This unit traces the history of Russia, from Kievan Rus in the 10th century, through invasion by the Mongol hordes, to the establishment of the first Tsarist dynasty. The influence of various important Tsars is then examined in succession, before finally emphasising the social and political conditions of Tsarist Russia in the decades before the communist Revolution in 1917. The multi-ethnic character of the Russian empire is emphasised throughout the unit in order to be able to identify the heritage of the new states which have become visible in the region since the collapse of Soviet communism.