The Swedes and Mongols made a strong Russia
The fact that Russia is the largest country in the world by area is widely recognized. However, Russia has a relatively short history compared to the middle of the Tang Dynasty in China, and it was a state founded by a Swede, and it was only at this time that the rudiments of the Russian state were formed.
In 862 A.D., Rurik the Swede was invited to Novgorod by the Eastern Slavs, hoping that he would settle the strife between their tribes. Rurik's arrival marked the beginning of the Russian state, which also left a unique page in the history of the world.
Although Sweden has always been a tribal confederation, they played an important role in helping the Eastern Slavs to build their state.
Without Rurik, Russia may never have been able to become a state, and may even have fallen into the territory of a European power. After Rurik's death, Oleg the Swede succeeded him and sent troops to occupy Kiev and its environs, establishing Kievan Rus', the origin of Russian civilization.
However, Kievan Rus' existence lasted only more than three hundred years before it was wiped out by the Mongol army led by Batu. Batu not only wiped out Kievan Rus', but also conquered all of Eastern Europe, establishing the Kipchak Khanate.
Thus, the Russians began to experience Mongol rule for two hundred and eighty-three years.
The heroic expansion of Batu gave Muscovy a vast territory and a deep fighting spirit. However, the Kipchak Khanate was eventually destroyed by the Crimean Khanate, but most of its lands became the territory of Muscovy.
Without Batu's expansion, Muscovy might not have been able to inherit the territories that the Kipchak Khanate had developed in Eastern Europe. In addition, the Mongols also had a profound influence on the Russians during their rule of Russia for two hundred and eighty-three years, making them love to conquer and fight.
It was this spirit that allowed Muscovy to continue to expand after inheriting the territory of the Kipchak Khanate, gradually transforming into the Russian Empire and conquering the Astrakhan Khanate, the Kazan Khanate, the Siberian Khanate, and all the tribes of North Asia.
Although there were not many tribes in North Asia and their fighting power was not strong, the Russian conquest of North Asia was still quite easy, as most of the area was a no-man's-land of ice and snow.
Therefore, without the Swedes Rurik and Oleg and the Mongols Batu, there might not be today's powerful Russia. This is the revelation of history, and we must draw strength from it and keep improving.
Thank you all for reading my article.