. In October of the same year, the country becomes the Russian Soviet Republic thanks to the efforts of Vladimir Lenin and the Bolshevik Party.

In 1922, the Russian, Ukrainian, Belorussian and Transcaucasian republics formed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics headed by V. I. Lenin.

After his death in 1924, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, famous for his repressions and dictatorship, comes to power. Under him, industrialization begins, which led to the fact that industries National economy developed unevenly, therefore, many goods and consumer products were in short supply. In branch Agriculture collectivization was carried out, which led to famine in Ukraine, the Volga region and the North Caucasus.

In 1955, Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev became secretary of the Central Committee. Stalin's personality cult is being debunked. Many regimes established under Stalin are weakening.

In 1985, Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev came to power, under whom perestroika began, and after that, the collapse of the Soviet Union.

perestroika

The basis of perestroika were political and economic reforms in the USSR, but in reality the situation in the country only worsened. Again there was a shortage of goods, a card system was introduced, which had been forgotten since 1947. The national republics were dissatisfied with centralized power, as a result of which ethnic conflicts. Each republic demanded recognition of the priority of its own laws over the general laws of the Soviet Union.

In August 1991, an attempt was made to stop the collapse of the country, but it failed, and on December 8, the heads of Belarus, Ukraine and the Russian Federal Republic signed an agreement on the creation of the CIS, which became the actual date of the collapse of the USSR.

Here Short story of our country, which will help shed light on the origin of its name and better understand the history of the state.

Soviet Union ( -) Russian Federation (with ) Rulers | Chronology | Expansion Portal "Russia"

Traditionally, the date of the beginning of Russian statehood is considered to be 862, to which The Tale of Bygone Years refers to the calling of the Varangians-Rus (there are various versions about the origin of this people) to Novgorod the Great by tribal unions of the eastern Baltic and the upper Volga region: East Slavic Slovenes and Krivichi and Finno-Ugric Chuds , measure and weigh . In 882, the Rurik dynasty captured Kyiv and also took possession of the lands of the Polyans, Drevlyans, Severyans, Radimichis, Ulichs and Tivertsy, which together formed the main territory of the Old Russian state.

Old Russian state

During the period of maximum expansion of the borders, the Old Russian state also included the lands of the Dregovichi, Vyatichi, Volhynians, White Croats, Yotvingians, Muroms, Meshchers, possessions at the mouth of the Dnieper (Oleshye), on the lower Don (Sarkel) and on the banks of the Kerch Strait (Tmutarakan Principality) . Gradually, the tribal nobility was supplanted by the Rurikovichs, who already at the beginning of the 11th century reigned throughout the territory of Russia. Tribal names gradually ceased to be mentioned during the 11th-12th centuries (with the exception of tribal names in the territories of the eastern Baltic and the middle Volga basin dependent on Russian princes). At the same time, starting from the end of the 10th century, each generation of Rurikovich made sections of Russia among themselves, but the consequences of the first two sections ( and ) were gradually overcome through a fierce struggle for power, as well as the suppression of individual lines of the Rurikovich (). Section 1054, after which the so-called. The “triumvirate of the Yaroslavichs”, despite the long-term concentration of power in the hands of the younger Yaroslavich Vsevolod (-), was not completely overcome. After the struggle for power after his death, complicated by the intervention of the Polovtsy, in 1097, at the Lyubech Congress of Princes, the principle "each keeps his own land" was established.

After the allied actions of the princes, the fight against the Polovtsians was transferred from the southern Russian borders deep into the steppes, the new Kyiv prince Vladimir Monomakh and his eldest son Mstislav after a series internal wars managed to achieve recognition by some of the Russian princes of their power, others were deprived of their possessions. At the same time, the Rurikovichs began to enter into intra-dynastic marriages.

Russian principalities

In the 1130s, the principalities began to gradually get out of power. Kyiv princes, although the prince who owned Kyiv was still considered the eldest in Russia. With the beginning of the fragmentation of the Russian lands, the names "Rus", "Russian land" in most cases are applied to the Principality of Kyiv.

During the collapse of the Old Russian state, the Principality of Volyn, the Principality of Galicia, the Principality of Kiev proper, the Principality of Muromo-Ryazan, the Novgorod Land, the Principality of Pereyaslav, the Principality of Polotsk, the Principality of Rostov-Suzdal, the Principality of Turov-Pinsk, and the Principality of Chernigov were formed. In each of them, the process of formation of appanages began.

