Where did Russia come from? - Alex Gendler

Kako je nastala Rusija? - Aleks Džendler (Alex Gendler)

Prevodilac: Milenka Okuka Lektor: Mile Živković

Where did Russia come from,

Kako je nastala Rusija,

why is it so big,

zašto je tako velika

and what are the differences between it and its neighbors?

i kakve razlike postoje u njenoj unutrašnjosti i sa susedima?

The answers lie in an epic story of seafaring warriors,

Odgovor leži u epskoj priči o ratnicima moreplovcima,

nomadic invaders,

nomadskim osvajačima,

and the rise and fall of a medieval state known as Kievan Rus.

i u usponu i padu srednjovekovne države, poznate kao Kijevska Rusija.

In the first millennium,

U prvom milenijumu,

a large group of tribes spread through the dense woodlands of Eastern Europe.

velika grupa plemena se raširila po gustim šumama Istočne Evrope.

Because they had no writing system,

Kako nisu imali pismo,

much of what we know about them comes from three main sources:

većina onoga što znamo o njima potiče iz tri glavna izvora:

archaeological evidence,

arheološki dokazi,

accounts from literate scholars of the Roman Empire and the Middle East,

zabeleške pismenih učenjaka iz Rimskog carstva i sa Srednjeg istoka

and, lastly, an epic history called the Primary Chronicle

i, konačno, iz epske istorije pod nazivom "Prvobitna hronika",

compiled in the 12th century by a monk named Nestor.

koju je u 12. veku sastavio monah pod imenom Nestor.

What they tell us is that these tribes who shared a common Slavic language

Od njih saznajemo da su se ova plemena, koja su delila zajednički slovenski jezik

and polytheistic religion

i politeističku religiju,

had by the 7th century split into western, southern and eastern branches,

do sedmog veka raspala na zapadne, južne i istočne ogranke,

the latter stretching from the Dniester River

poslednji su se prostirali od reke Dnjestar

to the Volga and the Baltic Sea.

do Volge i Baltičkog mora.

As Nestor's story goes, after years of subjugation by Vikings from the north,

Kako Nestorova priča kaže, nakon godina pokornosti Vikinzima sa severa,

who, by the way, did not wear horned helmets in battle,

koji, usput, nisu nosili šlemove s rogovima u bici,

the region's tribes revolted and drove back the Northmen,

regionalna plemena su se pobunila i odgurnula severnjake nazad,

but left to their own devices, they turned on each other.

ali kada su prepušteni sami sebi, okrenuli su se jedni protiv drugih.

Such chaos ensued that, ironically,

Ironija je da je nastao takav haos

the tribes reached out to the foreigners they had just expelled,

da su se plemena okrenula strancima koje su upravo izbacili,

inviting them to return and establish order.

pozivajući ih da se vrate i da zavedu red.

The Vikings accepted, sending a prince named Rurik and his two brothers to rule.

Vikinzi su pristali, poslali su princa, zvanog Rurik,

i njegova dva brata da vladaju.

With Rurik's son, Oleg, expanding his realm into the south,

Sa Rurikovim sinom Olegom, koji je proširio carstvo na jug

and moving the capitol to Kiev,

i preselio prestonicu u Kijev,

a former outpost of the Khazar Empire,

bivšu predstražu Hazarskog carstva,

the Kievan Rus was born,

Kijevska Rusija je rođena,

"Rus" most likely deriving from an old Norse word for "the men who row."

"Rus" je najverovatnije izvedenica stare nordijske reči za "one koji veslaju".

The new princedom had complex relations with its neighbors,

Novo knažestvo je imalo složene odnose sa komšijama,

alternating between alliance and warfare with the Khazar and Byzantine Empires,

varirajući između savezništva i rata s Hazarima i Vizantijskim carstvom,

as well as neighboring tribes.

kao i sa susednim plemenima.

Religion played an important role in politics,

Religija je igrala važnu ulogu u politici

and as the legend goes, in 987,

i kako legenda kaže, 987. godine,

the Rus prince Vladamir I decided it was time to abandon Slavic paganism,

ruski princ Vladimir I je odlučio da je vreme da se napusti slovenski paganizam

and sent emissaries to explore neighboring faiths.

i poslao je misionare da istraže okolne religije.

Put off by Islam's prohibition on alcohol

Islam ga je odbijao zbog zabrane alkohola,

and Judaism's expulsion from its holy land,

a judaizam zbog proterivanja iz svete zemlje,

the ruler settled on Orthodox Christianity

te se vladar zadovoljio pravoslavnim hrišćanstvom

after hearing odd accounts of its ceremonies.

nakon što je čuo neobične povesti o njihovim obredima.

