Scandinavian traders set up governments along their trade route at the city of Kiev. As the Kievan Russia and the Byzantium contacts grew, Kiev became a great trading center; Therefore Constantinople became a great trading center. The role of the East Orthodox religion was played in early Russian culture. Churches had lots of icons and incenses that filled the rooms. The civilians of Russia, including the Prince, converted to Christianity. After the conversion, more priests …showed first 75 words of 489 total…

…showed last 75 words of 489 total…did not predominate. Poland, Hungary, and the Czech lands formed large regional kingdoms that were very loosely organized. Trade patterns didn't unite Poland or Hungary with Western Europe either. Poland, Hungary, and Czech lands differ from how much the Mongols controlled their land. Other civilization border areas, in the postclassical period or later, that are similarly difficult to define because of their position between two other areas are the Baltic states, South Slavs, and Lithuania.