Baby steps for a young nation, but with a ruler with 12 sons, each vying for a piece of it.

Story in the evening ...
Vladimir Sviatoslavich was born around 960 to Sviatoslav, Grand Prince of Kiev and Malusha. Sviatoslav was the leader of an East Slavic tribe known as Rus', who had started organizing into a nation during the time of Sviatoslav's grandfather, Rurik and his relative, Oleg. 1/10 https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8
The Kievan Rus' was formed near the trade route connecting Byzantium with Scandinavia. Initially centred at Novgorod, Oleg added Smolensk, Lyubech and Kiev, and made Kiev his capital. Sviatoslav added onto the Rus' state, but he died in battle against the Pechenegs in 972. 2/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_route_from_the_Varangianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rus%27_people#/media/File:Euro
Vladimir was designated to inherit Novgorod, while brother Iaropolk set for Kiev and Oleg in Dereva. But this led to a civil war between the brothers, with Oleg killed around 976 and Iaropolk in 980 and Vladimir annexing both their domains. 3/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaropolk_I_of_Kiev#/media/File
By 977, Vladimir also conquered Polotsk after killing its ruler, Rogvolod. Vladimir had offered to marry his daughter, Rogned, but Rogvolod had refused. Vladimir invaded Polotsk, captured the region and married Rogned. 4/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_the_Great#/media/File
The nation building continued under Vladimir. He invaded Poland in 981 and subdued Yatvingians & Radimichs. After defeating Pechenegs, Vladimir founded the city of Pereyaslavl at the place of his victory. Vladimir also sought allies and an opportunity came knocking in 987. 5/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radimichs#/media/File:Radzimi%
Byzantine Emperor Basileios II was plagued by usurpers and rebels. He sought help from Vladimir and the Rus' to put down the rebellions of Bardas Skleros and Bardas Fokas. Fokas was defeated in 988, while Skleros in 989. But it didn't end there. 6/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_II#/media/File:Basilios_
A marital alliance was proposed with Vladimir marrying Anna, the sister of Emperor Basileios. In return, he had to accept Christianity. The baptism and the marriage took place in 988 at Khersones, a Greek colony in Crimea. 7/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_the_Great#/media/File
The conversion of the Rus' to Christianity soon followed, but it still look a long time for all of the Rus' to switch. The connection of Russia and Greece is retained to this day, with the Russian Orthodox Church. 8/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Orthodox_Church#/media
Vladimir died in 1015, with a larger Rus' nation. But he had many sons and as was the norm of the time, each son was designated a part. Many principalities arose including Polotsk, Rostov, Tmutorakan, Volynia, Pereyaslavl, Turov, Novgorod, Dereva, Murom, Pskov and Smolensk. 9/10 https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8
The principalities fought amongst each other as the Rus' nation grew slowly. Though the ruler of Kiev held the nominal authority, his power waxed and waned over time. It would take 500 years for Russia to become a nation, by which time Kiev was part of Lithuania. 10/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Pereyaslavl#/m

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More from @Arby_K

30 Jun
This was the beginning of what I see as the 300 year long Forever War for Europe.

From 1618 to 1945, Europe saw consistent warfare spread across the continent, though it was intermittent at times.

Europe peaked during this war, but it also led to their undoing as well. 1/20
Europe had seen many wars after the collapse of Roman Empire in the West in 476, but they were mostly bilateral and local. It was only in the 1500s that Europe saw multi national alliances fight it out, with France, Holy Roman Empire, Spain and England fighting over Italy. 2/20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pavia#/media/File:Th
But the fighting was limited to Italy.

The event in 1618 Prague was a story that was 200 years in making. It started with Jan Hus and his move to reform the Catholic Church in Bohemia.

With the Church unhappy about it, he was summoned to the Council of Constance in 1414. 3/20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hus#/media/File:Hus_(Lessi
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29 Jun
A non Christian ruler, who recreated a nation defeating Christian invaders. A nation that would be core to the largest Catholic nations in Europe.

Story in the evening...
Traidenis was born sometime in the 13th century Lithuania. It is believed that his father (or grandfather) was Živinbudas. Živinbudas was the leading ruler among 21 Lithuanian rulers, who signed a treaty with the Rus' state of Halych-Volynia in 1219. 1/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traidenis#/media/File:Lithuani
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26 Jun
The year was 1415. Portugal had been reborn as a nation under João de Aviz and was looking to expand. With Iberia out of question, it set its sights on Ceuta in North Africa, then ruled by the Marinid Sultans of Morocco. 1/17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquest_of_Ceuta#/media/File:
Henrique, a younger son of João de Aviz, then funded the explorations further down the Atlantic. This led to the rediscovery and settlement of the Atlantic islands – Madeira (1418), Azores (1427) and Cabo Verde (1444). From there they tried to go around Africa to India. 2/17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Henry_the_Navigator#/me
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25 Jun
2,500 to 3,500 years ago, an ancient tribe settled on an island. Centuries later, they were overrun by foreign invaders. Centuries later, another wave and more later.

But 500 years ago, one of the tribe won a great victory in battle and became King.

Story in the evening ...
Henry Tudor was born in 1457 to Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, and Margaret Beaufort. Edmund Tudor was a half brother of King Henry VI of England, while Margaret was the granddaughter of John Beaufort, legitimized half brother of King Henry IV, grandfather of Henry VI. 1/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VII_of_England#/media/Fi
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Read 11 tweets
23 Jun
Russia says it fired warning shots at British warship

(Didn't this happen in 1853?)

bbc.com/news/world-eur…
UK denies Russia fired warning shots at Royal Navy ship off Crimea🤷‍♂️ theguardian.com/world/2021/jun…
Navy defending our values in Russia dispute, says Boris Johnson

bbc.com/news/uk-politi…
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22 Jun
A young widow married off to a Prince as part of an alliance, lives to become a Queen in a tumultuous time.

Story in the evening...
Anne Neville was born in 1456 to Richard Neville and Anne Beauchamp, Countess of Warwick. Richard Neville's aunt, Cecily Neville, was married to Richard of York, who was earlier the Lord Protector of England. 1/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Neville#/media/File:Anne_
England was edging towards a civil war when Anne was born. King Henry VI was not seen fit for rule and his opponents rallied around the King's nearest adult male relative, Richard of York, dividing England into Lancastrian (Ruling) and Yorkist camps. 2/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wars_of_the_Roses#/media/File:
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