The strengthening of the position of the Grand Dukes of Vladimir after the Mongol invasion was facilitated by the fact that they did not participate in the large-scale South Russian civil strife in front of him, that the principality, until the turn of the XIV-XV centuries, did not have common borders with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which was expanding into Russian lands, and also that that the Grand Dukes of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, and then his son Alexander Nevsky, were recognized in the Golden Horde as the oldest in Russia. In fact, all the great princes were directly subordinate to the khans, first of the Mongol Empire, and from 1266 of the Golden Horde, they independently collected tribute in their possessions and forwarded it to the khan. From the middle of the 13th century, the title of the Grand Dukes of Chernigov was almost constantly owned by the Bryansk princes. Mikhail Yaroslavich of Tverskoy (-) was the first of the Grand Dukes of Vladimir to be called the "prince of all Russia."

In the XIV century, the great principalities of Tver and Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod were also formed in the northeast of Russia, the Smolensk princes also began to be titled great. Since 1363, the label for the great reign of Vladimir, which meant seniority within North-Eastern Russia and Novgorod, was issued only to Moscow princes, who from that time began to be titled great. In 1383, Khan Tokhtamysh recognized the Grand Duchy of Vladimir as the hereditary possession of the Moscow princes, at the same time sanctioning the independence of the Grand Duchy of Tver. The Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod Grand Duchy was annexed to Moscow in 1392. In 1405, Lithuania captured Smolensk. Finally, all Russian lands were divided between the great principalities of Moscow and Lithuania by the end of the 15th century.

Russian state

Russian kingdom

In the XVI and XVII centuries. our ancestors called “states” those regions that were once independent political units and then became part of the Muscovite state. From this point of view, then there was the "Novgorod state", "Kazan state", and the "Moscow state" often meant Moscow proper with its county. If they wanted to express the concept of the entire state in our sense, then they said: “all the great states of the Russian kingdom” or simply “Russian kingdom”.

Russian empire

After a special legal meeting. In fact - after the abdication of Mikhail Alexandrovich, brother of Nicholas II from March 3, 1917

Russian Democratic Federative Republic

Formed by the unification of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and the ZSFSR.

Also until the adoption of the new constitution in 1993, a new coat of arms was in development. De facto, on the territory of the Russian Federation in the first half of the 1990s, letterheads and seals of institutions with the old coat of arms and the name of the state of the RSFSR were still used, although they were supposed to be replaced during 1992.

The use of the name "Russian Federation" before the collapse of the USSR

• 1918 - in paragraph e) of Article 49 of the Constitution of the RSFSR of 1918 (as a variant of the name).
• 1966 - in the title of the book "Chistyakov O. I., Formation Russian Federation(1917-1922), M., 1966.
• 1978 - in the preamble to the 1978 Constitution of the RSFSR.

AT modern Russia some documents are still in force in which the old name "RSFSR" remains:

