Из истории Старой Рязани

1

FROM THE HISTORY OF RYAZAN

1. NEW WORDS:

Ancient - древний

annals - летописи

settlement - поселение

to link with - связывать

trade route – торговый маршрут

fortress - крепость

invasion - завоевание

2. Answer the questions with the new words:

1. Do you know any ancient settlements on the territory of Ryazan region?

2. Whose ancient settlement on the territory of Ryazan region do you know?

3. Have you read any ancient annals?

4. Where can we read ancient annals?

5. What river links Ryazan and Moscow?

6. Whose invasion of Russians territories do you know?

7. Are there any fortresses on the territory of Ryazan region?

8. What transport do you need for your house-school route?

3. Read, translate and ask questions:

Ryazan is one of Russia’s most ancient towns. It was first mentioned in the annals in 1096. Two settlements were known in ancient times:

1. what is now modern Ryazan was Pereyaslavl Ryazansky

2. Old Ryazan - the capital town of the Principality of Ryazan in the 12^th-13^th centuries.

Old Ryazan stood 50 km. to the south-east of modern Ryazan (Spassky Region now) on the Oka bank,

The Oka was the most important part of the “Great Waterway”. It linked the trade centres of the Baltic lands with the countries of the Orient up to China. Old Ryazan and Pereyaslavl were important towns along that trade route.

Pereyaslavl Ryazansky was founded as a fortress in 1095 and became what now is modern Ryazan by the 18^th century.

In the 12^th and early 13^th centuries Ryazan was a Great Principality famous for its richness. The Great Principality of Ryazan was the first principality in Early Russia which faced the invasion of Khan Batu’s Golden Horde in 1237. All the towns of the principality were burnt down¹ and their population was almost completely wiped out².

This was the end of the history of old Ryazan. But Pereyaslavl Ryazansky became the principality’s capital town in the mid-14^th century. The principality of Ryazan lasted until the first quarter of the 16^th century when it was added to Moscow.

¹ to be burnt down - быть сожженным

²to wipe out – уничтожить

4. Find the information in the text to go on the idea:

It was interesting to know that…

It was pleasant to know that…

It was awful to know that…

5. Write down what you know about Ryazan of the:

11^th century

12^thcentury

13^th century

14^th century

16^th century

18^th century