With Vladimir's conversion and marriage to the Byzantine emperor's sister,

Vladimirovim preobraćanjem i brakom sa sestrom vizantijskog cara,

as well as continued trade along the Volga route,

kao i trajnom trgovinom duž Volgine trase,

the relationship between the two civilizations deepened.

veza među dvema civilizacijama se produbljavala.

Byzantine missionaries created an alphabet for Slavic languages

Vizantijski misionari su napravili alfabet za slovenske jezike,

based on a modified Greek script

zasnovan na modifikovanom grčkom pismu,

while Rus Viking warriors served as the Byzantine Emperor's elite guard.

dok su ruski vikinški ratnici služili kao elitna garda vizantijskog cara.

For several generations,

Nekoliko generacija,

the Kievan Rus flourished from its rich resources and trade.

Kijevska Rusija je cvetala, zahvaljujući bogatim resursima i trgovini.

Its noblemen and noblewomen married prominent European rulers,

Njeni plemići i plemkinje su se venčavali istaknutim evropskim vladarima,

while residents of some cities enjoyed great culture,

dok su stanovnici nekih gradova značajno uživali u kulturi,

literacy, and even democratic freedoms uncommon for the time.

pismenosti, pa čak i demokratskim slobodama, nesvojstvenim za to doba.

But nothing lasts forever.

Ali ništa ne traje večno.

Fratricidal disputes over succession began to erode central power

Bratoubilački sporovi zbog nasledstva počeli su da podrivaju centralnu moć,

as increasingly independent cities ruled by rival princes vied for control.

a sve nezavisniji gradovi, pod upravom suparničkih prinčeva, su uzimali kontrolu.

The Fourth Crusade and decline of Constantinople

Četvrti krstaški rat i pad Konstantinopolja

devastated the trade integral to Rus wealth and power,

su opustošili trgovinu, osnovni izvor ruskog bogatstva i moći,

while Teutonic crusaders threatened northern territories.

dok su tevtonski krstaši pretili severnim teritorijama.

The final blow, however, would come from the east.

U svakom slučaju, konačan udarac će doći sa istoka.

Consumed by their squabbles,

Obuzeti unutrašnjim kavgama,

Rus princes paid little attention to the rumors

ruski prinčevi nisu obraćali mnogo pažnje na glasine

of a mysterious unstoppable hoard

o tajanstvenoj nezaustavljivoj hordi

until 1237, when 35,000 mounted archers led by Batu Khan

sve dok 1237. 35,000 strelaca nije ujahalo, predvođeno Batu Kanom,

swept through the Rus cities,

opustošili su ruske gradove,

sacking Kiev before continuing on to Hungary and Poland.

opljačkavši Kijev pre nego što su nastavili ka Mađarskoj i Poljskoj.

The age of Kievan Rus had come to an end, its people now divided.

Došao je kraj dobu Kijevske Rusije, čiji su ljudi sada bili podeljeni.

In the east, which remained under Mongol rule,

Na istoku, koji je ostao pod mongolskom upravom,

a remote trading post, known as Moscow,

udaljeno trgovačko mesto, poznato kao Moskva,

would grow to challenge the power of the Khans,

će da naraste i da dovede u pitanje Kanovu moć,

conquering parts of their fragmenting empire,

osvajajući delove njegovog rasparčanog carstva

and, in many ways, succeeding it.

i na razne načine će ga prevazići.

As it absorbed other eastern Rus territories,

Kako je pripajala druge istočne ruske teritorije,

it reclaimed the old name in its Greek form, Ruscia.

povratila je staro ime u grčkoj verziji, Rusija.

Meanwhile, the western regions whose leaders had avoided destruction

U međuvremenu, zapadni delovi, čiji su vladari izbegli uništenje,

through political maneuvering until the hoard withdrew

zahvaljujući političkom manevrisanju sve dok se horda nije povukla,

came under the influence of Poland and Lithuania.

pali su pod uticaj Poljske i Litvanije.

For the next few centuries,

U narednih nekoliko vekova,

the former lands of Kievan Rus

nekadašnje zemlje Kijevske Rusije,

populated by Slavs,

nastanjene Slovenima,

ruled by Vikings,

kojima su vladali Vikinzi,

taught by Greeks,

obrazovali ih Grci

and split by Mongols

i podelili Mongoli

would develop differences in society, culture and language

će razviti razlike u društvu, kulturi i jeziku

that remain to the present day.

koje će ostati sve do danas.