• Law of the RSFSR of December 15, 1978 (as amended on June 25, 2002) "On the protection and use of historical and cultural monuments"
• Law of the RSFSR dated 07/08/1981 (as amended on 05/07/2009) "On the judiciary of the RSFSR"
• Declaration of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR of June 12, 1990 N 22-1 "On State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic"
• Law of the RSFSR of October 24, 1990 N 263-1 "On the validity of acts of bodies USSR on the territory of the RSFSR"
• Law of the RSFSR of October 31, 1990 N 293-1 "On ensuring the economic basis of the sovereignty of the RSFSR"
• Law of the RSFSR of March 22, 1991 N 948-1 (as amended on July 26, 2006) “On Competition and Restriction of Monopoly Activities in Commodity Markets” (only Article 4 applies)
• Law of the RSFSR of 04/26/1991 N 1107-1 (as amended on 07/01/1993) "On the rehabilitation of repressed peoples"
• Law of the RSFSR dated 06/26/1991 N 1488-1 (as amended on 12/30/2008) "On investment activity in the RSFSR"
• Law of the RSFSR dated 06/26/1991 N 1490-1 (as amended on 02/02/2006) "On the priority provision of the agro-industrial complex with material and technical resources"
• Decree of the President of the RSFSR of November 15, 1991 N 211 (as amended on June 26, 1992) “On increasing wages workers budget organizations and institutions"
• Decree of the President of the RSFSR of November 21, 1991 N 228 "On the organization Russian Academy Sciences"
• Decree of the President of the RSFSR of November 25, 1991 N 232 (as amended on October 21, 2002) "On the commercialization of the activities of trade enterprises in the RSFSR"
• Decree of the President of the RSFSR of November 28, 1991 N 240 (as amended on October 21, 2002) "On the commercialization of the activities of public service enterprises in the RSFSR"
• Decree of the President of the RSFSR of December 3, 1991 N 255 "On priority measures for organizing the work of the industry of the RSFSR"
• Decree of the President of the RSFSR of December 3, 1991 N 256 "On measures to stabilize the work of the industrial complex of the RSFSR in the context of economic reform"
• Decree of the President of the RSFSR of December 3, 1991 N 297 (as amended on February 28, 1995) "On measures to liberalize prices"
• Decree of the President of the RSFSR of December 12, 1991 N 269 (as amended on October 21, 2002) "On the Common Economic Space of the RSFSR"
• Law of the RSFSR of December 25, 1991 N 2094-1 "On changing the name of the state of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic" (renaming the state to the Russian Federation)
• Decree of the Government of the RSFSR of December 24, 1991 N 62 (as amended on November 13, 2010) "On approval of the lists of federal roads in the RSFSR" (valid until January 1, 2018)

