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Russia recognized the "independence" of Kherson and Zaporozhye and coveted Kherson for a long time from the womb

author:Lin Xiaobai reads history

According to a number of authoritative media in Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially signed a document on the 30th to recognize Kherson and Zaporizhia as "independent" places in Ukraine. So why is Kherson City so important? In fact, from the history of Kievan Rus (ancient Russia) has long coveted this land.

Russia recognized the "independence" of Kherson and Zaporozhye and coveted Kherson for a long time from the womb

Kherson City is geographically important as a hub for land and sea transportation in Southern, Western, Northern Europe and Minor Asia. In the second half of the 10th century, Kherson had prominent economic, political, and religious significance.

Economically, Kherson was not only an important salt supplier to the surrounding area, but also a transit point for trade between countries at that time. The Kherson people introduced Persian silk fabrics, belts, pepper, red Parthian leather, and other items from the East; On the southern shores of the Black Sea in exchange for raw materials for the production of handicrafts and agricultural products, such as non-ferrous metals, mercury, grains and wines, valuable fabrics, pottery, glassware, bronze and bone artwork and ornaments were also introduced from Constantinople and other places; Traded from northern nomads for fish, hides, wax and glue.

Russia recognized the "independence" of Kherson and Zaporozhye and coveted Kherson for a long time from the womb

It is worth noting that there is also frequent trade between Kievan Rus and Kherson. Archaeological work in recent years has shown that 10th-century Kherson glass products and pottery have been found in Kiev, Vladimir, Belgorod, Smolensk, Novgorod and other places; In Kherson were found Rus' handmade products, such as spinning wheels, pottery, bone ware, ornaments, bronze crosses and chains.

Russia recognized the "independence" of Kherson and Zaporozhye and coveted Kherson for a long time from the womb

These excavations prove that commerce between the two places took place not only in the south of Rus', but also as far north as Rus'. Therefore, the city of Kherson, located along the Wahi Trade Route, not only supplies the necessary goods of Rus' territory, but also communicates the trade links between the Rus' people and various regions, which is of great commercial value to Kievan Rus'. Politically, the city of Kherson is located at the heart of the sea and land traffic, strangling the Dnieper River into the mouth of the Black Sea. Thus, "whoever occupies the fortress has a powerful tool for influencing the strategic situation in a wide area". The Byzantine Emperor not only used the city of Kherson as a major missionary and diplomatic stronghold, but also regarded it as an outpost to the east of the empire, ordering the Kherson to closely monitor the movements of their neighbors and report on them at any time.

Russia recognized the "independence" of Kherson and Zaporozhye and coveted Kherson for a long time from the womb

Igor the Prince of Kiev made two expeditions to Byzantium in 941 and 944, both of which were ruined by Kherson information. So for Kievan Rus', the capture of Kherson was not only an important step in controlling the Black Sea coast, but also a necessary step in attacking the Byzantine Empire using the Crimean Peninsula as a springboard. Religiously, Kherson was the largest Christian center on the northern shore of the Black Sea in the Middle Ages.

В.А. Rudnev pointed out that Christianity has penetrated into the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov coast since the first century AD, and the city of Kherson has a long history of Christianity. The ancient Romans often exiled Christians to Kherson, and the niece of the Roman Emperor Tettas and Domitian, Flavia Domizira, was exiled here for supporting Christianity, and Emperor Trajan exiled the Roman bishop Clement to Kherson, who later became a famous saint in the Christian community. At the end of the 9th century, Rus' Christian groups appeared in Kherson City, and Christian missionaries often rushed to Kievan Rus from this city. For the countries that received Christianity from Kherson, the religious significance of the city was by no means inferior to that of Constantinople. Vladimir has recognized on the one hand the urgency of developing Christianity in the country, and on the other hand should have been aware of the necessity of capturing the Christian holy city of Kherson.