13th Century – invasion
of Mongols or Tatars – marked final eclipse of Kievan Russia.
After Mongol conquest, indigenous population scattered
basically along 2 exodus routes.
1)West and
northwest to Poland and Lithuania
2)North and
northwest to the headwaters of the Volga
First group successfully escaped subjugation of Tatars,
but fell easy victims to Lithuanian and Polish expansion after 1240.
Second group – safe from
regular incursion by nomads, Upper Volga region had extremely well-linked natural transportation
network, Valday Hills northwest of Moscow are the headwaters region
for the rivers that drain into the White, Baltic, Black, and
Caspian areas,
Radial drainage pattern played no small part in MoscowÕs rise to prominence.