see also

Notes

1. Ipatiev Chronicle
2. Florya B. N. On some features of the development of ethnic self-awareness Eastern Slavs in the Middle Ages - early modern times.
3. BDT, volume "Russia", p.278
4. Marat Salikov "National federalism of Russia", materials of the round table "The influence of national relations on the development of the federal state system and on the socio-political realities of the Russian Federation"
5. Resolution of the III All-Russian Congress of Soviets "On Federal Institutions of the Russian Republic"
6. The name of Soviet Russia in documents in the first year of its existence:
   Decree of the II All-Russian Congress of Soviets on land October 26 (November 8), 1917
   • Russian state
   Government Decree to convene Constituent Assembly at the appointed time October 27 (November 9), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia November 2(15), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Decree on increasing pensions for workers who suffered from accidents November 8 (21), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Radiogram to the army and navy about the dismissal of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, General Dukhonin, with a proposal to choose authorized representatives for the negotiations on an armistice on November 9 (22), 1917.
   • Russian Republic
   Decree on the destruction of estates and civil ranks November 11 (24), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Regulations on workers' control November 14 (27), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Regulations on the elections of vowels of the Petrograd City Duma on November 16 (29), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Decree on the court November 22 (December 5), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Manifesto to Ukrainian people with ultimatum demands to the Central Rada on December 4 (17), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Regulations of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars on unemployment insurance December 11 (24), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Regulations on land committees not later December 12 (25), 1917 Decree on the nationalization of banks December 14 (27), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Decree on the equalization of all servicemen in rights December 16 (29), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and Council of People's Commissars on the dissolution of marriage on December 16 (29), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars on civil marriage, on children and on the maintenance of books of acts of state on December 18 (31), 1917
   • Russian Republic
   Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee on health insurance December 22, 1917 (January 4, 1918)
   • Russian Republic
   Declaration of the Rights of the Working and Exploited People; written January 3(16), 1918, adopted January 12(25), 1918:
   • Republic of Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies
   • Soviet Russian Republic
   • Soviet Workers' and Peasants' Republic
   • workers' and peasants' state
   • federation of soviet republics of russia
   Report on the activities of the Council People's Commissars(at the III All-Russian Congress of Soviets) January 11 (24), 1918:
   • socialist republic of soviets
   • Soviet republic
   Decree on the organization of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army January 15 (28), 1918
   • Russian Republic
   Decree for the annulment of public loans Decree for the confiscation of the shares of the former private banks January 23 (February 5), 1918
   • Russian Republic
   Fundamental Law on the Socialization of Land January 27 (February 9), 1918 Decree on the Revolutionary Press Tribunal January 28 (February 10), 1918
   • Russian Republic
   Resolution of the III All-Russian Congress of Soviets "On federal institutions Russian Republic" (Resolution of the III All-Russian Congress of Soviets on the main provisions of the constitution) January 28 (15), 1918:
   • federation of soviet republics
   • Russian Republic
   • Russian Federation of Soviets
   • Russian Federative Republic
   The resolution of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee on the report of the peaceful delegation with the approval of its actions and the call to all Soviets to immediately begin the creation of the Red Army on February 14, 1918:
   • Russian Soviet Republic
   • "(delegation) of the Russian socialist revolution"
   Court Decree No. 2 February 15, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
   Treaty between the Russian and Finnish Socialist Republics on March 1, 1918:
   • Russian Federative Soviet Republic(occurs 21 times)
   • Russian Republic
   • (Treaty between the Russian and Finnish Socialist Republics)
   Decree on the right of citizens to change their surnames and nicknames March 4, 1918
   • Russian Soviet Federative Republic
   Decree on the ratification of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on March 15, 1918
   • Russian Soviet Federative Republic
   Resolution of the Fourth Extraordinary All-Russian Congress of Soviets on the transfer of the capital from Petrograd to Moscow on March 16, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
   Establishment Decree state control over all types of insurance, except for social (that is, compulsory state) insurance March 23, 1918
   • Russian Soviet Federative Republic
   Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee on the acquisition of the rights of Russian citizenship April 1, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic(3 times)
   Government announcement of the beginning of the Japanese intervention in Far East April 5, 1918
   • Soviet Republic
   Decree on the organization of the management of the postal and telegraph business April 16, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Soviet Republic
   Decree on the organization of state measures to combat fire April 17, 1918
   • Russian Soviet Federative Republic
   Regulations on the organization of the Main Peat Committee April 20, 1918
   • Russian Republic
   Decree on the development of peat fuel April 20, 1918
   • Russian Republic
   Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee on compulsory training in military art, adopted at a meeting of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Council of Workers', Soldiers', Peasants' and Cossacks' Deputies on April 22, 1918
   • Russian Soviet Republic(2 times)
   • Russian Soviet Federative Republic(1 time)
   Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee on the term of service in the Red Army adopted at a meeting of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Council of Workers', Soldiers', Peasants' and Cossacks' Deputies on April 22, 1918
   • Soviet Republic
   The formula of the solemn promise of the soldiers of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army April 22, 1918
   • Soviet Republic
   • Russian Soviet Republic
   Decree on the nationalization of foreign trade on April 22, 1918
   • Russian Republic
   Decree establishing the Central Collegium for Prisoners and Refugees April 23, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
   Decree on the supply of agriculture with tools of production and metals April 24, 1918
   • Russian Federative Soviet Republic
   Appeal of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee to all provincial, district, volost Soviets on taking measures to organize the May Day festival and on its slogans on April 26, 1918
   • Soviet Republic
   Decree on the abolition of inheritance on April 27, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Soviet Federative Republic
   • Russian Republic
   May Day appeal of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee to workers and peasants, citizens of the RSFSR April 30, 1918
   • Russian Soviet Socialist Republic
   • Russian Soviet Socialist Republic
   Decree on the nationalization of the sugar industry 2 May 1918
   • Russian Republic
   Bribery Decree 8 May 1918
   • Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
   Decree on the establishment of the Main Oil Committee on May 17, 1918
   • Russian Federative Soviet Republic
   Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and Council of People's Commissars on gifts May 20, 1918 Decree on customs fees and institutions May 29, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
   Decree on the recognition of the Geneva and other international conventions concerning the Red Cross Society on May 30, 1918
   • Russian Soviet government
   • Russian government
   • Russian government
   Appeal to the labor Cossacks of the Don and Kuban on the fight against counter-revolution May 30, 1918
   • Russian Soviet Federative Republic
   Decree on the reorganization and centralization of the automobile industry of the Republic of May 31, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Federative Republic
   • Russian Federative Soviet Republic
   Decree on the nationalization of the Tretyakov Gallery on June 3, 1918
   • Russian Federative Soviet Republic
   • Russian Soviet Republic
   Temporary rules on the preparation, consideration, approval and execution of estimates public institutions and the general list of state revenues and expenditures of the Russian Republic for July - December 1918 June 3, 1918
   • Russian Republic
   Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee on the exclusion from the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and local Soviets of representatives of the counter-revolutionary parties of the Socialist-Revolutionaries (right and center) and the Mensheviks on June 14, 1918
   • Russian Republic
   Temporary holiday regulations June 14, 1918
   • Russian Federative Soviet Republic
   Decree on the right to receive maintenance from the property of persons declared absent, and on the judicial recognition of the missing as dead June 17, 1918
   • Russian Republic
   Regulations on the organization of public education in the Russian Republic June 18, 1918
   • Russian Republic
   • Russian Federative Socialist Soviet Republic
   • Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
   Regulations of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars on the Socialist Academy of Social Sciences June 25, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic(2 times)
   • Russian Republic
   Regulations on the procedure for approving collective agreements (tariffs) establishing wage rates and working conditions June 25, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
   Decree on the nationalization of enterprises in a number of industries, enterprises in the region railway transport, for Local Improvement and Steam Mills June 28, 1918
   • Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
   • Russian Federative Republic
   • Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

