Ukraine in Ancient Rus through 1440

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EuroDocs > History of Ukraine: Primary Documents > Ukraine in Ancient Rus through 1440

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• The People and Regions of Ukraine in Ancient Texts

Authors include Herodotus, Apollonius Rhodius, Polybius and others. "People" filter can be removed to widen search.

Sarmatia (Scythia) - Σαρματία

Scythia (Pontus) - Σκυθική

Achilleios Dromos (Pontus) - Αχίλλειος δρόμος

Tauric Chersonese region (Crimea) - Ταυρική Χερσόνησος

(antiquity; English translations)

• Strabo: Geographica

Greek traveler Strabo’s encyclopedia on the ancient world as he knew it. Section focusing specifically The Tauric Chersonese (Crimea)

Compiled by Lacus Curtius

(7 BC; English translations)

• Documents from Ukrainian History

(9th century - 1375; Ukrainian facsimiles and transcriptions)

• Kiev Glagolitic sheets

Facsimiles from an Eastern Slavic book.

(9th-10th century; Slavonic facsimiles)

• Risala: Ibn Fadlan's Account of the Rus

”Caliph of Baghdad sent Ibn Fadlan with an embassy to the King of the Bulgars of the Middle Volga. Ibn Fadlan wrote an account of his journeys with the embassy, called a Risala.”

The Viking Answer Lady

(900; English transcriptions)

• Kievian Letter

Letter written by Ukrainian Jew. Translation available on Wikipedia.

(Hebrew; 10th century)

• Thietmar Book VII

Here are the “Slavic” excerpts from Thietmar’s Chronicle Book VII in the Warner translation.

From In Nomine Jassa

(1018; English translation)

• The Russian Primary Chronicle

”A history of the Kievan Rus’, the early Eastern Slavs

Translated by Samuel Hazard Cross and Olgerd P. Sherbowitz-Wetzor

(1113; English transcriptions)

• History of Belarus (Great Litva)

Chronological commentary with links to primary documents from the Belarus past.

Includes relations and wars with France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine.

(13th century to present; Belarusian transcriptions, English translations, images, maps and commentary)

• Witnesses of Foreign travelers about Rus lands, Slavs and Khozars

Document consists of journals, observations, and letters.

(10th century; Russian translations with commentary)

• Complete Collection of the Chronicles of the Ukrainian history 9th-19th centuries

Includes chronicles of Kyivska Rus, Galytsko-Volynske Kingdom, Cossack’s Chronicles, Hetmans’ Journals, and Monasteries’ Chronicles.

(9th-19th centuries; Old Slavic, Old Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, and Latin transcriptions, commentary)

• Ukrainian literature: 9th -19th centuries

Includes primary sources such as chronicles, texts, and historical articles.

(9th-19th centuries; Old Slavic, Old Russian, and Ukrainian transcriptions, images, maps)

• Treaty of Oleg with Byzantine Empire 911 AD

Includes agreements between Kyivska Rus and Byzantine Empire on crime, trade, immigration, and inheritance laws.

(911 AD; Russian translation; commentary)

• Treaty of Prince Igor with Byzantine Empire 944 AD

Includes agreements between Kyivska Rus and Byzantine Empire on crime, trade, political, and military laws.

(944 AD; Russian translation; commentary)

• Korsun Legend about life of Saint Vladimir

(11th century; Russian translation)

• Ruska Pravda

Document of the laws of Kyivska Rus 11 century.

(11th century; Old Slavic language transcription; publisher: Ukrainian Academy of Science, Kyiv, 1935)

• Word about restoration of the Church of the Tithes

(11 century; commentaries, modern Russian)

• The letter of Vladimir Monomakh to prince Oleg Svyztoslavovish

Document consists the offer of Vladimir Monomakh to Oleg Svyatoslavovich to make peace.

(11th century; commentaries, Old Slavic language transcription in Slavic script)

• Witnesses about schools in Rus in 11-13th centuries

Document consists of written testimonies about schools’ existence.

(11th-13th centuries; facsimiles, commentaries, Old Russian transcription and modern Russian translation)

• Battle on the River Kalka in 1223

Documents discusses Tatar-Mongol invasion in Kyivska Rus era and how princes of Kyivska Rus lost the battle against the Tatars.

(13th century; Russian transcription)

• Hypatian Codex

Codex containing three important chronicles:

Primary Chronicle,

Kiev Chronicle and

Galician-Volhynian Chronicle.

(13th century; English translations)

• Galicia-Volyn chronicle

The chronicle justifies Galician claims on Kiev.

(1201-1292; Russian translation)

• Invasion of Batu Khan on Rus

Document describes invasion on Ryazan, Suzdal, and Kyiv.

(1237-1240; Russian translation)

• Story about killing Prince Mikhail Chernigovskiy and his boyar Fyodor in Golden Horde

Document shows relationship between Russian Princes and Khans.

(1246 century; Old Russian translation)

• Map of the Domains of Hungarian oligarchs

Map illustrates domain of Amadeus Aba over Ukrainian lands

(1301 - 1310; image)

• Union of Krewo

Latin facsimile with Polish excerpts

Conditions of union between Poland and Lithuania.

(14 July 1385; Latin facsimile and English, Belarusian, Latin, and Polish transcriptions)

• Memorandum of Polish King Yagailo about privileges for catholic people

Document includes privileges for Catholic knights and feudal lords to manage their properties on their own choice and to arrange marriages. It lists their military responsibilities. Memorandum announces placement of new judges in the land and deprivation of all privileges for non-Catholic knights and feudal lords.

(Vil’no, February, 20 1387; Russian translation)

• Gorodel’s previlege

Document includes privileges and obligations of Catholic knights and feudal lords on the territory of Polish Kingdom and Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Document imposed Polish laws on nobility of both territories: Polish and Lithuanian.

(Gorodlo, October 2, 1413; Russian translation)

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EuroDocs > History of Ukraine: Primary Documents > Ukraine in Ancient Rus through 1440

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EuroDocs Creator: Richard Hacken, European Studies Librarian,
Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.
Feel free to get in touch: Hacken @ byu.edu