Middle Ages

When they were finally forced out, a Russian cultural and political tradition could reemerge, serving as a partial basis for the further, fuller development of Russian society. Russian and Ukrainian art also focused on religion. Polygamy was influenced to be the Christian practice monogamy. Devotion to the power of God and to other many Eastern saints helped get together worship. In contrast, Western Europe remained free from outside control and invasions. Tatar invasion and Byzantine collapse led to the downfall for Eastern Europe. Trade patterns didn't unite Poland or Hungary with Western Europe either. Tatar control also created some new harmony among various Russian social classes.

For the two centuries in which Russia was under Tatar control Russian Christianity continued. Byzantine patterns were never recaptured and the Kievan social structure disappeared.

The five reasons to Kievan Russia's decline was: rival princes set up regional governments and the royal family often squabbled over succession to the throne, invader from Asia whittled at Russian territory, the trade and wealth of the country reduced, no greater prosperity and sophisticated manufacturing of its southern neighbor, and lastly the Mongols easily captured the Russian Cities.

The main characteristics of Russian civilization as it first emerged in the post-classical period were that territorial issues caused confusion. Poland, Hungary, and the Czech lands formed large regional kingdoms that were very loosely organized. Western Europe also maintained a clearer vigor in politics, economy, and culture. Poland, Hungary, and Czech lands differ from how much the Mongols controlled their land.