"Russia" is the name of a country that does not have much history. Previously, the country of the ball was listed on geographic Maps under completely different names.

The first name of Russia known to historians is Hyperborea

Hyperborea is a legendary state in ancient Greek mythology. According to scientists, it was the Hyperboreans who occupied the territories of the present Russian North several millennia ago. Also interesting is the fact that on medieval maps this land was designated as Hyperborea. The ancient Greek historian Diodorus wrote with envy that even death comes to the inhabitants of this country as deliverance from life's pleasures, which the Hyperboreans, having experienced in abundance, rush into the sea to meet eternal pleasure.

The second name of Russia is Sarmatia

The borders of this state stretched from the Urals to the Black Sea. There are scientists who claim that people from the mythological Hyperborea lived in Sarmantia, who ousted the Scythians and began to rule over their people. M. Lomonosov said that the beginning of Russian statehood should be sought in the Sarmatian tradition.

The third name of Russia is Great Sweden

Snorri Sturlusson (a politician and famous Icelandic skald who lived in the 12th-13th centuries) called the European territory of today's Russian Federation Great Sweden. It turns out that the citizens of Russia to some extent can consider themselves Swedes.

The fourth name of Russia is Gardariki

The Vikings and Normans called Russia that way in the past. Translated from Icelandic, "gardariki" means "country of cities."

The fifth name of Russia is As-Slavia

Arab geographers Ibn Haukal and El-Farsi in the 10th century. Russia was called As-Slavia. The city of Salau in those days was the capital of the state. There are scientists who identify As-Slavia with the Novgorod land, and the capital of the state with the city of Slovensk, which is currently located near Veliky Novgorod. Arab scientists did not stop at As-Slavia, and present-day Russia was also called Artania and Kuyava. And even today they argue about the localization of Artania, the thing is that some historians say that it was modern Ryazan, and as for Kuyava, it is associated with the Kyiv lands.

The sixth name of Russia is Tartaria

European cartographers used such a harmless winding to designate the territory of present-day Russia until the 19th century.

The seventh name of Russia is Muscovy

It would seem that everything is very clear with this name, because Russia is called Muscovy thanks to the capital. But there are sources claiming that the name Muscovy does not come from the word Moscow, but from Mosokh, Noah's grandson, since he is the founder of the "Muscovites" people. Some stories claim that the words "Muscovy" and "Moscow" have nothing in common, so there is no point in identifying them.

Russia is a state with rich history rich in culture and interesting people. But not all of these people know for sure what their country owes such a name to. Although what is there to talk about, if not all historians and linguists have a common opinion on this issue. We will try to consider the most reliable theories and find out why Russia has such a name.

A brief excursion on the "evolution" of the name "Russia"

Everyone knows that the history of our country originates in Old Russian state founded by the notorious Rurikoviches. They called him Kievan Rus, because its capital was the glorious city of Kyiv, and the population was the Russian people.

By the end of the 13th century, the Moscow principality was formed, which was called "Russia". And for about a century, the word "Russia" came into use. Researchers suggest that this is due to the peculiarities of the pronunciation of our people, which is why the letter “u” in the word “Russia” gradually turned into “o”. But "Russia" was used much less frequently than "Rus", "Russian land" and "Muscovy".

