100 Key Events in Ukrainian History

THE GREAT SLAVIC EXPANSION IN THE 6—8TH CENTURIES

THE GREAT SLAVIC EXPANSION IN THE 6—8TH CENTURIES

Historical sources report that in the early sixth century, the Slavs were rather numerous. Our ancestors lived on the territory from the Adriatic Sea in the south to the Arctic Ocean in the north, from the deserts in Central Asia in the east to the Baltic Sea in the west. It is also known that at the time Slavic tribes inhabited Asia Minor, Italy and Spain. A famous Arab geographer of the tenth century Ibn Haukal noted that in Palermo on Sicily two out of five city quarters belonged to the Slavs.

K. Lebedev. Prince Ihor collects duty from Drevlians in 945

Nestor the Chronicler — a probable author of Chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years"

For a long period of time researchers believed that the territory where the Slavs lived was so vast during the great migration period from the 2nd till the 6th century. However, afterwards it was confirmed that it happened later. There were a number of reasons for the Slavic migration to Europe and that expansion was determined by many objective historical processes. They were especially active in the 6—8th centuries. In the origins of the Slavic ethnos there was the issue of the collapse of primitive communal system, caused by the evolution of the productive forces and labour relations. Crop farming and cattle breeding were developing more actively and various crafts and industries were becoming more powerful. Trading relations within the Slavic world grew fast as well. The demographic boom, encouraged by all these factors, also led to the migration and spread since the Slavs felt cramped at home.

The Death of Oleg, Drevliane Prince, work by Taras Shevchenko

Princess Olga’s Revenge on Drevliane for her Spouse

A significant role in the expansion of the Slavs across the European continent was played by external political factors too. At that time, due to the collapse of the Roman Empire and the advance southwards of the German tribes, in particular, Goths and Vandals, the integrity of the Slavic lands was infringed. That process promoted separation of the Slavs and the division of their tribes into groups — eastern and western. As of the early sixth century, due to the fall of the Hun state, Slavs were able to settle in the south moving down to the banks of the Danube, and further to the north-western Black Sea region, which also entailed the division of the Slavic ethnos into different groups. These processes, owing to the retreat of the Goths and also the fall of the Avar Khaganate in the seventh century, enabled the Slavs to settle on the Balkan Peninsula and a number of Mediterranean islands. At the same time the Slavs continued expanding to the lands of Central and Eastern Europe.

It is known that at the end of the seventh century the Slavs settled in the lower reaches of the Elbe River, and also on the south-western coast of the Baltic Sea. Owing to this expansion in Europe, the ethnic and cultural unity of the Slavs started changing. There emerged three groups of languages — Western Slavic, Eastern Slavic and Southern Slavic. It is to be emphasized that none of the groups was similar to the modern Russian language, i.e. the language of the country that is currently, due to unclear motives, seeks the status of the leader in the Slavic world. However, this is another story, and as of the early seventh century Anno Domini three branches of the Slavs had been completely formed in Europe. Those were the people, who would be later called by the legend the descendants of Rus, Czech and Lech. The state that was to make the Slavs great and declare themselves on the expanses of medieval Europe — Kyivan Rus — was looming on the horizon.