The very word "Rosia" (then still without a double "s") originated in Byzantium in the 10th century for the Greek designation of Russia. "Ρωσία" - this is how "Rosia" looks in Greek, and it was in this form that it was supposedly written for the first time. And here is the first mention in Cyrillic, dating back to 1387:

The territory of the Russian state gradually grew, and the population was replenished with peoples of other nationalities - along with this, the word "Russia" was increasingly used. Officially, it was fixed in 1547. Then the whole country began to be called the Russian (Russian) kingdom.

Ultimately we have what Russians are called a separate people, and a large multinational state is called Russian.

By the way, the Latin name Russia in Western European sources already met in the 11th century.

Thus, exactly the word "Rus" became a derivative of "Russia". But already regarding Russia and the people of the Russians, scientists have different opinions.

By the way, the name of Ukraine most likely came from the consonant old Russian word"Ukraine", meaning the border area or land near the edge. But with Belarus it’s even easier - its name comes from the phrase “Belaya Rus”.

Well, now consider the existing theories about the origin of the word "Rus" and "Russians".

Norman theory

In this case, it is said that Russia is none other than the Vikings or the Normans. The fact is that in The Tale of Bygone Years it seems to indicate that East Slavic tribes turned to the Varangians, and more precisely - to the Rus, who were one of the local tribes.

If you stick to this theory, then you should refer to the Old Norse word "Róþsmenn", which means rowers or sailors. Therefore, the name of the Norman tribe of the Rus is quite to have such an origin.

Actually, Rurik himself is a Varangian from the Rus people. He was called by the Slavic tribes to become their ruler, because. at that time they were mired in civil strife.

The Norman theory is supported by many Byzantine and European sources, where Russia was identified with the Vikings. In the same sources, the names of Russian princes are indicated in the northern mode: Prince Oleg - X-l-g, Princess Olga - Helga, Prince Igor - Inger.

Another interesting argument is the work of a certain Constantine Porphyrogenitus “On the Administration of the Empire”, written in the middle of the 10th century. The names of the Dnieper rapids are given there. The funny thing is that two languages ​​are used for this: Slavic and Russian. In the latter version, a Scandinavian similarity can be traced.

Be that as it may, the Scandinavians definitely visited the East Slavic territory. This is evidenced by numerous archaeological finds. Moreover, they are dated just at the time of the “calling of the Varangians”.

By the way, the spelling of the double "s" was finally fixed only under Peter I.

Slavic theory

The name of Russia is often associated with the name of one of the tribes of the Eastern Slavs - Ross (or Russ). It is believed that they settled along the stream Ros river, which is one of the tributaries of the Dnieper. But many researchers consider this theory far-fetched, and the existence itself Slavic tribe with such a name, in their opinion, is doubtful. Firstly, in fact, then the river had a name with “b” at the root, that is, “Rs”, and secondly, this assumption arose during the Soviet Union, when they tried in every possible way to challenge the Norman theory. Therefore, many statements are doubtful. They should also include the fact that the Rus were so nicknamed because of their light brown hair color.

The same river Ros

More plausible can be considered the opinion of Lomonosov, who believed that the people of the Rus (or Rus) have a connection with the Baltic Prussians (also Slavs). Yes, and archaeological finds testify to the connection of the Baltic Slavs with northern population Ancient Russia.

Sarmatian (Iranian) theory

The Sarmatians are nomadic Iranian-speaking tribes who occupied the territory of modern Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan in the middle of the 1st millennium. These guys had such tribes as the Roxolons and the Rosomani, whom many eminent scientists consider the ancestors of the Rus. This is where the name Rus came from.

Sarmatians are another possible ancestors of ours. Why not a modern Russian brigade?

Swedish theory

From the 6th to the 5th century, the Swedes visited those lands and said that they saw Finnish tribes there, whom they called Rotsi.

military theory

There is also a version that says that "Rus" was called a special military class even at the time of its inception. ancient Russian state. Over time, the name passed to the whole people.

Conclusion

Why does Russia have such a name? Because the derivatives were the words "Rus" and "Russian", the origin of which is associated with the name of one of the rivers on the territory of the Slavs, and with the Varangian tribe, and even with the Sarmatians and their tribe of Roxolans. To date, the most plausible seems to be the Norman theory, supported by historical facts and archaeological finds. So it is possible that Mother Russia is so called thanks to the legendary Vikings who once came to the lands of our ancestors.